Penn State football vs Wisconsin game time, TV channel announced

There's a lot going on when Penn State football meets the Wisconsin Badgers on Sept. 26 in Beaver Stadium.

It's homecoming weekend. It's a Helmet Stripe game (Most fans are asked to wear white; a few sections in the middle of the stadium should wear blue).

It's the opening of the Nittany Lions ' 2026 Big Ten schedule , which will begin to tell exactly where this first season of head coach Matt Campbell is truly headed.

And it now this game owns an unusual start time and viewing option: It will start at 5 p.m. and will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. Regular national networks will not carry the Big Ten opener for both schools.

Penn State 's night games the past two seasons against Washington and Iowa also aired only on Peacock.

The Lions, 2-0 and ranked 15th, play their final non-conference game Saturday against the heavy underdog Buffalo Bulls (noon, Big Ten Network).

This will be Wisconsin's first time playing in Beaver Stadium since 2018. The Lions have won six straight in the series, including victories in Madison in 2021 and 2024.

The Badgers are 1-1 this season with a second-half meltdown to top-five Notre Dame and a comfortable victory over Western Illinois. The play Eastern Michigan this weekend.

One of the Badgers' top players is running back Abu Sama III , who played for Campbell at Iowa State . He ran eight times for 107 yards and a touchdown against Western Illinois.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

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