How to watch and stream SMU vs. Penn State: Full CFP viewing guide
By Megan Melle
Bundle up, Happy Valley. The No. 11 SMU Mustangs are heading to 20-degree weather in Pennsylvania to take on the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff.
Both teams are coming off losses. Penn State made the 12-team bracket as an at-large team, second from the Big Ten, despite losses to Ohio State and Oregon (in the Big Ten conference championship). SMU, on the other hand, lost to BYU earlier in the year and Clemson in the ACC Championship, and with an 11-2 record, secured a spot in the Playoff over a much-contemplated three-loss Alabama.
Two potent offenses will be hitting the very chilly field here—SMU on the ground and Penn State in the air. And despite their matching 11-2 records, the Nittany Lions are the favorites here. And that’s not simply because of the weather—have we mentioned wind chills could make it less than 10 degrees, and SMU is from Texas? Both are high-scoring teams, but Penn State is allowing just 16 points per game.
The winner will advance to the quarterfinals in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31, where No. 3 Boise State will be waiting. In the meantime, here's what you need to know about viewing and streaming the first-round CFP matchup.
Your guide to watching SMU at Penn State in the College Football Playoff
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 21
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- Location: Beaver Stadium in University Park, Penn.
- TV: TNT
- Stream: Max
Watching with cable: What are your options?
If you’re choosing to stay home from the frigid Happy Valley cold, you’re in luck. Fans who have normal cable or major streaming packages should be able to view the game without issue. TNT will broadcast the CFP’s first-round double header, which begins with SMU at Penn State at noon ET, followed by Clemson at Texas at 4 p.m. ET.
Both games will be available on TNT, TBS and truTV. (In addition to the first round games, TNT Sports will broadcast two quarterfinal games every year beginning in 2026.)
Streaming without cable: What are your options?
The SMU-Penn State game will be available to stream on Max. However, you will need to have Max’s B/R Sports add-on, which is currently free with any Max subscription ($10). After the promo period, the add-on will cost users an additional $10 per month (on top of the Max subscription).
Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV or Sling will be able to view SMU vs. Penn State on TNT. However, because Fubo does not include TNT, those with Fubo as a service provider will not get the SMU vs. Penn State game.
Service provider | Does it have TNT |
|---|---|
Max | Official streaming partner |
Fubo | No |
Sling | Yes |
Hulu + Live Sports | Yes |
YouTube TV | Yes |
What time is SMU vs. Penn State in the College Football Playoff?
The first game on Saturday’s slate of CFP first-round games, SMU vs. Penn State is scheduled to kick off at 12 ET.
Time zone | Local start time |
|---|---|
Eastern | 12 p.m. |
Central | 11 a.m. |
Mountain | 10 a.m. |
Pacific | 9 a.m. |
What’s the weather forecast for SMU vs. Penn State?
It's a chilly one. The National Weather Service says we can expect it be 27 degrees for the noon kickoff on Saturday. Oh, there's a “chance of flurries” too.
How to watch all CFP first-round games
- Friday, Dec. 20: Indiana at Notre Dame, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN
- Saturday, Dec. 21: SMU at Penn State, 12 p.m., TNT/MAX
- Saturday, Dec. 21: Clemson at Texas, 4 p.m., TNT/MAX
- Saturday, Dec. 21: Tennessee at Ohio State, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN
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