No. 2 Indiana Football heads to State College for its penultimate road game with Penn State.
Last time, the Hoosiers beat Maryland 55-10 in College Park, beating No. 9 in as many games. The Nittany Lions, on the other hand, lost to No. 1 Ohio State, 38-14, in Columbus. The loss was the team’s fifth straight loss, all in conference play.
Indiana landed at No. 2 in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday. The rankings correspond with the American LBM coach poll and the AP poll.
Ahead of Saturday afternoon’s kickoff, here’s a sneak peek from Inside the Hall of the afternoon game between the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions.
Game information
WHO: No. 2 Indiana (9-0, 6-0 in Big Ten) vs. Penn State (3-5, 0-5 in Big Ten)
Where: Beaver Stadium, State College, Pennsylvania
When: Saturday, November 8, 2025. 12:00 PM ET
TV: FOX, Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst), Jenny Taft (sideline)
Radio: Don Fischer (play-by-play), Buck Suhr (analyst)
The line: Indiana -14.5, over/under 50.5 (DraftKings)
SP+ prediction: Indiana 32, Penn State 21 (77 percent chance of an IU win)
Meet the opponent
Penn State has been in a downward spiral since late October. Three straight losses led to the firing of head coach James Franklin. Now the Nittany Lions are 0-2 under interim head coach Terry Smith.
Penn State is ranked No. 2 in September and has yet to win a conference game.
Star quarterback Drew Allar was injured in a game against Northwestern, leaving the duties to freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer. Through three games, Grunkemeyer has thrown one touchdown and three interceptions.
Known for their respected defense, the Nittany Lions remain a solid unit, ranking in the top 50 in points allowed per game. Penn State is 3-2 at home and is playing its first home game under Smith.
Indiana is 2-25 all-time against Penn State dating back to 1993 and 0-13 in Beaver Stadium. The last time the two programs met, the Nittany Lions defeated the Hoosiers 33-24 in State College on Oct. 28, 2023.
Injury update
After missing the Maryland game, Curt Cignetti expressed optimism that linebacker Aidan Fisher will play Saturday. Cignetti mentioned wide receiver Elijah Sarratt as day-to-day during his press conference on Monday.
Guard Drew Evans, who also missed the Maryland game, will not be available this week as there is no timetable for him to return.
The required Big Ten Availability Report will be released two hours before kickoff, Saturday at 10 a.m. ET.
Storylines>
Can Indiana keep its poise on the road?
Even though the Nittany Lions are in the midst of their worst season in more than a decade, Beaver Stadium remains one of the most challenging environments in the country. Ticket prices for this game have dropped by more than $100 since September, but even a stadium at 70 percent capacity holds more than 70,000 people.
This weekend marks the final regular season games the Hoosiers will play outside the state of Indiana. Regardless of the quality of the opponent, winning on the road in the Big Ten is a challenging task.
In tough environments like Iowa and Oregon, Indiana had problems with pre-snap penalties, something Pat Coogan considers drive killers. That said, Indiana dominated Maryland on the road last weekend.
The Hoosiers control their own destiny in the final three games of the season. If Indiana can keep penalties to a minimum, it should have no trouble breaking the will of a lifeless Penn State team on Saturday.
Indiana’s Health
Cignetti won’t admit it, but it’s clear that injuries will be Indiana’s most formidable opponent the rest of the season.
Last week the Hoosiers struggled in College Park. Evans suffered an undisclosed injury in the week leading up to the game and Sarratt did not play for the final three quarters.
Although Cignetti explained Monday that the injuries were not serious, the situation became worrying as the medical tent became increasingly crowded. The CBS broadcast appeared to show a carousel of Hoosiers entering and exiting the tent.
The Hoosiers are thin in most of their positional groups, so any long-term injury would be detrimental to their playoff success. Staying healthy this week would put Indiana in a great position considering the quality of its last two opponents.
Outlook
Saturday would be a candidate for the game of the year: a top-five matchup between two playoff hopefuls. Despite Penn State’s struggles, the game still serves as a litmus test for the Hoosiers.
Including Penn State, the Hoosiers’ last three regular-season opponents are a combined 0-16. Beaver Stadium may not be filled, but the crowd will remain loud, especially in a close game.
The Nittany Lions are a beaten program and Indiana needs to take advantage of their mentality in the opening possession. It won’t take much to break Penn State’s will, but the Hoosiers can do it early.
This game could remain close throughout the first half, but Indiana’s superior talent will shine as the game progresses. The Hoosiers are on their way to proving their worth and securing their first-ever win at Penn State.
(Photo credit: Penn State Athletics)
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