Dan Lanning and the Ducks did it. They clinched the No. 1 ranking, they defeated Washington, and they finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 overall record. Up next, Oregon has to face the Penn State Nittany Lions, a team that the Ducks did not see in the regular season and have played very few times in the past.
In fact, the Ducks and the Nittany Lions have only shared a football field four times throughout their histories. Here is everything you need to know about Oregon and Penn State's brief history:
Oregon vs. Penn State history:
- Record vs. Penn State: 1-3
- First matchup: Dec. 17, 1960 – Penn State, 41-12
- Most recent matchup: Jan. 2, 1995 – Penn State, 38-20
- Largest margin of victory: 29 points (Dec. 17, 1960)
- Smallest margin of victory: 8 points (Oregon, 22-14, Dec. 3, 1964)
Date | Score | Winner | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 17, 1960 | 41-12 | Penn State | Liberty Bowl |
Sept. 21, 1963 | 17-7 | Penn State | Eugene, OR |
Oct. 3, 1964 | 22-14 | Oregon | University Park, PA |
Jan. 2, 1995 | 38-20 | Penn State | Rose Bowl |
Penn State had a highly impressive regular season. The Nittany Lions had just one loss, a 20-13 defeat at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, and have played in the Big Ten Championship game just once before – a 38-31 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers.
Oregon, who is brand new to the conference, has obviously never played in the Big Ten Championship game before. However, since joining the conference ahead of the 2024-25 season, the Ducks did clinch their first-ever Big Ten title in women's cross country earlier this year.
The No. 1 Oregon Ducks and the No. 4 (as of Dec. 2, 2024) Penn State Nittany Lions are scheduled to kick off on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. PT on CBS.