Just about a week ago, I saw online that the kickoff time for the Penn State-Wisconsin game had been announced for this upcoming weekend. To my surprise, I opened the Onward State article that slated the start time as a 5 p.m. kickoff.

That can’t be right. 5 p.m.?

Usually, when you look at a game scheduled for Saturday, they show one of three main time slots: noon, 3:30 p.m., or 7:30 p.m.  

But then I started digging; it’s not the only Big Ten matchup at 5 p.m. this week. The Nebraska-Michigan State game is also slated for that time slot. On top of that, there’s a 1:30 p.m. game and a 2 p.m. game on Saturday. What is going on?

Week 4⃣ kick times and networks are set pic.twitter.com/0YVGDXH1hO

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 14, 2026

The answer is almost always television rights, and this is no different. The Big Ten reserves the three main start times for its three core broadcasts every weekend.

And while Nittany Lions fans have grown accustomed to those slots, Penn State has seemingly fallen out of the mix for these core broadcasts. Most likely because of last season’s mid-season collapse.

However, I don’t think this should be kept as a bad thing. I’ve done some thinking, and now I’m starting to believe this could be great for folks’ weekends.

I think 5 p.m. kickoffs might be the best time from now on. After all, the three main start times Penn State fans like me have been used to over the years each has a fatal flaw.  

The noon games are always way too early and leave the rest of the evening feeling uneventful, while giving fans little time to tailgate before kickoff.

The 3:30 p.m. games fall just short of perfect because the sun is constantly in your eyes. They’re also set at the hottest part of the day, making beginning-of-the-year games feel like you’re being baked alive.

Finally, the 7:30 p.m. games: While the atmosphere inside the stadium is unmatched, the issue is that you have to wait all day for kickoff — not to mention the little time for celebrating, since it runs until 11 p.m.

A 5 p.m. kickoff solves all of these problems.

It’s not too early to wake up regretting your life choices, but leaves enough time throughout the day to enjoy your tailgates. It’s also late enough to miss the peak heat of the day, and early enough to enjoy the rest of your night if you so please.

So, say yes to the 5 p.m. start times and embrace it this weekend. It might be considered the new best kickoff time for the season.

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