Big Ten Conference play officially started over the weekend, and it got going in College Park, Md., where Michigan State beat host Maryland by a 27-24 final. Illinois also got a big ranked win over Kansas, and Kent State slipped again to St. Francis (Pa.).
Meanwhile, Penn State counted itself among the fortunate ranked teams who got tested and survived, playing a terrific second half to beat Bowling Green, 34-27, as a 35-point favorite. The Nittany Lions have a bye coming before facing Kent State Sept. 21 at Beaver Stadium, but the action continues across the Big Ten.
We take a quick look back and ahead to all 12 opponents on Penn State’s schedule, how they fared in Week 2, and where they play Week 3:
Biggest win: Illinois is the big winner here, taking down a ranked Kansas team at Memorial Stadium to perhaps put the Fighting Illini on the cusp of a national ranking. If that doesn’t come against Central Michigan, the Illini would certainly get there if they can defeat No. 23 Nebraska on Friday, Sept. 20.
Game(s) to watch: West Virginia playing Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl is a great chance to maybe get loud with Pitt fans if the Fightin’ Narduzzis lose to the Mountaineers. … Wisconsin also hosts No. 4 Alabama on Saturday with an opportunity to slay a giant. The Badgers are 2-0 with wins over Western Michigan (28-14) and South Dakota (27-13).
PENN STATE OPPONENTS
WEEK 3 SCOREBOARD
- West Virginia 49, UAlbany 14
- Penn State 34, Bowling Green 27
- St. Francis (Pa.) 23, Kent State 17
- Illinois 23, #19 Kansas 17
- UCLA – BYE WEEK
- #11 USC 48, Utah State 0
- Wisconsin 27, South Dakota 13
- #3 Ohio State, Western Michigan 0
- Washington 30, Eastern Michigan 9
- Purdue – BYE WEEK
- Minnesota 48, Rhode Island 0
- Michigan State 24, Maryland 24
WEEK 3 SCHEDULE
Saturday, Sept. 14
- West Virginia at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
- Bowling Green – BYE WEEK
- Kent State at #7 Tennessee, 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network
- Illinois vs. Central Michigan, noon on Peacock (exclusive)
- UCLA vs. Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 PT) on NBC and Peacock
- #11 USC – bye week
- Wisconsin vs. #4 Alabama, noon ET on FOX
- #3 Ohio State – BYE WEEK
- Washington vs. Washington State, 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT) on Peacock
- Purdue vs. #18 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+
- Minnesota vs. Nevada, 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on BTN
- Maryland at Virginia, 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network
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OPPONENTS GAME-BY-GAME BREAKDOWN
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (1-1, 0-0 BIG 12)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: L, 34-12 vs. Penn State
Sept. 7: W, 49-14 vs. UAlbany
Sept. 14: at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Sept. 21: vs. Kansas, noon ET
Sept. 28: BYE WEEK
Oct. 5: at #13 Oklahoma State, TBD
Oct. 12: vs. #21 Iowa State, TBD
Oct. 19: vs. #14 Kansas State, TBD
Oct. 26: at #20 Arizona, TBD
Nov. 2: BYE WEEK
Nov. 9: at Cincinnati, TBD
Nov. 16: vs. Baylor, TBD
Nov. 23: vs. UCF, TBD
Nov. 30: at Texas Tech, TBD
BOWLING GREEN FALCONS (1-1, 0-0 MAC)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: W, 41-17 vs. Fordham
Sept. 7: L, 34-27 at Penn State
Sept. 14: BYE WEEK
Sept. 21: at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m
Sept. 28: vs. Old Dominion, TBD
Oct. 5: at Akron, TBD
Oct. 12: vs. Northern Illinois, TBD
Oct. 19: vs. Kent State, TBD
Oct. 26: at Toledo, TBD
Nov. 5: at Central Michigan, TBD
Nov. 12: vs. Western Michigan, TBD
Nov. 19: BYE WEEK
Nov. 23: at Ball State, TBD
Nov. 29: vs. Miami (Ohio), TBD
WEEK 3: BYE WEEK
KENT STATE FLASHES (0-2, 0-0 MAC)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: L, 55-24 at Pittsburgh
Sept. 7: L, 23-17 vs. St. Francis (PA)
Sept. 14: at #7 Tennessee, 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network
Sept. 21: at #8 Penn State, TBD
Sept. 28: vs. Eastern Michigan, TBD
Oct. 5: BYE WEEK
Oct. 12: vs. Ball State, TBD
Oct. 19: at Bowling Green, TBD
Oct. 26: at Western Michigan, TBD
Nov. 6: vs. Ohio, 7 p.m. (TV: TBD)
Nov. 13: at Miami (Ohio), TBD
Nov. 19: vs. Akron, TBD
Nov. 26: at Buffalo, 7 p.m. (TV: TBD)
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (2-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 29: W, 45-0 vs. Eastern Illinois
Sept. 7: W, 23-17 vs. #19 Kansas
Sept. 14: vs. Central Michigan, noon ET (11 a.m. CT) on Peacock
Sept. 20: at #23 Nebraska, 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) on FOX
Sept. 28: at #8 Penn State, TBD
Oct. 5: BYE WEEK
Oct. 12: vs. Purdue, TBD
Oct. 19: vs. #17 Michigan, TBD
Oct. 26: at #9 Oregon, TBD
Nov. 2: vs. Minnesota, TBD
Nov. 9: BYE WEEK
Nov. 16: vs. Michigan State, TBD
