Which Big Ten Teams Penn State Avoids on the 2026 Football Schedule

The Nittany Lions' schedule is considered friendly because of the opponents they don't play this season.

Indiana Hoosiers players Davion Chandler (4) and linebacker PJ Nelson (30) celebrate with the fans following a win over the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State's 2026 football schedule ranks as one of the Big Ten's easiest based primarily on who the Nittany Lions don't play. It's a combination of College Football Playoff title contenders, longer-shot hopefuls and teams hungry for renewal.

Penn State does not face a team that won 10 games last season. Meanwhile, five of the teams not on its schedule won at least nine in 2025. Penn State's schedule has some challenges, but who the Nittany Lions don't play in the regular season might be as important as who they do.

Here's a look at Nittany Lions' 2026 schedule and the Big Ten teams they won't have to worry about until a potential postseason.

Date	Opponent	Location
Sept. 5	MARSHALL	Beaver Stadium
Sept. 12	Temple	Lincoln Financial Field
Sept. 19	BUFFALO	Beaver Stadium
Sept. 26	WISCONSIN	Beaver Stadium
Oct. 3	at Northwestern	Ryan Field
Oct. 10	USC	Beaver Stadium
Oct. 17	at Michigan	Michigan Stadium
Oct. 24	BYE
Oct. 31	PURDUE	Beaver Stadium
Nov. 7	at Washington	Husky Stadium
Nov. 14	MINNESOTA	Beaver Stadium
Nov. 21	RUTGERS	Beaver Stadium
Nov. 28	Maryland	SECU Stadium

1. Indiana Hoosiers

Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti, with a smile on his face:

“The most improbable victory I’ve ever been a part of. And there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen.” pic.twitter.com/gZfdl964NT

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) November 8, 2025

After the Hoosiers' stunned Penn State at Beaver Stadium last season, coach Curt Cignetti called the win "the most improbable victory I’ve ever been a part of, and there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen."

The Hoosiers will be pressed to repeat their 16-0 championship season, but they're still a serious national contender. Especially with another top-notch transfer quarterback in Josh Hoover. Penn State also would be getting Indiana in the newly intimidating Memorial Stadium. Not a bad time to et a pass on the Hoosiers.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

James Franklin went 1-10 against Ohio State in his tenure, so Campbell couldn't do much worse. However, he does benefit from the Buckeyes' two-year absence from Penn State's schedule, which is a rarity.

Ohio State returns the Big Ten's best roster, according to the ESPN SP+, which ranks the Buckeyes' defense No. 1 nationally in efficiency and the offense No. 2. You know about receiver Jeremiah Smith, and if he gets a boost from returning quarterback Julian Sayin, both could be Heisman Trophy finalists.

3. Oregon Ducks

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning celebrates his win with fans over the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The beginning of Penn State's end was a double-overtime loss to the Ducks at home before 111,000 fans who had championship dreams. The Nittany Lions will make a return trip to the Pacific Northwest this season, though they're headed to Washington instead Oregon. Big difference.

The Ducks are getting play as the next Big Ten team to win a national title. They're loaded on offense behind Dante Moore, have one of the nation's top defensive tackle combo in Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington and an exceptional transfer safety in Minnesota's Koi Perich. This roster is a monster, and Penn State won't have to deal with it.

4. Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz is given the ReliaQuest Bowl trophy after beating the Vanderbilt Commodores at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Kirk Ferentz returns a compelling roster from a nine-win team that beat Vanderbilt in a bowl game. The Hawkeyes are 22nd in the SP+ and, of course, have another fierce defense despite its losses. Meanwhile, Penn State's offense is a promising group that will benefit from a gentler runway into the conference.

Iowa has loads of the usual questions offensively, particularly at quarterback, but will be profient enough to stay in games. The Hawkeyes aren't title contenders, but they're in a similar situation as the Nittany Lions and would make life difficult for them.

5. Illinois Illiini

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema greets fans before a Big Ten game vs. the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Here's one reason Penn State should appreciate missing Illinois this season. According to ESPN, the Illini have won 13 one-score games over the past three seasons. For a team with little room for error, that kind of success rate would be teeth-clenching.

Similar to Iowa, Bret Bielema's team underwent a bunch of defensive changes while also remaking much of its offensive line. But the running backs are solid, and Bielema has another potential nine-win team that would have given Campbell a headache in Year 1.

6. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule watches warmups before his team's game vs. the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Maybe Penn State would want to see the Cornhuskers again after routing them 37-10 in State College last season. That loss was an alarm for Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, whose team went 7-6 for the second straight season and did a lot of soul-searching afterward.

Rhule lost quarterback Dylan Raiola to Oregon but picked up Anthony Colandrea from UNLV, who might be better. Penn State also is 2-6 in Lincoln, where this game would have been played, but this isn't as big a miss as the first five opponents.

7. UCLA Bruins

UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney and women's basketball coach Cori Close lead players onto the field during the spring game at Rose Bowl. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bob Chesney, considered a Penn State coaching candidate last November, took the rebuild job at UCLA, which will be tougher than Campbell's. Despite their brutal loss at the Rose Bowl last season, the Nittany Lions are better positioned for a quck turnaround than UCLA.

Chesney's in for a long haul. The Bruins lost their last five games after a midseason surge and have a climb in front of them. Chesney hails from James Madison, like Cignetti, but an Indiana surge doesn't seem likely here.

8. Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald addresses the team at the end of the football Spring Showcase. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State gets weary Big Ten programs Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers and Purdue on the 2026 schedule, so it really couldn't ask for another. The Spartans have unraveled from their out-of-nowhere 11-2 season in 2021, and Pat Fitzgerald won't put them back together in one season.

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