The Surprising Truth Behind Penn State’s College GameDay Hosting Streak Revealed!

College GameDay is heading back to Penn State’s turf this Saturday, setting the stage for a fiery showdown between the Nittany Lions and No. 5 Oregon. This marks the 12th time ESPN’s iconic college football pregame show rolls into State College — a milestone that’s as thrilling as it is a bit of a jinx for the home team. You see, the Nittany Lions have struggled to find consistent success on GameDay weekends, sitting at 5-6 overall and a dismal 1-5 against top-five AP-ranked opponents. The bright lights and swirling cameras offer excitement, sure — but also pressure that often weighs heavily on Penn State’s performance. As kickoff approaches, all eyes will be on whether the Lions can rewrite the script and turn this longstanding trend on its head. Let’s dive into the history behind some of those memorable GameDay moments at Penn State, where triumphs and heartbreaks alike have shaped the narrative. LEARN MORE

College GameDay, ESPN’s college football pregame show, will return to Penn State’s campus this Saturday ahead of the Nittany Lions‘ clash with No. 5 Oregon. It’s the 12th time GameDay has been held in State College, though the added media attention hasn’t exactly been a good luck charm for Penn State.

The Nittany Lions are 5-6 when GameDay has come into town and 1-5 against teams ranked in the top five of the AP poll. Penn State will hope to reverse that trend when it hosts the Ducks this weekend. Here’s a look at the previous times the Nittany Lions have hosted GameDay.

1997: No. 4 Michigan 34, No. 2 Penn State 8

Michigan safety Marcus Ray pulls in an interception as he gets hit by Penn State's Joe Nastasi on Nov. 8, 1997, in State College, Pennsylvania.

Penn State ran into a buzzsaw during its first time hosting College GameDay, as No. 4 Michigan dominated the No. 2 Nittany Lions 34-8. The Wolverines’ defense, led by Heisman winner Charles Woodson, held Penn State to just 169 total yards. Michigan went on to finish 12-0 and win the national championship, while Penn State would go 9-3 and lose in the Citrus Bowl against Florida.

1999: No. 3 Penn State 41, No. 4 Arizona 7

Aug 28, 1999; University Park, PA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Larry Johnson (5) in action against the Arizona Wildcats during the Pigskin Classic at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions defeated the Wildcats 41-7. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Network

The 1999 season opener was supposed to be a classic between two top teams, but it proved to be a 41-7 statement win for Penn State. Wide receiver Chafie Fields and running back Larry Johnson scored long touchdowns to open things up, while the defense, led by All-Americans Courtney Brown, LaVar Arrington and Brandon Short, shut down Arizona’s offense for almost the entire game. Click here for more on this game and what followed in the 1999 season.

2005: No. 16 Penn State 17, No. 6 Ohio State 10

Oct. 8, 2005: No. 16 Penn State beat No. 6 Ohio State, 17-10. Here, QB Michael Robinson runs around the Ohio State defense during first quarter action.

The 2005 season brought a classic rivalry game between Penn State and Ohio State under the lights, and it was the Nittany Lions pulling the top-10 upset. It was a tight defensive battle that saw Penn State win despite putting up only 195 total yards. It was the defense that won the day by forcing three Buckeyes turnovers, including a strip sack by Tamba Hali that sealed the game. Click here for more on Penn State’s 2005 season.

2007: No. 1 Ohio State 37, No. 25 Penn State 17

Oct 27, 2007; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Daryll Clark (17) gets hit as he throws by Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Vernon Gholston (50) in the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. The Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions 37-17. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Two years later, Ohio State got its revenge on Penn State in the 2007 season with a 37-17 win. The Buckeyes offense, led by future first-round pick Beanie Wells, piled up 453 total yards and ran away with the game in the second half. Meanwhile, Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli just couldn’t keep up with Ohio State’s Todd Boeckman. The Buckeyes would go on to lose in the national championship game that year, while Penn State finished 9-4 and won the Alamo Bowl against Texas A&M.

