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Penn State Football Schedule 2024 – The Penn State Nittany Lions have been on the fringes of college football relevance for the past decade. Since 2016, Penn State has had five seasons of 10 or more wins, yet they鈥檝e never made a College Football Playoff and have only beaten Ohio State twice in the last 15 years.听 Nonetheless, this is a program that should really benefit from this season鈥檚 expanded College Football Playoffs.

Historically, the Penn State Nittany Lions may not have the national championships or Big Ten titles that other programs bring to the table, but they are a proud program with a devoted fan base.听 Dating back to 1887, Penn State has claimed two national championships, one Heisman Trophy winner, and they consistently field competitive teams in the Big Ten conference.

This season, head coach James Franklin enters his 11th season and looks to build on last year’s 10-3 record. The Nittany Lions finished 2023 ranked #13 in the final AP poll, capping off their season with a 38-25 loss against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.

Penn State’s defense was dominant in 2023, ranking third nationally in total defense. The offense, led by quarterback Drew Allar, showed flashes of brilliance but struggled with consistency at times, especially against top-ranked teams. In 2024, the Nittany Lions bring back an experienced squad as well as new offensive and defensive coordinators.听 PSU landed some , including Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming and Georgia cornerback A.J. Harris.

For Penn State fans, this season has the potential to be one for the ages.听 See below for an in-depth preview of the Penn State football schedule 2024.

Penn State Football Schedule 2024

2024 Season Preview

Penn State has a fairly winnable schedule.听 The Nittany Lions host seven home games 鈥� which is always an advantage when opposing teams have to brave the elements of Beaver Stadium.听

West Virginia (Aug 31, Away)

• Penn State travels to Morgantown to open the season against a Mountaineers squad that went 9-4 last season. Last year, the rivalry between these two teams was renewed after a 30-year hiatus and Penn State won handily, 38-15.听 Like last year, this should be a winnable non-conference matchup for the Nittany Lions.听 It will also give new OC Andy Kotelnicki a chance to show off his new-look offense behind .

Bowling Green (Sep 7, Home)

• The Nittany Lions open their home schedule with Bowling Green. The Falcons – playing out of a weak MAC Conference – had a 7-6 record in 2023 and shouldn’t pose much of a challenge for Penn State, especially at Beaver Stadium. For Bowling Green fans making the trip, there are plenty of things to do in !

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

Kent State (Sep 21 Home)

• After an early season bye week, Penn State hosts another MAC opponent in the Kent State Golden Flashes. Kent State went 1-11 last year, with their only win coming against FCS opponent Central Connecticut State.听 This game could get downright ugly.

Illinois (Sep 28, Home)

• The Big Ten slate kicks off as Penn State hosts Illinois. The Fighting Illini took a step back in 2023, finishing 5-7, and the program has finished with a losing record in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Although Illinois has some power on defense, this game should be a good opportunity for the Nittany Lions to start conference play with a win.

UCLA (Oct 5, Home)

• This season, the new-look Big Ten Conference welcomes UCLA, Oregon, Southern Cal, and Washington. It will take some time getting used to calling this an in-conference matchup, but, nonetheless, Penn State welcomes the Bruins for some Big Ten action. UCLA finished 2023 with a record of 8-5 but lost head coach Chip Kelly, who left his job to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.听 UCLA looks to be in a rebuild mode this season under new head coach DeShaun Foster.

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

USC (Oct 12, Away)

• After a month at home, the Nittany Lions hit the road to Los Angeles to face Southern Cal. The Trojans will be without Heisman winner Caleb Williams and instead turn to quarterback Miller Moss.听 Head coach Lincoln Riley always seems to have an explosive offense, however, it鈥檚 the weak defense that costs the Trojans.听 Last season, USC鈥檚 defense ranked 119th in all of college football, allowing 432.8 yards/game.听 While this might be the toughest test of the season thus far for Penn State, it is still a very winnable road game.

Wisconsin (Oct 26, Away)

• After their second bye week of the season, Penn State heads to Madison to face a scrappy Wisconsin team. Led by head coach Luke Fickell, the Badgers are trending in the right direction, especially after landing a top-3 quarterback in the transfer portal in Miami鈥檚 Tyler Van Dyke.听 Wisconsin will have a strong defense as they return defensive backs Hunter Wohler and Ricardo Hallman and land two big linebacker transfers.听 This should be a close game but expect the Nittany Lions to prevail.

