Penn State to play Auburn in 2021-22

The Penn State non-conference football schedule just received a major boost — and in a most unexpected way.

The Nittany Lions and Auburn Tigers have announced a home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022, the first time the teams will play during the regular season. The Tigers will visit Beaver Stadium on Sept. 18, 2021, and the Lions will travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 17, 2022.

The teams have met twice before in bowl games, with Penn State posting a 43-14 win during a rainstorm in the 1996 Outback Bowl and Auburn earning a 13-9 victory in the 2003 Capital One Bowl.

“We are thrilled to be adding Auburn to our future football schedules,” Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour said in a prepared statement. “This is a great intersectional match-up and there will be significant interest from alumni, fans and students of both schools to be a part of the electric atmospheres on both campuses.”

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Barbour also announced Penn State will host Buffalo on Sept. 7, 2019 and Ball State on Sept. 11, 2021. The Nittany Lions and Bulls will be meeting for the fourth time, while the Lions and Ball State will be playing for the first time. Penn State's football schedules are complete through the 2019 season.

Auburn is the most recent addition but not the only intriguing non-conference opponent over the next decade.

Penn State begins a four-game series with Pitt this year, with the first game on Sept. 10 at Heinz Field. The Nittany Lions will host the Panthers in 2017 and 2019.

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The Lions also will meet Virginia Tech for the first time in 2020 (away) and in 2025 (home) and will play West Virginia in 2023 and 2024.

Penn State is 23-22-0 all-time against current Southeastern Conference schools, having played every SEC team except Arkansas, Mississippi and Mississippi State.