Gameday Coverage: No. 8 Penn State Vs. West Virginia

Hailey Stutzman | Onward State

It’s finally here, folks.

Penn State opens its season Saturday against West Virginia at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. In the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff, the Nittany Lions are facing immense pressure to earn their spot in the 12-team field.

Before that, though, James Franklin and Co. first have to get past the Mountaineers. Here’s everything you need to know about today’s season opener.

Television

After being the featured FOX game twice last year, Penn State will open the 2024 season on the network for Big Noon Kickoff. Gus Johnson will provide the play-by-play while Joel Klatt will provide color commentary with Jenny Taft as the sideline reporter.

Radio

Penn State Sports Network — Steve Jones and Jack Hamm
Local: 99.5 & 103.7 FM/ 1450 AM, Sirius/XM/Internet: 83/83/80

Weather

Saturday will be a mix of clouds and sun with an 86% chance of precipitation and a high of 86º, according to AccuWeather. There is also a chance of a late thunderstorm, which could delay the football game.

Last Meeting

Penn State opened its season last year at home against West Virginia, winning 38-15. In his debut as the starting quarterback, Drew Allar racked up 325 yards and three touchdowns.

Injuries

Over the offseason, Franklin said both quarterback Jaxon Smolik and wide receiver Peter Gonzalez suffered “long-term” injuries and would miss significant time. On Monday, Franklin said wide receiver and punt returner Kaden Saunders was dealing with some “bumps and bruises,” but was hopeful for Saturday’s game.

Betting Lines

The Nittany Lions are -8.5-point favorites over West Virginia with a -316 moneyline, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 51.5 points.

Media Coverage

Onward State will have you covered throughout today’s game. Find big plays, analysis, photos, and more on our main Twitter account @OnwardState as well as play-by-play commentary from @OnwardStSports.

Football writers CJ Doebler (@CDoebler) and Mitch Corcoran (@MitchCorc18) will provide you with coverage from inside the press box, while Nolan Wick (@nolan_wick) will do the same from State College.

Photographers Hailey Stutzman (@stutzhailey) and Mikey DeAngelis (@mikey_deangelis) will provide visual updates from the field.

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About the Author

CJ Doebler

CJ is a senior finance major and is Onward State's sports editor. He is from Northumberland, Pa, just east of State College. CJ is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan but chooses to ignore the Pirates' existence. For the occasional random retweet and/or bad take, follow @CDoebler on Twitter. All complaints can be sent to [email protected].

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