What time is Penn State vs. Northwestern? TV, stream info for Week 5

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No. 22 Penn State (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) will look for a rebound win in Week 5 when the Nittany Lions visit the Northwestern Wildcats (2-1, 0-1 Big Ten) for a Friday night Big Ten matchup. Both teams are coming off a loss in Week 4 with Penn State coughing up a double-digit lead at home against Wisconsin and Northwestern coming up short of a major upset against Indiana on the road. Penn State will be in for a major battle and will hope to play the role of spoiler on what could be a big night for Northwestern.

Northwestern is opening the doors to its newly rebuilt Ryan Field for the first time, giving the Wildcats a much-needed upgrade for its home field. After playing the first two home games of the year at an alternate site, Northwestern will finally get a chance to play in its much-anticipated stadium, and they will get a national spotlight to showcase the new facility.

Here is how to catch today's game between Penn State and Northwestern.

What channel is Penn State vs. Northwestern on today?

  • TV Channel: FOX
  • Livestream: Peacock

The Penn State vs. Northwestern game will air on FOX, marking Penn State's first time appearing on a main network for a game this season. Connor Onion will provide the play-by-play and former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III will join him to break down the action. Alexa Landesto will be the sideline reporter for the broadcast.

Streaming options for tonight's game include FUBO, which you can get started with using the link below.

Watch Penn State vs. Northwestern football on FUBO

Penn State vs. Northwestern time today

  • Date: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET

The Penn State vs. Northwestern game starts at 8:00 p.m. ET from Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.

Updated weather outlook

Those attending the Penn State road game at Northwestern may want to bundle up a bit. Temperatures at kickoff are expected to be in the upper 50s and should remain in the mid-50s throughout the game. Throw in the winds coming off the coast of Lake Michigan, and things should be a little on the chilly side for the first time this season. How the winds circle in the newly renovated Ryan Field will be a thing to watch as well.

Updated Big Ten football standings

TeamB1G WB1G LWL
UCLA2040
Indiana1040
Iowa1040
Nebraska1040
Minnesota1031
Ohio State1031
Oregon1031
Wisconsin1031
USC1141
Michigan0131
Penn State0131
Washington0131
Northwestern0121
Illinois0122
Maryland0122
Michigan State0122
Purdue0113
Rutgers0113

2026 Penn State Football Schedule

Here is Penn State's 2026 football schedule with updated start times and TV information. Home games are listed in all CAPS and all times are Eastern (ET).

DATEOPPONENTTVTIME/ SCORE
Sept. 5MARSHALLFS1W, 45-0
Sept. 12at TempleESPN2W, 27-9
Sept. 19BUFFALOBig Ten NetworkW, 55-13
Sept. 26WISCONSIN*PeacockL, 24-20
Oct. 2 (Fri)at Northwestern*FOX8:00 p.m.
Oct. 10USC*NBC/Peacock7:30 p.m.
Oct. 17at Michigan*TBDTBD
Oct. 31PURDUE*TBDTBD
Nov. 7at Washington*TBDTBD
Nov. 14MINNESOTA*TBDTBD
Nov. 21RUTGERS*TBDTBD
Nov. 28at Maryland*TBDTBD

Kevin McGuire is the lead writer for Nittany Lions Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on BlueSky, Threads or any of these other platforms.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: What time is Penn State vs. Northwestern? TV, stream info for Week 5

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