PITTSBURGH — Pitt and Penn State are expanding their football rivalry by two games, adding dates in 2018 and 2019 to those already scheduled for ‘16 and ‘17.
The series that began in 1893 will resume for the first time since 2000 on Sept. 10, 2016, at Heinz Field and switch to Beaver Stadium in University Park on Sept. 16, 2017.
The later games will be played Sept. 8, 2018, at Heinz and return to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 14, 2019.
“It would be hard to find a college football fan anywhere who is not excited about this announcement,” Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson said. “As one of the greatest rivalries in college football history, a further extension of the Pitt-Penn State series is special. I am very appreciative of (Penn State acting athletic director) Dave Joyner’s interest in getting this done and I have really enjoyed our conversations on this and other matters. This is a great day for the players, for the fans and for the entire state.”
The schools have met 96 times with Penn State owning a 42-50-4 edge. The game was played annually from 1900-1931 and 1935-1992, but it was suspended after Pitt’s 12-0 victory in 2000 as a by-product of Penn State’s move to the Big Ten and Pitt joining the Big East.
Pitt will become a member of the ACC next year and play only eight conference games, leaving four spots for non-league opponents.
Pederson said earlier this year that he has had preliminary discussions with West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck about resuming that series.
In the wake of West Virginia’s move from the Big East to the Big 12, the teams did not meet this year for the first time since 1942.
This article was written by Channel 11’s news exchange partners at TribLIVE.