Why Penn State won’t have a protected rival in 2024-25
Penn State football coach James Franklin and athletics director Patrick Kraft this week finally addressed why the Nittany Lions will not have a protected Big Ten rival beginning with the 2024 season.
Franklin and Kraft indicated that conference officials played a large role in Penn State’s not facing Michigan in 2024 and not meeting Ohio State in 2025. The Lions have played both teams in every season but four since they joined the Big Ten in 1993, including the last 10 years.
“The conference made decisions that we felt were going to put the conference in the best position to compete for national championships,” Franklin said Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days, “and give us the best chance to get multiple teams into the playoffs. You have to look at it that way.
“There’s going to be some give and take with any decisions you make,” he said. “There are going to be some things that are gained and some things that are lost. I think for the most part the benefits will outweigh those things.”
With USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten next year, Penn State will face the Trojans, Michigan State and Rutgers in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The Lions are the only conference team not to have a protected rival they will play every year.
“There was a lot of push and pull,” Kraft said Tuesday night in Indianapolis. “It’s more of a political thing. …We don’t get to dictate schedules.”
Kraft said he and others assumed that Penn State wouldn’t play Ohio State and Michigan in every season in the future. Many Lions fans expressed disappointment when the 2024-25 schedules were announced in June.
In 2024, Penn State will face USC, Ohio State, Michigan State, Nebraska and Northwestern at Beaver Stadium and Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin and Rutgers on the road.
In 2025, the Lions will meet Illinois, Minnesota, Rutgers and UCLA at home and will have games at Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State and USC.
Penn State will play every other conference team in 2024-25 when the Big Ten ditches its two-division format. Teams will play every other conference team at least twice — once home and once away — in a four-year period.
NIL update: Kraft said Penn State’s Name, Image and Likeness situation has been strengthened by the Lions Legacy and Success With Honor collectives merging to become Happy Valley United.
He disputed Franklin’s statement during a podcast last month with former Lions tight end Adam Breneman that Penn State was two years behind when it came to NIL.
“The collectives coming together was a real important piece,” Kraft said. “We’re in a much better spot than we were. I think we’re behind, but we’re making up ground fast.”
Franklin echoed Kraft’s comments on Wednesday.
“Through Pat’s leadership, we’re continuing to close that gap and make really good progress,” Franklin said. “I’m encouraged by the direction we’re going, but there’s still work to be done.”
Fashanu recognized: Penn
State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu was named one of the five Big Ten East preseason honorees Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days.
Fashanu, a 6-6, 319-pound redshirt junior, was joined by Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Michigan running back Blake Corum.
Fashanu burst onto the scene last season, his first as a starter, and emerged as a potential first-round NFL draft pick. He was voted to
the All-Big Ten second team last year and has been named to several preseason All-America first teams.
Fashanu was joined in Indianapolis by two Penn State teammates, defensive end Adisa Isaac and safety Keaton Ellis.
The five Big Ten West honorees were Minnesota tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota defensive back Tyler Nubin, Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton, Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean and Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen.