Penn State-SMU Kickoff Time: Good News, Bad News

The kickoff time is out for Penn State football’s first-ever playoff game against SMU, and there’s good news and bad news.

Per Ross Dellinger of Yahoo Sports, Penn State-SMU is scheduled to kickoff at noon on TNT Saturday, Dec. 21.

Kickoff times for the opening round:

Dec. 20 (Friday)
10 Indiana at 7 Notre Dame, 8 pm

Dec. 21 (Saturday)
11 SMU at 6 Penn State, 12 ET
12 Clemson at 5 Texas, 4 ET
9 Tennessee at 8 Ohio State, 8 pm

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 8, 2024

The bad news is that many Penn State fans don’t like noon kicks.

The good news is that it will be at White Out.

⚪️⚪️⚪️

Playoff White Out: UNLOCKED#WeAre x @CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/X435rlcnaU

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 8, 2024

Penn State has known for a while that it was going to the College Football Playoff.

The questions were: what seed would it be, who would it play and what time? We now know the answers to all those questions. SMU didn’t know until near the College Football Playoff selection show that it would be in. But the committee chose the 11-2 Mustangs over 9-3 Alabama.

‘BIG NOON’ NOT A ‘BIG HIT’ FOR ALL

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Penn State fans— a good bit of them, anyway— have grown to despise noon kicks. There was once a time where Beaver Stadium’s biggest days of the year would feature Penn State hosting a marquee opponent such as Michigan or Ohio State at night. But since FOX has been in the Big Ten media rights picture, the biggest games have been scheduled for “Big Noon.”

Penn State-SMU won’t be on “Big Noon.” Rather, the game will be on ESPN, which owns the College Football Playoff rights along with ABC. But Penn State fans will doubtlessly be annoyed. For many, Beaver Stadium is at its best when the lights are on.

WHITE OUT, BABY

Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now

For months, people have speculated whether Penn State’s first home Playoff game would be a White Out. If the game were to be played at 8:00 (Tennessee at Ohio State) or even 4 (Clemson at Texas), there would likely be a big call for a White Out.

Because it’s at noon, many fans will be indifferent. The last time Penn State had a daylight White Out was in October 2015 against Michigan. But it’s happening regardless.

Penn State hasn’t played SMU since 1978, when it won, 26-21.