Penn State’s 2022 football schedule will look a little different than people initially envisioned.
The Big Ten announced scheduling changes Tuesday afternoon, and here’s how those changes impact Penn State.
The Lions’ first four games— Purdue, Akron, Ball State and Auburn— all remain as previously scheduled for the time being. The first change— and perhaps the most notable one— comes with Penn State’s Ohio State matchup that was initially slated for Oct. 1.
Instead of the Lions and Buckeyes playing on October 1, the two teams will instead be playing on Halloween weekend, Oct. 29. It will be the fifth time and six years Penn State and Ohio State have played on Halloween weekend.
Penn State still has a game Oct. 1, but will be playing Northwestern instead of Ohio State. The second weekend of October will now serve as Penn State’s bye week. The Nittany Lions were initially scheduled to play at Michigan Oct. 8, and that game will now take place Oct. 15 in Ann Arbor.
The next week, which was originally Penn State’s bye week, now has the Lions playing Minnesota at Beaver Stadium. Penn State still plays at Indiana Nov. 5 and Maryland Nov. 12. The last two changes come in the last two weeks. The Nittany Lions were supposed to end the regular season Nov. 26 in Piscataway, New Jersey, against Rutgers. That game has been moved to Nov. 19. Instead, Penn State will end its season Nov. 26 against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium with the Land Grant Trophy at stake.
Additionally, Blue White Illustrated reports that there’s a “strong possibility” that the Lions’ opener at Purdue could be changed to Thursday, Sept. 1.
Although not yet 100 percent official, here is what Penn State’s schedule looks like with these changes.
Sept. 3– at. Purdue
Sept. 10– vs. Ohio
Sept. 17– at. Auburn
Sept. 24– vs. Central Michigan
Oct. 1– vs. Northwestern
Oct. 8– Bye
Oct. 15– at. Michigan
Oct. 22– vs. Minnesota
Oct. 29– vs. Ohio State
Nov. 5– at. Indiana
Nov. 12– vs. Maryland
Nov. 19– at. Rutgers
Nov. 26– vs. Michigan State