Ohio State (Nov 2, Home)

• This game will show whether Penn State is the real deal. Penn State is just 4-16 in their last 20 matchups against the Buckeyes, dating back to 2004. Is this the year coach James Franklin can finally lift the Buckeye Curse?聽 A raucous Beaver Stadium crowd will aim to give the Nittany Lions crucial home-field advantage but Ohio State has arguably the most talented roster in all of college football.听 This could easily be the Big Ten game of the year and it will surely have College Football Playoff ramifications.

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

Washington (Nov 9, Home)

• The Washington Huskies made it all the way to the College Football Playoff National Championship game last season, but this year鈥檚 Huskies are a completely different squad. First-year head coach Jedd Fisch takes the reins after Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama in the offseason.听 Fisch must find a way to replace all of the talent that left for the NFL – a total of 10 players,.听 In Washington鈥檚 first season in the Big Ten, expect a fringe top-25 team fighting through a tough schedule.听 Penn State will hold the upper hand, especially at home.

Purdue (Nov 16, Away)

• After two tough matchups, Penn State gladly travels to West Lafayette to face Purdue. The Boilermakers went 4-8 last season and could be the worst team in the Big Ten.听 Expect a lopsided victory.

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

Minnesota (Nov 23, Away)

• Penn State last played the Golden Gophers in 2022 when the Nittany Lions easily won 45-17 and had almost 500 yards of offense. Although Minnesota should be improved from its 2022 form, they are still overmatched compared to a talented Nittany Lions roster. The biggest strength for Minnesota this season will be the run game, as they return both of their leading rushers in Darius Taylor and Jordan Nubin as well as four offensive linemen.

Maryland (Nov 30, Home)

• Penn State closes out the regular season with a very winnable home game against a depleted Maryland team. In 2023, the Terrapins had quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who was far from perfect but was able to make some big plays and even gave Michigan a scare.听 This season, Tagovailoa is gone and Maryland looks to be firmly in rebuilding mode.听 Penn State holds an all-time series record of 43-3-1 against Maryland.听 Expect that dominance to continue this season, too.

Notable Penn State Coaches

Penn State has had just four head coaches since 1950, which is a truly remarkable fact that is a testament to the program’s stability and tradition.

Joe Paterno (1966-2011)

• Record: 409-136-3
• Winning Percentage: .749
• National Championships: 2 (1982, 1986)
• Paterno is synonymous with Penn State football, and he holds the record for coaching at a single school (56 years and 630 games 鈥� 45 of those years as a head coach). His 409 wins are the most by any coach in major college football history. Paterno led the Nittany Lions to the only two national championships in program history, he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times, and he was .

Rip Engle (1950-1965)

• Record: 104-48-4
• Winning Percentage: .680
• Engle laid the foundation for Penn State’s modern success. He never had a losing season in his 16 years at the helm and mentored Joe Paterno, who served as his assistant before taking over the program.

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

James Franklin (2014-Present)

• Record: 88-37 (as of 2023)
• Winning Percentage: .704
• Franklin has maintained Penn State’s status as a national power, leading the team to a Big Ten championship in 2016 and consistently finishing in the top 25. He’s known for his recruiting prowess and energetic coaching style. This upcoming season will be pivotal in establishing his legacy.

Penn State’s National Championship Seasons

1982 Season

• Record: 11-1
• Head Coach: Joe Paterno
• Key Players: Todd Blackledge (QB), Curt Warner (RB), Kenny Jackson (WR)
• The Nittany Lions defeated Georgia 27-23 in the Sugar Bowl to claim their first national title. This team was known for its high-powered offense and clutch performances in big games.

1986 Season

• Record: 12-0
• Head Coach: Joe Paterno
• Key Players: John Shaffer (QB), D.J. Dozier (RB), Shane Conlan (LB)
• Penn State completed a perfect season by upsetting heavily-favored Miami 14-10 in the Fiesta Bowl. The defense, led by All-American linebacker Shane Conlan, was the backbone of this championship team.

