It's Penn State-Purdue game day: Kick time, how to watch, the spread, storylines, and more

The long wait is over, Penn State fans: It’s game day again for the Nittany Lions. Head coach James Franklin’s team has arrived in West Lafayette, Ind. It will take on the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium there tonight.

To get ready for game day, we cover the essentials below.

Time and TV info: When and how to watch Penn State-Purdue

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. FOX will broadcast the game to a national audience. Check your local listening or television/streaming provider for specific channel information.

The network’s top announcing team of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft have the call of the 136th season opener in Penn State history.

What is the spread and betting total?

According to Vegas Insider, Penn State is a 3.5-point favorite. The opening number was four in some spots and exactly that in others. So, in other words, the betting public has not yet moved the spread.

The same cannot be said for the total, however. Caesars, at one point, had the over/under as high as 57 points. It now lists 52.5 as kickoff approaches.

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Scouting the Boilermakers

Jeff Brohm enters his ninth season at the helm of the Purdue program. He’s 0-1 all-time against Penn State and 27-29 overall as the leader of the Boilermakers.

The Big Ten West team is known for its prolific offenses. Aidan O’Connell continues to lead the charge under center in the pass-happy attack. Penn State will need to be ready for the home side to both test its secondary deep and its linebackers with shorter throws and route combinations. Brohm is known as one of the game’s best offensive minds. And, using it to the best of his ability might be his team’s best chance of winning, as the Lions appear to have more than a few edges on paper.

“I think the biggest thing is being able to push the ball down the field,” Penn State coach James Franklins said Monday. “They do a really good job of taking shots. Vertical passing game is going to be a big part of what they do and how they do it. But also, having the ability to throw for a high percentage, as well, which is what I opened the press conference up with, with Aidan’s statistics. 
 
“I think that’s probably the biggest thing that I think we’re going into this game with, is with the mentality and understanding that we are going to have to be able to stop the vertical passing game and the shots down the field.”

Purdue has some positional holes, but keep a close eye on how a few transfers could make an impact. Returner/receiver Charlie Jones comes in from Iowa and could impact the game in two phases.

Penn State-Purdue notes

• Penn State is 15-3-1 all-time against Purdue. It hasn’t lost to the Boilermakers since 2004.

• In the last meeting at Ross-Ade Stadium, the Lions coasted to a 62-24 triumph in 2016.

• This marks the first time the two sides will meet in a season opener. Penn State has only played a Big Ten foe in game one five times, but this will be the third such occasion in as many years. The Lions are 111-22-2 in season openers all-time.

Weather report

Weather.com calls for a low of 63 degrees on Thursday night. No rain is in the forecast. And, rain is not expected to be an issue.

Penn State storylines to know

Here’s a rundown:

–Can Penn State win its second straight Big Ten road opener? Last year, the Lions took out Wisconsin in Madison.

–How will the visitors’ offense look in year two of the Mike Yurcich era? Much has been made about how much of a difference a second consecutive season with the same attack can make. It will be monitored closely.

–Can the defensive line muster enough pressure to harass O’Connell? Even down a number of key receivers from last season, if given time, the veteran passer can find open options. Purdue will hardly run the ball, so this is key.

–Will Penn State be able to win the special teams battle? Without Jordan Stout, new faces will need to become key performers quickly at punter, field goal kicker, and kickoff specliast. Are Barney Amor, Jake Pinegar, and a combination of Sander Sahaydak and Gabe Nwosu, respectfully, all up for the challenge?

–We’ve heard all offseason about how fast and aggressive Manny Diaz’s defense will be, and that it emphasizes turnover creation. What will that look like against an opponent?