Penn State to Face Northwestern Under the Friday Night Lights at New Ryan Field
Circle Oct. 2 on your calendar-Penn State is headed to Evanston for a Friday night showdown against Northwestern, and this one’s got some history baked in.
The matchup, now slated for a Friday instead of the originally announced Saturday date, will be the first game played at the newly rebuilt Ryan Field. And it’s not just any debut-it’ll mark the 100th anniversary of the original stadium’s opening back in 1926. So yes, there’s going to be plenty of pageantry to go along with the football.
For Penn State, the return to Northwestern carries a bit of emotional weight, too. The last time these two teams met was in 2025, and it was a heartbreaker for the Nittany Lions.
Northwestern edged out a 22-21 win on October 11, a loss that turned out to be the final game of the James Franklin era. Franklin was dismissed the following day, closing a significant chapter in Penn State’s program history.
This time around, Penn State will be looking to start a new chapter-and maybe get a little payback in the process.
Before that trip to Evanston, the Nittany Lions will kick off their 2026 campaign at home on Sept. 5 against Marshall. Big Ten play begins a few weeks later on Sept. 26 with a home matchup against Wisconsin inside Beaver Stadium.
That’s a venue undergoing a massive facelift-part of a renovation project with a price tag that could hit $700 million. The overhaul is expected to be completed ahead of the 2027 season, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most ambitious stadium upgrades in college football.
As for the Friday night lights at Ryan Field? The kickoff time is still TBD, but expect a charged atmosphere. A brand-new stadium, a century of history, and two Big Ten programs with something to prove-it’s the kind of game that could set the tone for both teams’ seasons.