Oct. 16, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; October 16, 2013 - Penn State will host five Big Ten opponents in 2018 and in 2019 will host Michigan and end the season against Rutgers, as the Big Ten Conference today announced the conference schedules for both years.
The Nittany Lions also will host old rival Pitt in 2019 in a non-conference clash to complete a four-game series.
The Big Ten will launch East and West Divisions in 2014, and in 2016 the conference will move to a nine-game Big Ten schedule. The Nittany Lions will be in the East Division with Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Rutgers. The West Division will include Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin.
Starting in 2016, every Big Ten team will play the other six schools within its division and also face three teams from the other division. Penn State will have five conference home games during even numbered years and have four Big Ten home contests during odd numbered years.
In 2018, the Nittany Lions will have a blockbuster home schedule, hosting Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Maryland, closing the regular season against the Terrapins on Nov. 24 for the second consecutive year. In 2017, Penn State will play at Maryland in the regular season finale for the first time since 1965. The Nittany Lions will visit Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Rutgers in 2018. The Big Ten Championship Game is set for December 1 at a location to be determined.
During the 2019 campaign, Penn State will host Purdue, Michigan, Indiana and Rutgers, welcoming the Scarlet Knights for the regular season finale on Nov. 30. Rutgers will be the Nittany Lions' regular season finale for the first time in program history. Penn State will travel to Maryland, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State during the 2019 season, which will include two bye weeks. The Big Ten Championship Game is set for December 7 at a site to be determined.
The continuation of a four-game series with Pitt (2016-19) marks the only non-conference games that are scheduled for the 2018-19 seasons. The Nittany Lions visit the Panthers on Sept. 10, 2016 and Sept. 8, 2018 and Pitt returns to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 16, 2017 and Sept. 14, 2019. The Nittany Lions have met the Panthers more than any other opponent - 96 times - with Penn State owning a 48-42-4 on-field series advantage.
Penn State also will be playing Virginia Tech (2022-23) and West Virginia (2023-24) during upcoming seasons.
The winner of the East and West Divisions will meet in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, to be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis through 2015, with the sites in 2016 and beyond to be determined. The championship game determines the Big Ten Champion and the conference's participant in the Rose Bowl Game or College Football Playoff National Championship Game, which begins in 2014. FOX Sports is the broadcast partner for the 2011-16 Big Ten Football Championship Games.
Coach Bill O'Brien's Penn State squad (4-2, 1-1) is idle this week and returns to action Oct. 26 at No. 4/3 Ohio State. The game will kick at 8 p.m. and be an ABC national telecast and also air on the Penn State Sports Network (6:30 p.m. airtieme) and www.GoPSUsports.com.
Tickets are available for the Nittany Lions' final three home games against Illinois (Nov. 2, THON Day), Purdue (Nov. 16, Seats For Soldiers) and Nebraska (Nov. 23, Senior Day). For information on single game tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Penn State Football Schedules (2018-19):
2018
Sept. 1 - TBA
Sept. 8 - at Pitt
Sept. 15 - TBA
Sept. 22 - at Illinois
Sept. 29 - OHIO STATE
Oct. 13 - MICHIGAN STATE
Oct. 20 - at Indiana
Oct. 27 - IOWA
Nov. 3 - at Michigan
Nov. 10 - WISCONSIN
Nov. 17 - at Rutgers
Nov. 24 - MARYLAND
Dec. 1 - Big Ten Championship Game
NOTE: Team will have one bye week. Two non-conference games to be scheduled.
2019
Aug. 31 - TBA
Sept. 7 - TBA
Sept. 14 - PITT
Sept. 21 - TBA
Sept. 28 - at Maryland
Oct. 5 - PURDUE
Oct. 12 - at Iowa
Oct. 19 - MICHIGAN
Oct. 26 - at Michigan State
Nov. 9 - at Minnesota
Nov. 16 - INDIANA
Nov. 23 - at Ohio State
Nov. 30 - RUTGERS
Dec. 7 - Big Ten Championship Game
NOTE: Team will have two bye weeks. Two non-conference games to be scheduled