Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
8 6 A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M J ames Franklin's wish has been granted. Announced in late May, NBC will carry the Nittany Lions' Sept. 27 clash with Oregon in a 7:30 p.m. ET slot. With that decision made, the best opponent on Penn State's home schedule will face a White Out crowd, finally, under the lights. Frustrated by circumstances that forced them to play their biggest games at noon each of the past four seasons, the Nittany Lions were thrilled that NBC's selection snapped the streak. Left without any say — nor any Big Ten backing — Franklin had previ- ously voiced his concerns about fans' wishes going unheeded. "I did a Jedi mind trick a couple years ago where I put some- thing out on social media: 'What do you love most at the game, hotdog or hamburger?' I listed out like five different things," the Nittany Lions' head coach said last summer. "And then the sixth question was, 'If you had to choose the White Out … what's your preference? Is it a night game? Is it the opponent? Time of year — early, late? Whatever it may be.' "I think 60 percent of the fans responded with it being a night game, and I think the opponent was No. 2. So, for us, we're just trying to provide what our fans want." What Penn State fans surely wanted this year was a prime- time clash with Oregon, a team that hasn't visited Beaver Stadium since 1964. The matchup with the Ducks, who de- feated Penn State, 45-37, in last year's Big Ten Championship Game, will be the highlight of a schedule that pits PSU against three of last year's 12 College Football Playoff participants, including defending national champion Ohio State. While the nonconference schedule looks a lot less formidable, with Nevada and Florida International having combined for a 7-18 record last fall and Villanova going 10-4 at the FCS level, the Big Ten slate should make up for it, with the Lions set to face 2024 bowl participants Iowa, Nebraska and Rutgers in addi- tion to their clashes with the Buckeyes, Ducks and fellow CFP entrant Indiana. The White Out game will be Penn State's Big Ten opener and LIGHTS, LIGHTS, CAMERA, CAMERA, ACTION ACTION Seeking to resume a popular tradition this fall, Penn State gets its Ducks in a row N A T E B A U E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M