Penn State has a new 2021 Big Ten football schedule.
The conference released a revised list of games on Friday. Most of the changes impacted other conference programs to prevent some teams from playing against a specific opponent for several consecutive years, but the news impacted Lions in several ways.
First, the week of farewell has changed. Previously, Lions were supposed to be off for the first week of October. They are now off on the weekend of October 16.
Second, and perhaps most importantly, coach James Franklin’s team no longer faces Michigan and Ohio State in consecutive weeks. Instead, a game in Maryland now falls between those two competitions against Penn State’s biggest rivals in the Big Ten East.
Finally, among other changes, Lions now close the year with the state of Michigan, instead of Rutgers.
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Here’s Penn State’s new 2021 football schedule (changes from the original in bold):
September 4: in Wisconsin
September 11: vs. Ball State
September 18: vs. Auburn
September 25: vs. Villanova
October 2: vs. Indiana
October 9: in Iowa
October 16: vs. BYE
October 23: vs. Illinois
October 30: in the state of Ohio
November 6: in Maryland
November 13: vs. Michigan
November 20: vs. Rutgers
November 27: in the state of Michigan
And, for comparison, here’s a look at the original:
September 4: in Wisconsin
September 11: vs. Ball State
September 18: vs. Auburn
September 25: vs. Villanova
October 2: BYE
October 9: in Iowa
October 16: vs. Illinois
October 23: in the state of Michigan
October 30: vs. Indiana
November 6: in Maryland
November 13: vs. Michigan
November 20: in the state of Ohio
November 27: vs. Rutgers
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