2009: Iowa 21, No. 4 Penn State 10

Sep 26, 2009; State College, PA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end Adrian Clayborn (94) blocks a punt by Penn State Nittany Lions punter Jeremy Boone (41) during the second half at Beaver Stadium. The Hawkeyes beat the Nittany Lions 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Penn State was a healthy favorite against unranked Iowa in 2009, but the Hawkeyes scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win a sloppy 21-10 game. The game saw a combined six turnovers, including Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark’s three second half interceptions, leading to a 10-5 lead quickly being erased. Penn State would bounce back and finish the season 11-2 with a win over LSU in the Capital One Bowl.

2017: No. 2 Penn State 42, No. 19 Michigan 13

Oct 21, 2017; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball as Michigan Wolverines linebacker Noah Furbush (59) defends during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

A happy memory for the younger Penn State fans, Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley ran all over Michigan in the 2017 White Out game. The Wolverine defense was touted as one of the nation’s best at the time, but the Nittany Lions tore through them with over 500 total yards in a big win, highlighted by Barkley’s 69-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game. The win brought Penn State to 7-0, but the season would ultimately end in disappointment, as the Nittany Lions lost their next two games and would finish out of the playoff picture.

2018: No. 4 Ohio State 27, No. 9 Penn State 26

Sep 29, 2018; University Park, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver K.J. Hill (14) crosses the goal line to score the go ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

This one stung for Penn State fans, who watched their team blow a 26-14 lead in the fourth quarter and ultimately lose 27-26. Trace McSorley had one the best games of his career with 286 yards passing and 175 yards rushing, but the Nittany Lions were doomed by a clutch fourth quarter from Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and questionable playcalling offensively, like the fourth-and-5 draw play on their final possession. Penn State ultimately tumbled to a 9-4 season that ended with a Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky.

2019: No. 7 Penn State 28, No. 16 Michigan 21

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - OCTOBER 19: Donovan Peoples-Jones #9 of the Michigan Wolverines is spun around by Chris Stoll #91 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during a punt return in the second quarter on October 19, 2019 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

This game is remembered for the very first play, where Penn State’s White Out crowd forced a Michigan timeout due to how loud they were. The Nittany Lions rode that home atmosphere to a 28-21 win, led by three touchdown passes by Sean Clifford, two of which went to KJ Hamler. Fittingly, the game ended with a late stand by Penn State’s defense, stuffing Michigan on a goal-to-go situation from the 7-yard line. The Nittany Lions moved to 7-0 with the win, but losses to Minnesota and Ohio State once again kept them out of the playoffs.

2020: No. 3 Ohio State 38, No. 18 Penn State 25

Oct 31, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) makes a catch as Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (9) attempts a tackle during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

The 2020 COVID-shortened season is one Penn State fans would like to forget, including this loss to Ohio State. Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields torched the Nittany Lions for 318 yards and four touchdowns. Jahan Dotson had one of his best career games with 144 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough for Penn State to hang with the eventual CFP runner-up. The Nittany Lions went on to have an 0-4 start to the season, their worst since 2001, though they would rally to finish the year 4-5.

2021: No. 10 Penn State 28, No. 22 Auburn 20

Sep 18, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Tank Bigsby (4) runs with the ball as Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (9) tries the rip the ball away during the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Auburn 28-20. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

The 2021 White Out game saw Penn State take on Auburn in a SEC vs. Big Ten battle under the lights. Sean Clifford put together a strong performance, making up for a lackluster running game. On the other side, quarterback Bo Nix was kept in check, but it was Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter that kept the Tigers in it. Like the 2019 Michigan game, Penn State’s defense held on for dear life in the final minutes, stuffing Auburn on two drives deep in Penn State territory to get the 28-20 win.

2024: No. 4 Ohio State 20, No. 3 Penn State 13

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) keeps the ball in the first half of an NCAA football game against Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in State College, Pa.

The last time College GameDay came to University Park, Penn State suffered its eighth straight loss to Ohio State. This game was defined by the Nittany Lions’ offensive struggles in the red zone. Penn State settled for a short field goal, threw an interception in the end zone at the end of the first half and then got shut down on four consecutive plays from the Ohio State 3-yard line.