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Michigan vs. Penn State

Michigan and Penn State have 28 meetings on file, the first in 1993; Michigan leads the series 18–⁠10 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Michigan 7–⁠3, and Michigan has won the last 4.

Scheduled 2027 at Penn State. As the programs’ Wikipedia articles list them (CC BY-SA).

Michigan wins
18
Penn State wins
10
Ties
0
Earliest on file
1993
Longest streak
9 Michigan
Current streak
4 Michigan
Last 10 meetings
Michigan 7–⁠3
Most recent
2026

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1990s4–⁠3
2000s6–⁠2
2010s4–⁠4
2020s4–⁠1
Both ranked
14 meetings: Michigan 9, Penn State 5; 4 both in the top 10
Average margin
14.2 points; 12 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Michigan
10–⁠4 Michigan’s record at home
At Penn State
6–⁠8 Penn State’s record at home
Shutouts
2

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Michigan’s biggest win2016: Michigan 49, Penn State 10by 39 points
  2. Penn State’s biggest win2017: Penn State 42, Michigan 13by 29 points
  3. Ranked showdown1997: Michigan 34, Penn State 8No. 4 Michigan at No. 2 Penn State
  4. Ranked showdown1994: Penn State 31, Michigan 24No. 3 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan
  5. Ranked showdown2023: Michigan 24, Penn State 15No. 2 Michigan at No. 9 Penn State
  6. Ranked showdown2022: Michigan 41, Penn State 17No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan

Coach against coach

YearsMichiganSeriesPenn State
1995–⁠2007Lloyd Carr9–⁠2Joe Paterno
2008–⁠2010Rich Rodriguez0–⁠3Joe Paterno
2015–⁠2022Jim Harbaugh5–⁠3James Franklin

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Michigan’s side (Carr 9–⁠2 against Paterno). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Michigan and Penn State, 1993 on13001500170019001995200020052010201520202025

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

On television

ESPN’s College GameDay has broadcast from this game three times: 2019, 2017, 1994.

College GameDay’s sites from Wikipedia’s list of its locations (CC BY-SA).

Photos

From the rivalry’s and its games’ categories on Wikimedia Commons (free licenses only, each credited).

Every game

Oct 17, 2026Michigan 21, Penn State 18at Michigan
Nov 11, 20232Michigan 24, 9Penn State 15at Penn State
Oct 15, 20225Michigan 41, 10Penn State 17at Michigan
Nov 13, 20219Michigan 21, 23Penn State 17at Penn State
Nov 28, 2020Penn State 27, Michigan 17at Michigan
Oct 19, 20197Penn State 28, 16Michigan 21at Penn State
Nov 3, 20185Michigan 42, 14Penn State 7at Michigan
Oct 21, 20172Penn State 42, 19Michigan 13at Penn State
Sep 24, 20164Michigan 49, Penn State 10at Michigan
Nov 21, 201514Michigan 28, Penn State 16at Penn State
Oct 11, 2014Michigan 18, Penn State 13at Michigan
Oct 12, 2013Penn State 43, 18Michigan 40at Penn State
Oct 30, 2010Penn State 41, Michigan 31at Penn State
Oct 24, 200913Penn State 35, Michigan 10at Michigan
Oct 18, 20083Penn State 46, Michigan 17at Penn State
Sep 22, 2007Michigan 14, 10Penn State 9at Michigan
Oct 14, 20064Michigan 17, Penn State 10at Penn State
Oct 15, 2005Michigan 27, 8Penn State 25at Michigan
Oct 12, 200213Michigan 27, 15Penn State 24at Michigan
Oct 6, 200115Michigan 20, Penn State 0at Penn State
Nov 11, 200020Michigan 33, Penn State 11at Michigan
Nov 13, 199916Michigan 31, 6Penn State 27at Penn State
Nov 7, 199822Michigan 27, 9Penn State 0at Michigan
Nov 8, 19974Michigan 34, 2Penn State 8at Penn State
Nov 16, 199611Penn State 29, 16Michigan 17at Michigan
Nov 18, 199519Penn State 27, 12Michigan 17at Penn State
Oct 15, 19943Penn State 31, 5Michigan 24at Michigan
Oct 16, 199318Michigan 21, 7Penn State 13at Penn State

Every game is listed as played on the field.