3 most likely teams Penn State could spark a Big Ten rivalry with

When it comes to rivalries in the final week of college football, Penn State hangs in the back of the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions take that week to finish out the regular season without any real fire heading into the game unless there are postseason implications.

In 2026, the Nittany Lions have Maryland, who they faced in the last weekend of 2024 as well, scheduled for the finale. Last year, Penn State played Rutgers in Week 14. Now, the blue and white don't necessarily need a designated rival in the Big Ten to draw in attention. Games against some of the top teams in the conference always bring out the best whether the two are "rivals" or not.

However, it is interesting to see how certain matchups could spark into a Big Ten rivalry moving forward. Here are the three teams Penn State could start an in-conference rivalry with in the near future.

3.) Michigan State

The Nittany Lions and Spartans already have some history as part-time rivals, so to speak. Whenever the two teams are scheduled in the regular season, they play for the Land Grant Trophy.

The trophy was created in 1993 by former Penn State coach Joe Paterno and former Michigan State coach George Perles. It started a unique tradition between the two programs whose schools are pioneer land-grant universities that were both founded in 1855.

The Nittany Lions hold a 20-18-1 record against the Spartans in their matchups since playing for the trophy. The blue and white also hold a 19-0 record since joining the Big Ten, and their most recent win was in 2025 with interim head coach Terry Smith rallying the troops at the end of the season.

Since Penn State is so dominant in this Land Grant Trophy history, it's not necessarily the most exciting rivalry. Considering the winner hoists a trophy at the end of the game, though, it's not necessarily the worst matchup the Nittany Lions could end their regular seasons with.

2.) Nebraska

Penn State and Nebraska is an interesting matchup for a few reasons, and they all have to do with the 2025 season and beyond.

When associate head coach/cornerbacks coach Terry Smith took over as interim in the 2025 season, Week 13 against the Cornhuskers was the game that made players and fans rally behind Smith being named the next head coach. While that didn't happen, that win meant something and it meant something for the future of the program.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule was also a top candidate at one point to take over former head coach James Franklin's job before he signed an extension with the Cornhuskers. Since everything has unfolded, Nebraska remains competition for the Nittany Lions whether it's on or off the field.

It's never too late to spark a rivalry, and with a new era of Penn State football, the Cornhuskers could be the perfect team to kick one off with.

1.) Ohio State

Now, Ohio State has its rivalry with Michigan, but the Nittany Lions don't need a designated Week 14 matchup to determine who their biggest in-conference foe is.

The Buckeyes holds a 25-8 record over Penn State in the all-time series. While the Nittany Lions aren't holding up well in terms of final scores, that doesn't mean the games aren't close when these two teams meet.

In fact, "Block Six" in 2016 could've ignited an in-conference rivalry between the two. If Penn State can muster up some wins versus Ohio State in the near future, these two teams can spark a serious rivalry littered with playoff implications.

Michigan State has the past, Nebraska has the future, and Ohio State has somewhat of a combination of both.

Today's best reads

• Eli Drinkwitz blames an easy route for the Big Ten's success, but Penn State should stay quiet
• Tikey Hayes is suddenly the latest twist in the growing Matt Rhule-Matt Campbell rivalry
• 5 greatest Penn State walk-ons who made a name in Beaver Stadium
• Rocco Becht deserves the hype, but don’t let these Penn State transfers fly under the radar
• Pitt is itching to reignite the in-state rivalry, but Penn State is better off leaving it behind

This article was originally published on victorybellrings.com as 3 most likely teams Penn State could spark a Big Ten rivalry with.