Why Is the 'Penn State White Out' on Peacock?

Here's how to watch the Penn State-Washington game, including a unique IMAX opportunity.

Penn State students cheer during the fourth quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

After driving one of the biggest ratings weekends of the college football season, Penn State will host its most important brand game on a streaming service. So why is Saturday's Penn State-Washington game, which will serve as the annual White Out, on Peacock? Here's a look at your options for watching the Penn State-Washington game, including a unique opportunity in IMAX.

So what is Peacock?

A quick refresher. Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming-only service subscription service that carries a variety of sports, including Big Ten football. To watch Saturday's Penn State-Washington game, fans will need a Peacock subscription (or a friend with one) since the game won't be on NBC or cable. So yes, fans must sign up and pay for at least a month of Peacock service to watch the game. Plans start at $7.99, though students can get a discount. Subscriptions, including the monthly plan, can be canceled at any time.

Do any cable providers include Peacock? Xfinity customers should check their subscription for a promotional offer. Bottom line: Penn State fans who aren't at Beaver Stadium must have Peacock to watch the game at home.

Why is the Penn State White Out on Peacock?

It seems incongruous, right, that the program's biggest brand game won't be on available on basic cable? Penn State isn't alone. Most every Big Ten team has played a streaming-only game, which was part of the huge media rights deal the conference signed in 2022.

That year, the Big Ten moved away from ABC/ESPN and signed contracts with FOX, CBS and NBC to broadcast conference football and basketball games. As part of the seven-year, $7 billion deal, according to ESPN, NBC captured the Saturday-night, prime-time slot with Big Ten Saturday Night. But NBC also would place games specifically to Peacock. The streaming service exclusively hosted eight Big Ten games in 2023 and is scheduled to host nine in 2024.

The Penn State-Washington game wasn't one of Peacock's preseason announcements because the game had been placed in the Big Ten's six- or 12-day scheduling window. Before the season, the Big Ten's broadcast partners hold a draft in which they select weeks to choose games to broadcast (FOX Sports' Michael Mulvihill explained the process well on the Joel Klatt Show).

Before the season, Penn State lobbied the Big Ten and its broadcast partners to schedule the Nov. 2 Penn State-Ohio State game as the annual "White Out" in prime time. That didn't work, as FOX Sports had selected that week and made sure it would televise the game in its Big Noon window. Though Penn State fans who fought traffic associated with a record crowd didn't like it, FOX certainly did. Nearly 10 million people watched the Penn State-Ohio State game, making it the most-watched Big Ten game of the season (according to Nielsen Media Research).

FOX’s BIG NOON SATURDAY matchup featuring Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State scored 9.94 million viewers 🏈

🏆 Most-watched college football game this season on FOX
🏆 Most-watched Big Ten game of the season on any network pic.twitter.com/KFBPGJyoGF

— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) November 6, 2024

As a result, Penn State went to White Out Plan B, which it decided would be this week's game against Washington. Since NBC had Notre Dame vs. Florida State booked for its Saturday Night broadcast window, and FOX had the Ohio State-Purdue game, Penn State-Washington had three options: 3:30 p.m. on CBS or prime-time on Peacock or Big Ten Network. CBS will broadcast Indiana-Michigan in the 3:30 window, and NBC shifted the White Out to Peacock.

How else to watch the Penn State-Washington game?

If you can't get to Beaver Stadium, and don't want to subscribe to Peacock, here's a unique option. More than 20 IMAX theaters in multiple states across the country, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Washington, will show the game on the big screen. NBC Sports and IMAX said in a release that this is the first college football game to be presented live in the format.

"Experience one of college football’s most electrifying games in larger-than-life IMAX," the companies said in a news release.

Ticket prices vary by location but start at $16.99 in some locations

No. 6 Penn State (7-1) takes on Washington (5-40 at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night from Beaver Stadium.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.