Nov. 23: at Rutgers, TBD
Nov. 30: at Northwestern, TBD
UCLA BRUINS (1-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: W, 16-13 at Hawaii
Sept. 7: BYE WEEK
Sept. 14: vs. Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) on NBC and Peacock
Sept. 21: at #16 LSU, TBD
Sept. 28: vs. #9 Oregon, TBD
Oct. 5: at #8 Penn State, TBD
Oct. 12: vs. Minnesota, TBD
Oct. 19: at Rutgers, TBD
Oct. 26: BYE WEEK
Nov. 2: at Nebraska, TBD
Nov. 8: vs. Iowa, 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on FOX
Nov. 15: at Washington, 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on FOX
Nov. 23: vs. #11 USC, TBD
Nov. 30: vs. Fresno State, TBD
#11 USC TROJANS (2-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Sept. 1: W, 27-20 vs. #13 LSU
Sept. 7: W, 48-0 vs. Utah State
Sept. 14: BYE WEEK
Sept. 21: at #17 Michigan, 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+
Sept. 28: vs. Wisconsin
Oct. 5: at Minnesota
Oct. 12: vs. #8 Penn State
Oct. 19: at Maryland, TBD
Oct. 25: vs. Rutgers, 11 p.m. ET (8 p.m. PT), FOX
Nov. 2: at Washington, TBD
Nov. 9: BYE WEEK
Nov. 16: vs. #23 Nebraska, TBD
Nov. 23: at UCLA, TBD
Nov. 30: vs. #18 Notre Dame, TBD
WEEK 8: BYE WEEK
WISCONSIN BADGERS (2-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 30: W, 28-14 vs. Western Michigan
Sept. 7: W, 27-13 vs. South Dakota
Sept. 14: vs. #4 Alabama, noon ET (11 a.m. CT) on FOX
Sept. 21: BYE WEEK
Sept. 28: at #11 USC, TBD
Oct. 5: vs. Purdue, TBD
Oct. 12: at Rutgers, TBD
Oct. 19: at Northwestern, TBD
Oct. 26: vs. #8 Penn State, TBD
Nov. 2: at Iowa, TBD
Nov. 9: BYE WEEK
Nov. 16: vs. #9 Oregon, TBD
Nov. 23: at #23 Nebraska, TBD
Nov. 30: vs. Minnesota, noon ET (11 a.m. CT) on CBS and Paramount+
#3 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (2-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: W, 52-6 vs. Akron
Sept. 7: W, 56-0 vs. Western Michigan
Sept. 14: BYE WEEK
Sept. 21: vs. Marshall, TBD
Sept. 28: at Michigan State, TBD
Oct. 5: vs. #21 Iowa, TBD
Oct. 12: at #7 Oregon, TBD
Oct. 19: BYE WEEK
Oct. 26: vs. #23 Nebraska, TBD
Nov. 2: at #8 Penn State
Nov. 9: vs. Purdue, TBD
Nov. 16: at Northwestern, TBD
Nov. 23: vs. Indiana, TBD
Nov. 30: vs. #17 Michigan, noon ET on FOX
WASHINGTON HUSKIES (2-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
- Penn State’s 2024 Whiteout game
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: W, 35-3 vs. Weber State
Sept. 7: W, 30-9 vs. Eastern Michigan
Sept. 14: vs. Washington State, 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT) on Peacock
Sept. 21: vs. Northwestern, TBD
Sept. 27: at Rutgers, 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on FOX
Oct. 5: vs. #17 Michigan, TBD
Oct. 12: at Iowa, TBD
Oct. 19: BYE WEEK
Oct. 26: at Indiana, TBD
Nov. 2: vs. #11 USC, TBD
Nov. 9: at #8 Penn State, TBD
Nov. 15: vs. UCLA, 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on FOX
Nov. 23: BYE WEEK
Nov. 30: at #9 Oregon
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (1-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: W, 49-0 vs. Indiana State
Sept. 7: BYE WEEK
Sept. 14: vs. #18 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+
Sept. 21: at Oregon State, 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on The CW Network
Sept. 28: vs. #23 Nebraska, noon ET
Oct. 5: at Wisconsin, TBD
Oct. 12: at Illinois, TBD
Oct. 18: vs. #9 Oregon, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Oct. 26: BYE WEEK
Nov. 2: vs. Northwestern, TBD
Nov. 9: at #3 Ohio State, TBD
Nov. 16: vs. #8 Penn State, TBD
Nov. 22: at Michigan State, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Nov. 30: at Indiana, TBD
MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (1-1, 0-0 BIG TEN)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 29: L, 19-17 vs. North Carolina
Sept. 7: W, 48-0 vs. Rhode Island
Sept. 14: vs. Nevada, 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on BTN
Sept. 21: vs. Iowa, TBD
Sept. 28: at #17 Michigan, TBD
Oct. 5: vs. #11 USC, TBD
Oct. 12: at UCLA, TBD
Oct. 19: BYE WEEK
Oct. 26: vs. Maryland, TBD
Nov. 2: at Illinois, TBD
Nov. 9: at Rutgers, TBD
Nov. 16: BYE WEEK
Nov. 23: vs. #8 Penn State, TBD
Nov. 29: at Wisconsin, noon ET (11 a.m. CT) on CBS and Paramount+
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten)
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Aug. 31: W, 50-7 vs. UConn
Sept. 7: L, 27-24 vs. Michigan State
Sept. 14: at Virginia, 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network
Sept. 21: vs. Villanova, TBD
Sept. 28: at Indiana, TBD
Oct. 5: BYE WEEK
Oct. 11: vs. Northwestern, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Oct. 19: vs. #11 USC, TBD
Oct. 26: at Minnesota, TBD
Nov. 2: BYE WEEK
Nov. 9: at #9 Oregon, TBD
Nov. 16: vs. Rutgers, TBD
Nov. 23: vs. Iowa, TBD
Nov. 30: at #8 Penn State, TBD
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