Ohio St., Penn St. get Big Ten advance schedules

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Ohio State opens the 2013 season against Vanderbilt and skips Minnesota each of the next four years under the Big Ten’s new divisional setup, according to schedules released on Wednesday by the Big Ten office.

The non-conference game with Vanderbilt had not previously been announced by Ohio State. Neither had the 2014 Big Ten schedule.

The Buckeyes still have openings for two non-conference games in 2013, to go with the Aug. 31 game against Vanderbilt at Ohio Stadium and Sept. 14 at California.

The Buckeyes do not play Iowa, Northwestern and Minnesota in 2011-12, then do not play Minnesota in addition to Nebraska and Michigan State in 2013-14.

The rivalry game with Michigan is last on the schedule each year, the week preceding the new Big Ten championship game.

Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.

Penn State’s schedules for 2013 and 2014 are highlighted by the return of Michigan and Minnesota.

The Wolverines and Golden Gophers aren’t playing Penn State the next two seasons after the Big Ten had to reconfigure its schedule to accommodate the addition of Nebraska to the league later this year.

Teams will still play eight conference games. Iowa and Northwestern drop off the schedule in 2013-14.

In the Big Ten’s new configuration, Penn State will play in the Leaders Division. Coach Joe Paterno’s crew will face Wisconsin in its regular-season finale over the next four seasons.

The Nittany Lions also get an annual rivalry game with Nebraska from the Legends Division, but will also miss a Legends Division team four straight years. Starting in 2011, Michigan State drops off the schedule through 2014.

Big Ten teams will have two scheduled bye weeks in 2013-14. That is due to how the season fits into the calendar each of those years, and won’t necessarily be a regular occurrence.