Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley
Trace McSorley and the No. 20 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3) are looking to rebound when they welcome Jonathan Taylor and the Wisconsin Badgers (6-3) into Happy Valley for a Big Ten showdown on Saturday afternoon.
The game is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. 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:
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets, but even if it isn’t included in your market, you’ll be able to watch the game on the ESPN digital platforms with your Hulu credentials).
You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and if ABC is live in your market, 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 ABC isn’t live in your market, scroll down to the “ESPN Platforms” section to see where you can watch.
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).
Although ABC isn’t technically part of the Sling TV package, you can sign up for a free 7-day trial of the “Sling Orange” bundle, which includes ESPN3, and you’ll then be able to watch a live stream of the game on the ESPN digital platforms (see next section).
ESPN Platforms
You can watch a live stream of the game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Games on ABC (labeled as ESPN3) can be watched for free without cable if you have a participating internet service provider (ISP), but even if you don’t have a participating ISP, you can still sign use your Hulu or Sling TV (or other cable TV) credentials to sign in and watch the game on the ESPN digital platforms.
Preview
Penn State defeated Iowa two weeks ago thanks to a game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter, but followed that performance up with a colossal 42-7 disappointment in the Big House against, now, No. 4 Michigan. The loss took James Franklin’s Nittany Lions out of Big Ten title contention. Wisconsin has traded wins and loses in each of the past five games, trading a 31-17 loss to Northwestern with a 31-17 win against Rutgers in the past two weeks.
Surprisingly, it is the Badgers offense that enters this game as the more prolific of the two. Wisconsin averages 447.2 total yards for head coach Paul Chryst, in comparison to Penn State’s 429.1. That is due in large part to an astounding 273 yards on the ground per game.
Taylor’s rushing ability is on an elite level, with the likes of former Badgers running back Melvin Gordon, who has gone on to be a stud at the next level with the Los Angeles Chargers. Through nine games, the sophomore has 1,363 yards, which is No. 1 in the nation.
Matchup to Watch: The Nittany Lions offense following the Ohio State comeback has totally lost its preseason luster and mojo. Will the Badgers defense be able to slow down McSorley? Over the past three games, McSorley has failed to crack more than 220 yards and has one touchdown and three interceptions, but he has made up for it elsewhere.
McSorley is as much of a matchup nightmare with his legs as he is with his arm. If he can generate production — 170 rushing yards, three touchdowns combined in the prior two weeks before last week’s Michigan loss — the Badgers will have a difficult time slowing him down.