The 2026-2027 Penn State men’s basketball schedule has been released.
One of the most noticeable aspects is that the Big Ten slate of games isn’t as daunting on paper as it was last year at this time.
Last year in Penn State’s first eight Big Ten games, four of those teams finished the 2025-2026 season in the AP Top 25. They were Michigan State (11), Illinois (5), Michigan (1) and Purdue (6). There were also two teams that were in the AP Top 25 preseason, who were UCLA (12) and Wisconsin (24) and the Nittany Lions also began their Big Ten schedule at Indiana.
This year, in their first eight Big Ten games there’s only one team ranked in the Top 25 by ESPN, which is Illinois at No. 3. Penn State also opens up the Big Ten at home against Nebraska, which ESPN has at No. 26 and then they play Purdue in their eighth Big Ten game, who ESPN has at No. 28 in its preseason ranking.
So the beginning of the Big Ten slate doesn’t look near as challenging as last year. But studying the full schedule, seems Penn State will have a tough stretch of games to finish the regular season.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.On February 23, PSU will play defending national champion Michigan at home. ESPN has Michigan ranked No. 20. Their following game is against rising UCLA Feb. 27. ESPN has UCLA at No. 23. Penn State then takes on No. 11 USC March 2 with both games being played on the West Coast.
Another part of the schedule that will be interesting is during the non-conference portion. Here the Nittany Lions will play Pitt of the ACC on November 8th at the Palestra in Philadelphia and then will travel for Thanksgiving down to the Bahamas and play up-and-coming Memphis on November 25th and then either Power Four teams Wake Forest or Mississippi State on November 27.
Penn State will definitely be tested throughout the year in a tough Big Ten Conference, but late November to mid-December and the last stretch of the regular season will certainly prove to be the toughest.
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