How to watch Penn State vs. Rutgers: Game time, TV schedule, live online streaming and more

The Big Ten season starts in Week 3 this year, as newly postseason-eligible Penn State will travel to Rutgers in a battle between undefeated division foes.

Under new head coach James Franklin, Penn State opened the season with a 26-24 win over UCF in Dublin, and followed that up with a 21-3 victory over Akron. Blue-chip quarterback Christian Hackenberg has had moments of brilliance in his sophomore season despite not always knowing what the team is doing, and the defense is giving up just 13.5 points per game.

Rutgers has been one of the few pleasant surprises in the Big Ten this season, starting the season by knocking off Washington State 41-38 on the road. The Scarlet Knights’ offense has succeeded in the air and on the ground, but defensive concerns could allow Hackenberg to thrive Saturday. This is Rutgers’ first Big Ten conference game, and the team wants to show that its strong start to the season wasn’t a fluke.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

Radio: Here’s a list of Penn State radio affiliates. Here’s one for Rutgers.

Online streaming: BTN2Go

Rankings and records: Neither team is ranked. Both are 2-0 on the season. This is the Big Ten opener for both schools. The Nittany Lions hold a 22-2 all-time lead in the series.

Vegas: Penn State opened as a 4-point favorite. The line has since moved down to 3.

Weather forecast: 65 degrees with a chance of rain.

Penn State actually has something to play for beyond pride this season, and could be considered a fringe Big Ten East contender after the conference’s poor Week 2.

With games against Navy and Tulane following this one, a win here could spur Rutgers to an unexpected 5-0 start, leaving the Scarlet Knights just one conference win away from bowl eligibility.

Rutgers passing offense vs. Penn State passing defense. New offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen has had two very successful games with Gary Nova and the Scarlet Knights, but this will be their first notable defensive test of the season. Nova averaged 10.4 yards per attempt with two touchdowns against Washington State and followed that up with 14.8 yards per throw and four touchdowns against Howard. His quarterback rating ranks third in the FBS -- just ahead of Oregon’s Marcus Mariota.

Penn State has done a fine job containing opposing quarterbacks so far this season. The Nittany Lions were able to win their opener in Dublin against UCF in large part due to the struggles of Pete DiNovo, who completed just three of his first eight passes before being benched in favor of Justin Holman (who ended up playing quite well). In Week 2 against Akron, Penn State held starting quarterback Kyle Pohl to 4.5 yards per pass. The Nittany Lions have not yet recorded an interception this season, but they’ve shut down nearly every quarterback they’ve faced.

For full coverage of Penn State, head over to Black Shoe Diaries. For more on Rutgers, check out On The Banks.