Getty James Franklin
The No. 8 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1) lost a devastating home game to Ohio State two weeks ago. They have had ample time to recover, and it’s time to see what head coach James Franklin and the rest of his team is made of when they host Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans (3-2) in Happy Valley on Saturday afternoon.
The game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still watch a live stream of the game (or DVR it) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
The Big Ten Network and the Big Ten Network “Extra Football Game channels” (the latter will televise extra games when there are overlapping ones on BTN at the same time) are included in FuboTV’s main package, which includes 85 total channels and is largely tailored towards sports fans. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a handy “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which will allow you to watch the game on-demand up to three days after it airs even if you forgot to record it.
In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including the Big Ten Network. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
BTN2Go
Additionally, you can watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Big Ten website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the BTN2Go app. You’ll need to log in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can still sign up for one of the above options and then use your FuboTV or Hulu credentials to sign in and watch on the BTN digital platforms.
Preview
Through five games, Penn State is averaging 510 yards per game, which is ranked 13th in the nation. Despite being known for Trace McSorley, the Nittany Lions have done most of their damage on the ground this season. After losing Saquon Barkley to the pros, Penn State ranks 12th in the country with 261.2 rushing yards per game.
The Spartans and the No. 1 rush defense in the country provide the Nittany Lions arguably their toughest test this season. Ohio State had the Heisman Trophy contender Dwayne Haskins and head coach in Urban Meyer to play cool in a comeback victory. This game will be more of a defensive battle.
Michigan State is coming off just as tough of a loss. After an early-season road loss against Herm Edwards and Arizona State, the Spartans fell to Northwestern 29-19 last week. The Spartans have played five close contests, and Dantonio recognizes what they could be.
“I feel like we should be 5-0. My message to our players is: Play like it. Play like we’re 5-0. Keep the same mindset as we go forward.”
Unfortunately, Michigan State is not 5-0. In fact, their best win is Indiana. Although the Hoosiers are no slouch, it is hard to buy the mantra the Spartans should be better.