Gameday Coverage: Penn State vs. Michigan State
Rise and shine, Penn State! It’s officially Land-Grant Trophy day. Penn State football (2-5) will host Michigan State (2-4) at Beaver Stadium for its final game of the regular seaon.
The Spartans are coming off a blowout home loss to No. 4 Ohio State, but they still boast wins over Michigan and No. 14 Northwestern. The Nittany Lions, on the other hand, find themselves on a two-game win streak.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday afternoon’s game.
Television
Saturday’s matchup will kick off at noon and be broadcast on ABC. Dave Flemming and Rod Gilmore will be on the call, while Paul Carcaterra will help report from the sideline.
Radio
Penn State Sports Network — Steve Jones and Jack Ham
Local: 99.5 & 103.7 FM/1450 AM, Sirius: Ch. 108, XM: 196, Internet: 958
Weather
It’s going to be a cloudy but warm day in Happy Valley. Temperatures will be in the mid-40s at kickoff but will continue to rise throughout the game. The sun likely won’t make an appearance Saturday afternoon.
There’s a 5% chance of rain at kickoff, according to AccuWeather. Expect a dry 33% humidity and a dew point of 38 degrees.
Last Meeting
Penn State rolled by Michigan State with a decisive 28-7 win when these teams last met in 2019. Sean Clifford threw for 189 yards and four touchdowns. Pat Friermuth caught five receptions for 60 yards and punched in up three scores.
Michigan State holds a slight 17-16-1 all-time edge over Penn State, so the Nittany Lions have an opportunity to tie the series Saturday.
Injuries/Suspensions
James Franklin typically plays his injury cards close to his chest, so we aren’t sure about the team’s health status. Noah Cain and Pat Freiermuth will miss Saturday’s game after suffering season-ending injuries. Tariq Castro-Fields has been absent for a large part of the season, but his status is unkown.
Michigan State starting quarterback Rocky Lombardi was injuried against Ohio State, but he should return against the Nittany Lions. Offensive lineman Blake Bueter and Matt Allen have missed lots of time this season, so the Spartans’ offensive line is banged up.
We won’t know until kickoff if anyone has tested positive for the coronavirus. James Franklin said Penn State has experienced a high amount of false-positive tests so far this year, which is a concern the morning of any game.
Betting Lines
Penn State is a 14.5 point favorite against Rutgers, according to OddsShark. The Nittany Lions are 2-5 against the spread this year. The over-under is set for 46.5 points, six points lower than Penn State’s previous game against Rutgers. The under hit last week.
Media Coverage
Onward State will have you covered throughout today’s game. You can find big plays, photos, analysis, and more on our main @OnwardState Twitter account and Facebook page, and we’ll provide play-by-play commentary from @OnwardStSports.
Football writers Ryan Parsons (@rjparsons9) and Gabe Angieri (@gabeangieri) will provide live updates from the press box throughout the game. Will Pegler (@gritdude) will also help provide coverage throughout the game.
Onward State
- Penn State Athletics ‘Extremely Disappointed’ By Spectator Ban
- Things Just As Predictable As Penn State Football’s Will Levis Package
- James Franklin, Penn State Football To Make 2020 Senior Day ‘As Special As Possible’
- How A Bowl Game Is Suddenly A Reality For Penn State Football In 2020
- Nearing Potential End, Antonio Shelton Reflects On Penn State Football Career
- Penn State’s Young Cornerbacks Impress Over Two-Game Winning Streak
- Staff Predictions: Penn State vs. Michigan State
- Previewing The Enemy: Michigan State Spartans
- The Official Penn State-Michigan State Drinking Game
- Penn State Athletics ‘Extremely Disappointed’ By Spectator Ban
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