Two of the top teams in college football will collide Saturday when the Oregon Ducks travel to Happy Valley to meet the Penn State Nittany Lions.
The ESPN crew will be on hand for the best pregame show in the sport, previewing the high-stakes match-up and all of the other action in Week 5 of the 2025 season.
When and where can fans check out the broadcast and which team will emerge victoriously from what may be the best game of the season to this point?
Find out in this preview.
Date: Saturday, September 27
Location: Old Main Lawn at University Park in State College, Pennsylvania
Crew: Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Pete Thamel, Jen Lada, Jess Sims, and “Stanford Steve” Coughlin
Oregon vs. Penn State Prediction
Penn State fans will pack Beaver Stadium for its annual White Out Saturday, a tradition that may be an incredible experience with frenetic energy, but has not always guaranteed victory, especially when the Lions oppose a Top 10 team.
Three of the team’s White Out losses have come against AP Top 10 teams, ESPN noted in the game preview. With that said, they have won six straight and have the team to extend that winning streak Saturday night at 7:30 on NBC.
Penn State’s greatest strength, despite having a potential pro quarterback prospect in Drew Allar under center, may very well be its run game, led by scoring machine Nicholas Singleton.
Singleton has scored five times in three games, on 41 carries and 179 yards. He has been the workhorse for the offense and will be key to any success the home team hopes to have.
Allar has been fine, throwing four touchdowns to just one interception, but has been outplayed by the Ducks’ Dante Moore in every measurable category. Oregon’s sophomore QB has 11 touchdowns to one interception and a QBR of 83.7, nearly 50 points better than his opponent.
Oregon has been a stingy defense, allowing just 37 points so far, its fewest since 1958.
The defense has managed that while the offense has been explosive and prolific, scoring 203 points in four games. They have been unstoppable but, thankfully for Penn State, they are equally as talented on the defensive side of the ball, ranking two spots ahead of the Ducks and giving up just 227 yards of total offense.
Something will have to give Saturday night in State College, and unfortunately for the host squad, it may come down to head coach James Franklin’s questionable history in big games.
One bad decision here, or one failure to capitalize on a momentum swing there, has plagued him throughout his run as head coach at Penn State, and there is no reason to believe it will not rear its head again.
The Ducks are a team with the potential to win the national title this year, and the nation will take notice with their victory Saturday in what will be a surprisingly defensive-minded matchup in Happy Valley.
Prediction: Oregon upsets Penn State 27-23