Penn State played one of its most anticipated games of 2023 last week.
The season opener is always a big deal.
But the combination of it being a night game at Beaver Stadium against a power five opponent in West Virginia, it being the first Big Ten game on NBC in the conference’s billion-dollar, multiple-network TV deal and this PSU team coming in with higher expectations than perhaps any in the James Franklin era made it a bigger deal than normal.
PSU took care of West Virginia, 38-15, and now moves on to face Delaware.
This game doesn’t feel like a big deal.
Delaware’s had success in the past, as Super Bowl-winning QB Joe Flacco could attest. But at the end of the day, Delaware is an FCS school, and an FCS school going up against a Big Ten team— especially one that’s ranked No. 7 in the country— feels like a Nissan going against a Mack Truck. Frankly, if PSU-Delaware were expected to be close, it probably wouldn’t be on Peacock.
Plenty of Penn State fans will miss this game on television because it’s only available through NBC’s streaming service. Although this will understandably upset some people, if this game goes as expected, fans won’t be missing much.
The Action Network picks Penn State to cover -44.5.
Here’s more information on how to watch and listen to today’s game.
Kickoff time: Noon
TV Channel: Peacock
TV announcers: Brandon Burke (PXP), Penn State great Michael Robinson (color), Zora Stephenson (sideline)
Radio: Penn State Football Radio Affiliates
Radio announcers: Steve Jones (PXP), Jack Ham (color), Brian Tripp (sideline)
