Penn State Football Schedule 2025: Complete Game-by-Game Breakdown
Penn State is always in the conversation for the Big Ten title and the college football playoff. James Franklin has built a program that consistently competes at the highest level, and the 2025 schedule gives them a real shot at breaking through. Here's every game and what to expect.
The schedule
Aug 30 — vs. Kent State (Home): Standard opener. Penn State wins big, starters play three quarters, backups get reps.
Sep 6 — vs. Bowling Green (Home): Another tune-up. The Nittany Lions should be 2-0 heading into the real games.
Sep 13 — at Virginia Tech (Away): Lane Stadium at night is a tough environment. Virginia Tech isn't elite, but they're dangerous at home. This is the first real test of the season.
Sep 20 — vs. San Jose State (Home): Easy win. Use this to prepare for Big Ten play.
Sep 27 — at Illinois (Away): Illinois is a top-25 team, and this is a tough road game. Penn State needs to win this to stay in the Big Ten race.
Oct 4 — vs. UCLA (Home): UCLA is adjusting to the Big Ten, and they're not a threat yet. Penn State should handle this comfortably.
Oct 11 — at USC (Away): The Coliseum is a tough place to play, and USC has the talent to compete with anyone. This is a marquee matchup.
Oct 18 — BYE WEEK
Oct 25 — vs. Wisconsin (Home): Wisconsin is always physical, and this will be a grind. Penn State's defense needs to show up.
Nov 1 — vs. Ohio State (Home — White Out): The biggest home game of the year. The White Out at Beaver Stadium is one of the best atmospheres in college football. 107,000 fans, all in white, all screaming. Ohio State is the team to beat in the Big Ten, and this game could decide the conference title.
Nov 8 — at Minnesota (Away): Minnesota is solid but not spectacular. Penn State should win, but road games in the Big Ten are never easy.
Nov 15 — vs. Maryland (Home): Maryland is improving, but Penn State should win at home.
Nov 22 — at Michigan State (Away): Michigan State is rebuilding, but they always play Penn State tough. Don't overlook this one.
The must-win games
1. vs. Ohio State (Nov 1): This is the game. If Penn State wins the White Out, they control their own destiny in the Big Ten. If they lose, they need help.
2. at USC (Oct 11): A road win against USC would be a massive statement. It would prove Penn State can win anywhere against anyone.
3. at Illinois (Sep 27): Illinois is good, and this is an early-season road game. A loss here would put Penn State behind in the Big Ten race from the start.
Playoff path
Penn State's path to the playoff is straightforward: win 10+ games and beat Ohio State. If they do that, they're in. If they lose to Ohio State but win everything else, they're probably still in as a 5-8 seed.
The schedule is favorable. They have four non-conference games that should all be wins, and their Big Ten schedule is tough but manageable. The key games are Ohio State, USC, and Illinois. Win two of those three, and Penn State is in the playoff.
James Franklin has been close before. This might be the year he finally breaks through.