Penn State will have two bye weeks in 2013 and 2014, will start both seasons in August and will continue playing Wisconsin in the regular-season finale.
The Big Ten released league schedules for 2013 and 2014 on Wednesday, and there are a few other noteworthy elements for the Nittany Lions.
They will have a bye week before playing Ohio State in both seasons, which surely will please Joe Paterno, who complained last year about Michigan and Ohio State having byes before playing PSU.
Gone from the schedule for at least the next four seasons is Michigan State, the longtime season finale foe. That means there will be no more Land Grant Trophy games in the near future.
The Big Ten hasn't confirmed that Penn State versus Wisconsin will be a season-finale game every year going forward, but it will be for at least the next four seasons.
Penn State doesn't play Michigan this year or in 2012, but the Wolverines are back on the schedule in 2013 and 2014.
Fact Box
2013 schedule
*Aug. 31vs. Syracuse
Sept. 7vs. Eastern Michigan
Sept. 14vs. Virginia
Sept. 21vs. Kent State
Sept. 28Bye
Oct. 5at Indiana
Oct. 12vs. Michigan
Oct. 19Bye
Oct. 26at Ohio State
Nov. 2vs. Illinois
Nov. 9at Minnesota
Nov. 16vs. Purdue
Nov. 23vs. Nebraska
Nov. 30at Wisconsin
TBD Big Ten title game
*-at Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J.
2014 schedule
Aug. 30vs. Temple
Sept. 6vs. Akron
Sept. 13at Rutgers
Sept. 20TBA
Sept. 27vs. Minnesota
Oct. 4Bye
Oct. 11at Nebraska
Oct. 18vs. Indiana
Oct. 25at Michigan
Nov. 1at Purdue
Nov. 8Bye
Nov. 15vs. Ohio State
Nov. 22at Illinois
Nov. 29vs. Wisconsin
TBD Big Ten title game
The Lions also will renew their longtime rivalry with Syracuse at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to kick off the 2013 season.
- Cory Giger
