Penn State is set to meet Syracuse on the playing field for a home-and-home series beginning in 2027. With the addition of Syracuse to the future schedule, Penn State’s non-conference schedule is now completely booked through the 2027 season, with one notable exception. Penn State has one remaining scheduling vacancy to fill in 2025. And with Penn State making an effort to line up at least one game against a power conference opponent in each schedule, there could be some fun possibilities to explore to fill that one single non-conference vacancy in 2025.
As a refresher, here are the non-conference opponents Penn State has lined up for the next six seasons (full future schedules can be found here):
- 2022: Ohio, at Auburn, Central Michigan
- 2023: West Virginia, Delaware, UMass
- 2024: at West Virginia, Bowling Green, Kent State
- 2025: Nevada, Villanova
- 2026: Marshall, at Temple, San Jose State
- 2027: Syracuse, Delaware, Temple
- 2028: at Syracuse
As seen in the 2026 schedule, Penn State doesn’t necessarily have to fill its schedule with a power conference opponent. Although the Big Ten made an effort to make that a scheduling priority in the last few years, there is no strict policy prohibiting a Big Ten school from not scheduling a power conference opponent. But, ideally, that would be the case for Penn State as it looks to fill its 2025 schedule.
Penn State is set to host Nevada in the season opener on Aug. 30, 2025. Its home game against Villanova is scheduled for two weeks later on Sept. 13, 2025. One would be safe to assume Penn State’s schedule vacancy will fall in between those games on Sept. 6, 2025. But there is also the chance that week could be used for a Big Ten conference matchup. The Big Ten has taken steps to adding more conference inventory earlier in the year, which Penn State has been a part of. The 2022 season opener will be the third consecutive season Penn State will open the schedule with a conference game.
But, if that week is not used for a Big Ten game, here is every Power 5 program with an overlapping schedule vacancy for Week 2 in the 2025 season as of right now.
ACC
Florida State – The Seminoles would be fun to see, but they open the season with Alabama and end the year against Florida. Adding a game against Penn State a week after facing Alabama is not to be expected.
Georgia Tech – The Yellow-Jackets already have two games against Power 5 programs lined up with a road trip to Colorado in Week 1 and their rivalry game against Georgia.
Miami – OK, now we’re talking. But the Hurricanes are already getting Florida in September and have a date to be locked in against Notre Dame. So don’t count on a Penn State-Miami matchup in this spot either.
Virginia – Virginia would make good sense in this spot, especially since the Cavaliers never made the return trip to Happy Valley on a previous home-and-home arrangement (Virginia scheduled a game against Oregon instead of making a trip to Penn State in 2013 after Penn State visited Charlottesville in 2012. Virginia only has one non-conference matchup scheduled in 2025, against Coastal Carolina in Week 1.