The final stretch of the 2025 college football regular season brings a classic Big Ten showdown with enormous implications: the Penn State Nittany Lions travel to Lincoln to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, November 22, 2025, in what promises to be one of the most emotionally charged and stylistically fascinating matchups of the year.

Both programs enter Week 12 fighting for positioning—Penn State aiming to keep its New Year’s Six hopes alive, and Nebraska pushing toward what could be its defining win of the season. With passionate fan bases, improving rosters, and two coaching staffs under pressure to deliver late-season results, the atmosphere inside Memorial Stadium is expected to be electric.

Below is your complete guide for how to watch the game—plus a deep, detailed preview of everything at stake.

How to Watch the Game

• Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025

• Kickoff Time: 3:30 PM ET (2:30 PM CT)

• Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

• TV Channel: FOX (national broadcast)

• Live Stream: FOX Sports App, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV

• Radio: Penn State Radio Network, Huskers Radio Network

• Live Stats: Available via both schools’ official athletics websites

For fans wanting flexibility, the FOX Sports App will offer live streaming with authentication. Cord-cutters can access the matchup through several major streaming platforms that carry FOX. Radio coverage begins one hour before kickoff with pregame analysis, injury updates, and on-field interviews.

What’s at Stake

Penn State: A Season on the Edge

The Nittany Lions arrive in November knowing the margin for error has nearly evaporated. A win in Lincoln would stabilize momentum heading into the postseason, while a loss would trigger another round of uncomfortable questions about consistency, offensive efficiency, and the future ceiling of the program.

Penn State’s defense—long the backbone of their identity—has remained sturdy, but the offense has shown flashes rather than full-game dominance. The coaching staff has repeatedly stressed “finishing drives,” “winning the explosive play battle,” and “reducing self-inflicted wounds.” Nebraska’s aggressive, disruptive front-seven will put all of those principles to the test.

Nebraska: Proving the Rebuild Is Real

Memorial Stadium will be vibrating with belief. Nebraska’s 2025 campaign has been a story of growth, resilience, and a program clawing back toward national relevance. The Cornhuskers have upgraded their physicality, sharpened their identity on both sides of the ball, and shown the ability to compete with ranked opponents.

A win over Penn State would not only solidify bowl positioning—it would serve as the clearest sign yet that Nebraska’s rebuild is no longer a hope, but a reality. For this fan base, starved for major wins, the emotional stakes are massive.

Penn State: Team Outlook and Key Players

Offense: Searching for Rhythm

At the center of Penn State’s narrative is the progress of the quarterback position. While the arm talent is unquestionably there, the offense has sometimes struggled with timing, red-zone execution, and sustaining methodical drives. Against a Nebraska defense that thrives on pressure and forcing mistakes, Penn State will need its best performance to date.

Key Offensive Players to Watch:

• Quarterback: Poised but occasionally inconsistent, Penn State’s QB must protect the ball and avoid Nebraska’s disguised coverages.

• Running Back: Expect a heavy workload early as Penn State tries to establish balance and slow down Nebraska’s pass rush.

• Top Receiver: The No. 1 target will be crucial in picking up third downs and creating explosive plays downfield.

• Offensive Line: This unit has been tested all season, and Nebraska’s physicality will demand discipline and cohesion.

Defense: The Foundation of Penn State Football

Penn State’s defense remains one of the fiercest in the Big Ten. Fast, smart, and violent at the point of attack, the Nittany Lions excel at controlling the line of scrimmage and disrupting rhythm—an area where Nebraska’s offense has sometimes struggled.

Defensive Difference-Makers:

• Edge Rusher: The explosive pass rusher capable of turning third-and-long into a nightmare.

• Linebackers: The heart of the defense, skilled at limiting explosive runs and breaking up short-route timing.

• Secondary: Facing a Nebraska offense that relies on timing and precision, Penn State’s corners and safeties must win the matchup.

  

Nebraska: Team Outlook and Key Players

Offense: Evolving into a Threat

Nebraska’s offense in 2025 has taken a major leap forward, built on innovation, improved quarterback play, and an offensive line that’s finally starting to look like classic Cornhusker football—nasty, determined, and physical.

Players to Watch on Offense:

• Quarterback: A mobile, confident signal-caller who has grown more comfortable handling pressure and extending plays.

• Lead Running Back: A bruising runner capable of wearing down Penn State’s front if given enough touches.

• Slot Receiver: Nebraska’s most dangerous yards-after-catch threat—someone Penn State linebackers must track all afternoon.

Defense: Physical, Proud, and Opportunistic

Nebraska’s 2025 defense is built around physicality and aggression. They thrive on collapsing pockets, forcing hurried throws, and suffocating opponents in the red zone.

Defensive Anchors:

• Defensive Ends: Expect relentless pressure aimed at forcing Penn State into uncomfortable down-and-distance situations.

• Middle Linebacker: The emotional leader—key in stopping Penn State’s rushing attack.

• Safeties: Nebraska’s last line of defense, responsible for preventing explosive plays that have sometimes haunted this unit.

Key Matchups That Will Decide the Game

1. Penn State O-Line vs. Nebraska Pass Rush

The most important battle of the afternoon. If Penn State protects its quarterback, the Nittany Lions can dictate pace. If they don’t, Nebraska’s defense could control the entire game.

2. Nebraska QB vs. Penn State Secondary

Nebraska will need efficient, turnover-free quarterback play. Penn State’s secondary is opportunistic—one bad decision could change everything.

3. Third Down Conversions

Both teams have struggled at times this season extending drives. The team that cracks 40% will likely hold the edge.

4. Explosive Plays

Penn State’s offense depends on them. Nebraska’s defense is designed to eliminate them. Whoever wins this chess match gains the advantage.

Atmosphere and Intangibles

Memorial Stadium in late November is not for the faint of heart. The cold Nebraska wind, the roaring crowd, and the momentum swings that come with Big Ten football will challenge both teams mentally as much as physically.

Penn State knows it must silence the crowd early. Nebraska knows that one big defensive play could blow the stadium doors off.

Emotion, urgency, and desperation will define the tone from the opening kickoff.

Prediction: Who Has the Edge?

This game has the feel of a battle defined by defense, field position, and patience. Penn State has the more talented roster on paper, but Nebraska’s momentum, home-field advantage, and physical style could turn this into a four-quarter slugfest.

If Penn State protects the football and wins the explosive-play battle, the Nittany Lions leave Lincoln with a season-defining win.

If Nebraska forces turnovers and pushes Penn State into long-yardage situations, the Huskers could deliver their biggest victory in years.

Either way, expect a classic Big Ten matchup—tight, emotional, and unforgettable.