Gameday Coverage: Penn State vs. Minnesota

Welcome back to Beaver Stadium, folks.
After a successful stress test in Seattle, Penn State football hosts Minnesota for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Saturday night.
Both squads are 5-4 and have shown inconsistent play, suffering close losses to top Big Ten teams. Will it be the Nittany Lions or the Golden Gophers to not only hoist the Governor’s Victory Bell Trophy, but also secure bowl eligibility after Saturday’s squabble?
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the matchup.
Television
Fox Sports 1 will broadcast the game, with Dan Hellie on play-by-play and Robert Smith on color commentary.
Radio
Penn State Sports Network — Steve Jones, Brian Tripp, Cailey Thalman
Local: 99.5 FM, 103.7 FM, 1450 AM, SiriusXM: 85, 266, 976, XM App
Weather
Winter appears to be moving into Happy Valley. It will be 36 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff, with a RealFeel of 23, according to AccuWeather. Cloud cover sits at 90%, with wind gusts up to 27 mph.
The probability of precipitation is 42%, setting Matt Campbell up for his first snow game at Penn State.
Injuries
Receiver Koby Howard hasn’t played since Week 3 and will not return against Minnesota. After being listed as questionable throughout the last two weeks of practice, Howard was ruled out on Tuesday’s Big Ten availability report. Campbell said Howard’s return is in a “pause state”, suggesting a possible setback in his recovery.
Defensive end Caleb Bacon and defensive backs Jahmir Joseph and Jeremiah Cooper were added to Thursday’s injury report as questionable.
Offensive lineman Malachi Goodman is listed as probable heading into the matchup. Goodman was questionable leading up to the Washington game and played just 35 of Penn State’s 65 offensive plays.
Kicker Cristiano Rosa was removed from the injury report after being listed as probable Wednesday.
Also ruled out with Howard are defensive end Max Granville, linebacker Alex Tatsch, cornerback Tyler Armstead, and defensive tackle Alijah Carnell.
Series History
The Nittany Lions hold an 11-6 all-time series record over Minnesota and have outscored the Golden Gophers 458-325 across all 17 matchups.
Penn State took the first-ever meeting 38-20 in State College back in 1993. The most recent matchup also went to Penn State, after Drew Allar threw for 244 and scored two total touchdowns to secure a 26-25 win in 2024.
The Golden Gophers’ most recent victory dates back to 2019, when it upset No. 4 Penn State 31-26 in Minneapolis.
Betting Lines
The Nittany Lions are 9.5-point favorites against Minnesota, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 42.5 points.
Media Coverage
Onward State will have you covered throughout the 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 Jamie Lynch (@jamielynchpsu), Cadyn Gill (@cgill214), and Oscar Orellana (@__oscarorellana) will provide you with coverage from inside the press box.
Photographers Ericka Apolskis (@ericka_apolskis) and Ella Wehmeyer (@ellawehm) will provide visual updates from the field.
Onward State
- Penn State History Lesson: The Governor’s Victory Bell Trophy
- Your Official Penn State-Minnesota Drinking Game
- Staff Predictions: Penn State vs. Minnesota
- Previewing The Enemy: Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Penn State Football Defensive Backs Jahmir Joseph & Jeremiah Cooper Questionable For Minnesota Game
- Penn State Football Enters Minnesota Matchup As Nearly Double-Digit Favorite
- Penn State Football Linebacker Cam Smith Making Strides In Return From Injury
- ‘Don’t Get Bored’: Penn State Football’s Defense Determined To Correct Second-Half Flaws
- Penn State Football Wide Receiver Koby Howard Ruled Out Against Minnesota
- Matt Campbell Shares His Thoughts On The 24-Team College Football Playoff
- Penn State Football Legend Dick Hoak Dies At Age 86
- ‘It’s A Real Problem’: Penn State Football Not Pleased With Washington Win After Second-Half Struggles
- Penn State Football Linebacker Marcus Neal Jr. Acclimating After Midseason Position Switch
- Penn State Football Offensive Lineman Garrett Sexton Emerges As Key Contributor In Malachi Goodman’s Stead
- Relive Onward State’s Road Trip To Seattle
- Penn State Football Wide Receiver Koby Howard’s Return ‘In Pause State’
- Report: Former Penn State Football Defensive End Arnold Ebiketie’s Trade To Cincinnati Bengals Falls Through
- Nittany Lions In The NFL: Week 9 Roundup
- OS Debates: Does The 24-Team College Football Playoff Benefit Penn State Football Enough To Sacrifice Tradition?
- Staff Picks: Dream Opponents For Penn State Football To Host In A 24-Team College Football Playoff Or Non-Conference Game
- The Biggest Penn State-Related Winners & Losers Of The 24-Team College Football Playoff
- Penn State Football Hot Takes Post-Washington
- An Ode To The Big Ten Championship Game
- Penn State-Rutgers Scheduled For 3:30 P.M. Kickoff On FS1
- Every Time Penn State Football Would’ve Made A 24-Team Playoff Since 2016
- College Football Playoff Expanding To 24 Teams In 2027
- Gameday Observations: Washington
- Staff Picks: How Far Back Do You Have To Go To Find A Penn State Football Wide Receiver As Good As Chase Sowell?
- Transfer Portal Roundup: Week 10
- [Photo Story] Penn State vs. Washington
- Penn State Football’s Post-Washington Report Card
- The Complicated Legacy Of Joe Paterno 15 Years After His Firing
- Penn State-Minnesota Set For 7 P.M. Kickoff On FS1
- Penn State Football Defense Battles Through Up-And-Down Performance In Win Over Washington
- ‘End It On Our Terms’: Penn State Football Proves Growth After Finishing Through Adversity
- ‘He’s Got His Confidence Back’: Penn State Football Running Back Carson Hansen Snatches The Spotlight Over Washington
- Penn State Football Outlasts Washington 28-25
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