Penn State vs. Illinois live stream, where to watch, TV channel, prediction, picks, spread, football game odds

No. 9 Penn State begins its quest for a Big Ten title this season and continues its hunt for a spot in the College Football Playoff when it hosts No. 19 Illinois on Saturday night in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions have passed every test with flying colors so far. Now they face a tough test as the conference opens.

For Illinois, this is the second week in a row that Bret Bielema's team is an underdog against a ranked opponent in Big Ten play. The Fighting Illini are 4-0 for the first time since 2011 and have already recorded two wins against AP Top 25 opponents. That hasn't happened since the 2007 team defeated three ranked opponents en route to the Rose Bowl. Last week, the Illinios defeated Nebraska in an overtime thriller on Friday night. Now, Illinois looks to continue its role as road warrior in one of the toughest environments in all of college football: Happy Valley at night.

The game also marks the first meeting between these two teams at Beaver Stadium since 2021, when Illinois defeated Penn State 20-18 in nine overtimes. The two teams played last year in Champaign, Illinois – a 30-13 win for the Nittany Lions.

How to watch Penn State vs. Illinois live

Date: Saturday September 28th | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Beaver Stadium – University Park, Pennsylvania.
TV: NBC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)

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Penn State vs. Illinois: What you need to know

Penn State's offense is among the best in the country: James Franklin made a big change in the offseason by hiring Andy Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator. While the position has been in flux over the past few years, early results suggest Franklin has found the perfect fit for Penn State's staff. The Nittany Lions are in prime company as they are one of only two FBS teams to average more than 250 yards passing and rushing – the other being Tennessee. Penn State is No. 7 in the country with 537.7 yards per game.

Illinois is battle-hardened: The Fighting Illini play their third-ranked opponent in four weeks and are on pace to play five games in a span of seven, which would tie the program record for a regular season. Only Illinois and Tennessee can say they have multiple wins against AP Top 25 opponents entering Week 5. These notable victories have helped Illinois hold its own in the AP Poll. It's the earliest in a season the Illinios have been ranked since 2008. The fact that so many of these awards date back to 2007 and 2008 suggests that Bret Bielema is building something special in Champaign.

Beaver Stadium under the lights: Although this isn't officially the “White Out” game, James Franklin called for “White Out energy” from Penn State fans. Playing at Beaver Stadium at night is one of the most unique environments in all of college football, and home-field advantage looms large in the record books. Penn State is 62-32 in night games overall and 21-11 in night games at home.

Penn State vs. Illinois Prediction, Tips

The Fighting Illini have been underestimated by oddsmakers at every turn, as they boast a 3-0-1 record against the spread and cover the spread by an average of 10.9 points per game. This is another point where Illinois' chances of staying afloat and finding success are underestimated, and while Penn State is the deserved favorite to win, Illinois has a good chance of keeping this closer than that Experts believe. Pick: Illinois +17.5

What college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 5? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread – all using a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profits since its inception – and find out.