Just as they will do in 2014, Penn State and Rutgers will play in the first official Big Ten game of the 2015 season. The Big Ten released the 2015 conference schedule this morning, confirming the date for Penn State and Rutgers to open the 2015 season once again being used as the conference opener. The two Big Ten East rival will play in Beaver Stadium on September 19, the date previously agreed to by the schools as part of a non-conference arrangement.
Allowing Penn State and Rutgers to keep that game as scheduled allows for Penn State to continue exploring scheduling options to fill a bye week in October or November, a problem that needs to be addressed for the 2014 season as well. Penn State opens the 2015 season in Philadelphia against Temple and plays the following two games in Beaver Stadium against Buffalo and Rutgers. As it stands at the moment, Penn State has the next two weeks of the schedule that are vacant. Penn State also has a bye week inserted in mid-November before hosting Michigan. Do not expect that week to be filled with a game. It would be more likely to see Penn State attempt to fill the first available two open weeks in late September and early October to fill out a 12-game schedule.
Penn State will host Indiana, Illinois, Michigan in their other three home conference games. The Nittany Lions will visit Ohio State, Maryland, Northwestern and Michigan State. The Spartans remain the regular season finale opponent for Penn State.
The 2015 season will remain an eight-game conference schedule, but the Big Ten will be moving to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2016.
Check out Penn State’s updated 2015 schedule.
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