Athletics

Penn State completes 2020 football schedule

Nevada, Virginia Tech and San Jose State will be the Nittany Lions' three non-conference opponents for the 2020 season. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.– Penn State has completed its 2020 football schedule with the addition of home games against Nevada and San José State in addition to the inaugural meeting between the Nittany Lions and Virginia Tech. Penn State will be meeting all three of its 2020 non-conference foes for the first time in its gridiron history.

The Nittany Lions also will host Bowling Green on Sept. 7, 2024, in the third contest between the schools. Penn State won the previous games in 1987 and 1998 in Beaver Stadium.

Nevada will visit Beaver Stadium on Sept. 5, 2020, for the season opener. The Nittany Lions will travel to Blacksburg, Virginia, on Sept. 12 for the first meeting with the Hokies, with Virginia Tech playing in Beaver Stadium in 2025. Penn State’s 2020 non-conference schedule concludes when San Jose State visits Sept. 19.

The Wolfpack and Spartans are members of the Mountain West Conference. The Nittany Lions are 5-0 against Mountain West squads, having played Air Force (3-0), San Diego State (1-0) and Utah State (1-0). Penn State’s last meeting against a Mountain West team was a 37-21 win over the Aztecs in 2015.

During the 2020 season, Penn State opens Big Ten Conference play at home vs. Northwestern on Sept. 26. The Nittany Lions also will host conference foes Iowa (Oct. 17), Ohio State (Oct. 24), Michigan State (Nov. 14) and Maryland (Nov. 21) in 2020.

Penn State’s 2018-21 football schedules are posted on GoPSUsports.com (one game in 2021 to be scheduled).

The 2020 contest with Virginia Tech is amongst several marquee non-conference match-ups for the Nittany Lions from 2016-25, in addition to the nine-game Big Ten schedule:

  • Penn State began a four-game home-and-home series with Pitt in 2016 that extends to 2019. The Nittany Lions defeated the Panthers in Beaver Stadium on Sept. 9, 2017, will play in Pittsburgh on Sept. 8, 2018, and host the Panthers on Sept. 14, 2019;
  • Penn State and Virginia Tech will meet for the first time in 2020 (away) and 2025 (home);
  • The Nittany Lions and Auburn will meet for the third and fourth time overall, but the first time in the regular season, in 2021 (home) and 2022 (away). Penn State posted a 43-14 win over the Tigers in the 1996 Outback Bowl and Auburn earned a 13-9 victory in the 2003 Capital One Bowl.
  • Penn State and West Virginia will clash for the first time since 1992 and the 60th time overall in 2023 (home), with a 2024 contest in Morgantown.
Last Updated February 16, 2018