Penn State to Open 2022 Season on Thursday Night

The Lions will visit Purdue on Sept. 1 for an intriguing Big Ten matchup in prime time.

Author:
Mark Wogenrich
Updated:
Feb 14, 2022 9:40 AM EST

Penn State already knew it was opening yet another Big Ten season on the road. Now, the Lions will play a Thursday night game for the first time in program history as well.

Penn State and Purdue announced jointly that their 2022 season-opening game has been shifted to Thursday, Sept. 1. The kickoff time will be announced later. It will mark the first time Penn State plays a regular-season game on a Thursday.

The game was a natural for the Big Ten to shift into an earlier prime-time television window. Purdue, hosting Penn State for the first time since 2016, is coming off a 9-4 season in which it beat two teams ranked No. 2 at the time (Iowa and Michigan State) and outlasted Tennessee 48-45 in the Music City Bowl. Penn State, meanwhile, seeks to cleanse the 2-6 finish of 2021.

Penn State was scheduled to play Virginia on a Thursday night in 2001, but that game was postponed to December because of the Sept. 11 attacks. The Lions opened their 2018 Big Ten schedule with a Friday-night game at Illinois, which it won 63-24.

Penn State coach James Franklin has made his feelings clear on playing regular-season games outside of Saturdays.

"I'm old school from that standpoint," Franklin said in 2018. "I think Thursday night, in small doses, is for college football, not for the NFL. Friday night is for high school football. Saturday is for college, and Sunday is for the NFL. That's been a great model for a long time and allowed each phase a day and a night to enjoy on their own. All of those complimented each well and supported each other."

Visiting Purdue continues a curious streak for the Lions. Penn State will begin its seventh consecutive Big Ten season with a road game, having opened at Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Indiana and Wisconsin for the past six seasons. The Lions are scheduled to open the 2023 Big Ten season at Illinois as well.