Ohio State vs. Penn State Football History: Records, H2H stats and more

Ohio State vs. Penn State sits among the top rivalries in the Big Ten and throughout college football. It is one of the rivalries that has witnessed a revival over the past 30 years or so. The first game in the series was played on November 16, 1912. However, the two teams only met seven times more until 1993.

Since 1993, the series has been played annually as a Big Ten East Division rivalry game. The next game in the series comes up on Saturday, October 21. Heading into the game, both Ohio State and Penn State are on a six-game unbeaten run this season, including three wins in Big Ten play. Below is a short sketch of the historical rivalry between the teams:

Ohio State vs. Penn State head-to-head

The Buckeyes lead the Ohio State vs. Penn State series with a 23-14 record. The Buckeyes lost their first-ever meeting with Penn State in 1912, 37-0. One of the unique things about the series is how the two teams share the biggest victories in its history. Penn State beat Ohio State 63-14 in 1993, and Ohio State beat Penn State by the same score in 2013.

Penn State’s longest winning streak in the series is four games between 1912 and 1964. Ohio State has a longer streak, having won all of their last six meetings since 2017. The Buckeyes won the rivalry in 2022 by a 44-31 score.

Ohio State vs. Penn State rivalry history

The Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions only had eight meetings prior to the Nittany Lions joining the Big Ten in 1993. The two teams met as conference opponents for the first time in 1993 and quickly became rivals over the next six matchups. This was largely due to their consistent ranking in the Top 25, with at least one of them being in the Top 5.

As the years rolled by, the rivalry became more tense and was beginning to be seen as one of the top rivalries in college football. The rivalry has been made more exciting by a couple of memorable games that have been played in the series. Examples include the 2016 game when the Buckeyes returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown.

Also in 2017 and 2018, the Buckeyes left it late and won with fourth-quarter comebacks. Without a doubt, the upcoming game between the two sides promises to be exciting. Both teams are in good form and ranked in the Top 10, with Ohio State at No. 3 and Penn State at No. 7.