Friday Night Lights? WVU vs Penn State game moving?

As the anticipation for the college football season builds, fans are eager to know when and where they can catch some of the season’s biggest matchups. One game that has everyone talking is the season opener between Penn State and West Virginia, which has yet to be assigned a kick-off time or network.

While network schedules are gradually being unveiled, Penn State’s opening game in Morgantown remains conspicuously absent from the list of announced broadcasts for Week 1. This has fueled speculation about which network will air the game and at what time.

Recently, FOX announced several key matchups for its Big Noon Kickoff series, including Texas at Michigan in Week 2, Alabama at Wisconsin in Week 3, and the iconic Michigan vs. Ohio State game to close the regular season. Despite these announcements, the Nittany Lions’ game against West Virginia was not mentioned, suggesting it might not be part of FOX’s noon lineup.

Given that ESPN still holds broadcasting rights for the Big 12, there was speculation that ESPN might pick up the Penn State vs. West Virginia game. However, ESPN’s Week 1 lineup, released on Tuesday, did not include this game, leaving fans wondering where it will land.

With major matchups already scheduled and no announcement from ESPN, the possibility grows that the Penn State vs. West Virginia game could be part of FOX’s prime time Friday night package. FOX has expressed a desire to enhance their Friday night offerings, and a high-profile game like Penn State vs. West Virginia would be a perfect way to kick off this initiative.

While travel plans and hotel bookings might be inconvenienced, broadcasting the game on a Friday night would likely attract a large viewership. This strategy aligns with FOX’s goal to maximize viewership and dominate the prime time slot.

In 2022, FOX successfully shifted Penn State’s opener to a Thursday night game against Purdue, showing their willingness to make bold scheduling decisions. If this trend continues, fans might find themselves tuning in on Friday night for what promises to be an exciting start to the college football season.

Stay tuned as the final decision is yet to be announced, but one thing is clear: Penn State vs. West Virginia is poised to be a prime time spectacle, no matter when it airs.