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How to Watch Oregon Ducks, Penn State Big Ten Championship: Preview, Prediction, TV Channel

How to watch the Oregon Ducks vs. the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 7. Preview, prediction, betting odds, and TV channel for the game. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on CBS.

Charlie Viehl

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning, Penn State Nittany Lions coach James Franklin
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning, Penn State Nittany Lions coach James Franklin / imagn
In this story:

The No. 1 Oregon Ducks are facing the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, Dec. 7 in the Big Ten Championship Game. Penn State coach James Franklin has his team back in the conference title game for the first time since 2016. Oregon coach Dan Lanning already has his team competing for the Big Ten crown in the Ducks' first season as members of the conference.

Dating back to the Pac-12, it is Oregon's seventh time competing for a conference championship in program history. The Ducks and the Nittany Lions have not played since the 1995 Rose Bowl. The winner of this year's matchup is expected to earn the right to play in the Rose Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff, in fact.

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning, Penn State Nittany Lions coach James Franklin
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning, Penn State Nittany Lions coach James Franklin / imagn

How to Watch:

The Big Ten Championship Game between Oregon and Penn State will be broadcast live on CBS on Saturday, Dec. 7. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT. The game will be in Indianapolis, Indiana, in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

Preview:

The Ducks are 12-0, led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, running back Jordan James, and an offensive line that is a finalist for the Joe Moore Award. Wide receivers Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, Traeshon Holden have all been productive this season, while tight end Terrance Ferguson has broke program records for his position.

The star of Penn State's offense is running back Nick Singleton. Junior quarterback Drew Allar is showing off his experience, completing over 70 percent of his passes en route to an 11-1 record. Tight end Tyler Warren leads the Nittany Lions offense with 81 receptions, and the next closest receiver is Harrison Wallace III with 35. Warren also poses a threat in the red zone, catching six touchdowns from Allar.

Penn State running back Nick Singleton laughs as he talks with reporters during football media day in Holuba Hall
Penn State running back Nick Singleton laughs as he talks with reporters during football media day in Holuba Hall on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in State College. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

On defense, Penn State has elite talent at each level of the field. Junior defensive end Abdul Carter recorded 10 sacks in the regular season, and he is projected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft. In addition to his double-digit sacks, Carter has also forced two fumbles this year.

The Nittany Lions have safety Jaylen Reed, an experienced senior, leading their defense in tackles. A ballhawk, he also leads the team in interceptions with three on the season, including a pick-six. Cornerbacks Elliot Washington II and A.J. Harris also star in the defensive backfield for Penn State.

As for the Ducks defense, sophomore outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks during the season. Senior defensive end Jordan Burch added 8.5 sacks of his own, causing havoc for opposing offensive lines. In the middle, defensive tackle Derrick Harmon is tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles.

Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher dances to “Shout” as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies Saturday.
Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher dances to “Shout” as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Senior linebackers Jeffrey Bassa and Bryce Boettcher are excelling under the coaching of Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. Boettcher leads the Ducks with 80 total tackles.

Defensive back Jabbar Muhammad transferred to Oregon after reaching the national championship with the Washington Huskies, and he has been a lockdown defender for the Ducks. He leads the team with nine pass deflections. Defensive back Tysheem Johnson has three interceptions, the most for the Oregon defense.

Oregon might have a small edge over Penn State because of the Ducks' experience playing close games. Earlier this season, the Ducks narrowly defeated No. 10 Boise State 37-34 and No. 6 Ohio State 32-31.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, left, and coach Dan Lanning embrace after defeating Maryland at Autzen Stadium
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, left, and coach Dan Lanning embrace after defeating Maryland at Autzen Stadium. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Both of those wins happened in the comfort of Autzen Stadium, but Oregon proved its ability to win on the road after gutting out a 16-13 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium.

The Nittany Lions beat the USC Trojans in overtime 33-30, and they lost to the Buckeyes 20-13. The rest of Penn State's games have been decided by more than two scores.

Stakes:

If Oregon wins, the Ducks should expect the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. This leads to a game against No. 8 vs. No. 9 in the Rose Bowl. With a loss, Penn State most likely finishes ranked No. 5, hosting a December playoff game in State College, Pennsylvania.

If Penn State wins, the Nittany Lions could be ranked No. 1 or No. 2 by the selection committee. Regardless, Penn State will play in the Rose Bowl with a win in the Big Ten title game. With the same result, Oregon hosts a playoff game in Autzen against the No. 12 seed.

Betting Odds:

Oregon is a 3.5-point favorite over Penn State leading up to Saturday's game. The over/under total is currently set around 50 points.

Prediction:

If Penn State can cause a turnover or two, they can pull off the win. If Oregon can stay ahead of the chains and avoid penalties, they should expect to leave Indianapolis as conference champions. Ultimately, Oregon pulls out a close one on a last-minute field goal by kicker Atticus Sappington, exorcising some Ducks demons of the past.

Score Prediction: 23-20 Oregon wins.

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is a 23-year old Boston College graduate and is an Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans beat reporter for On SI. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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