Penn State Nittany Lions Football: Top Statistical Leaders

Career Rushing Yards

1. Evan Royster (2007-2010) – 3,932 yards
2. Saquon Barkley (2015-2017) – 3,843 yards
3. Curt Warner (1979-1982) – 3,398 yards
4. Tony Hunt (2003-2006) – 3,320 yards
5. Blair Thomas (1986-1989) – 3,301 yards

Career Passing Yards

1. Sean Clifford (2018-2022) – 10,661 yards
2. Trace McSorley (2015-2018) – 9,899 yards
3. Christian Hackenberg (2013-2015) – 8,427 yards
4. Zack Mills (2001-2004) – 7,212 yards
5. Matt McGloan (2009-2012) – 6,390 yards

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

Career Receiving Yards

1. Bobby Engram (1993-1995) – 3,026 yards
2. DaeSean Hamilton (2014-2017) – 2,842 yards
3. Deon Butler (2005-2008) – 2,771 yards
4. Jahan Dotson (2018-2021) – 2,757 yards
5. Allen Robinson (2011-2013) – 2,474 yards

Total Touchdowns Responsible For

1. Trace McSorley (2015-2018) – 107 touchdowns
2. Sean Clifford (2018-2022) – 101 touchdowns
3. Daryll Clark (2006-2009) – 65 touchdowns
4. Christian Hackenberg (2013-2015) – 55 touchdowns
5. Saquon Barkley (2015-2017) – 54 touchdowns

Career Tackles

1. Dan Connor (2004-2007) – 419 tackles
2. Paul Posluszny (2003-2006) – 372 tackles
3. Greg Buttle (1973-1975) – 343 tackles
4. Brian Gelzheiser (1991-1994) – 315 tackles
5. Andre Collins (1986-1989) – 310 tackles

Penn State Football Schedule 2024 (Continued)

Career Interceptions

1. Neal Smith (1967-1969) – 19 interceptions
2. Pete Harris (1977-1980) – 15 interceptions

Darren Perry (1988-1991) – 15 interceptions

1. Kim Herring (1993-1996) – 13 interceptions
2. Brian Miller (1994-1996) – 12 interceptions

Anthony Scirrotto (2005-2008) – 12 interceptions

Alan Zemaitis (2003-2005) – 12 interceptions

Heisman Trophy Winners: 1

Total Conference Championships: 4 (all Big Ten)

Total NFL Draft Picks: 389

Notable Penn State Rivalries

Penn State vs. Ohio State

This has become one of the premier rivalries in the Big Ten since Penn State joined the conference in 1993.听 Since that time, Ohio State largely owns the rivalry, with an all-time series record of 24-14 and winning 16 of the last 20 games played.听 The game is also important for recruiting, as both schools compete for top high school talent in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions.

Penn State vs. Michigan

Another key Big Ten matchup, Penn State and Michigan have developed a fierce rivalry. Michigan leads the all-time series 17-10 and has won the last three matchups.

Penn State vs. Pittsburgh (鈥淭he Keystone Classic鈥�)

Only 130 miles separate Pitt and Penn State and while this is no longer an annual matchup, the Penn State-Pitt rivalry dates back to 1893. The teams have met 100 times, with Penn State holding a 53-43-4 edge in the series.听 The last time these teams played was in 2019, when the Nittany Lions won 17-10.

Penn State 2024 Football Season Preview

The Nittany Lions and head coach James Franklin enter 2024 with high expectations, determined to finally challenge Ohio State and Michigan for Big Ten supremacy. Quarterback returns for his junior season, hoping to make a big leap forward with new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.听 Kotelnicki comes to Penn State from Kansas, where he served as OC and interim head coach and helped turn around a program.

It wasn鈥檛 like the Penn State offensive was bad last season – they averaged more than 36 points a game!聽 However, they only put up 13.5 against Ohio State and Michigan and that will be Kotelnicki鈥檚 primary mission.

Defensively, Penn State should again be stout.听 Last season, the Nittany Lions led the country in allowing the fewest total yards a game and fewest yards per play.听 They return junior linebacker Abdul Carter, who will be shifting to defensive end this year, fortifying a defensive front that led the country in sacks in 2023.

The schedule presents both challenges and opportunities. Home games against Ohio State and Washington give Penn State a chance to make a statement.听 If the Nittany Lions can navigate this gauntlet, they could find themselves in prime position to host a game in the expanded College Football Playoff come December. The talent is there – now it’s time for James Franklin’s squad to take the next step and join college football’s elite.

PSU Football Schedule 2024 – Additional Resources

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College Football Team 2024 Previews and Schedules

• Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024
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• Ohio State Football Schedule 2024
• Michigan Football Schedule 2024