Could West Virginia be ideal Big Ten addition for Penn State Football?
By Evan Smith
West Virginia could be on the verge of joining the Big Ten, which would have major implications for Penn State Football, and the Nittany Lions
Conference realignment rumors are running wild, and there’s a chance Iowa State could join Penn State in the Big Ten as part of the fallout
With rumors of Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC, speculation is swirling that the Big Ten Conference could pick from the Big 12 carcass, and one name could change the landscape of the Big Ten Conference basketball for Penn State Basketball and the rest of the conference.
One rumor is that West Virginia (along with the Kansas Jayhawks and potentially Iowa State would join the Big Ten, which geographically makes sense.
The Mountaineers are certainly no strangers to the Nittany Lions as they were frequent football opponents during the Joe Paterno (pre-Big 10 Conference era).
Here’s a look at how West Virginia’s hypothetical jump to the Big Ten would impact Penn State Football, basketball, more
Football
The “Take Me Home Country Road” Mountaineers have a long, successful history on the gridiron.
While never claiming a National Championship, West Virignia cleaned up the Big East (winning seven conference championships) before moving to the more difficult Big 12.
West Virginia and Penn State Football met every year from 1947 and 1992. The Nittany Lions had an amazing 25 game win streak spanning from 1959 to 1983, and despite the close proximity, PSU holding a 48-9-2 record has made this a bit of a one sided rivalry.
Still, both teams have a strong fan base and would definitely travel to one another’s stadiums. Unlike potential additions of the Jayhawks (Kansas) and Cyclones (Iowa State), WVU could provide football fans with a nice short road trip opportunity as the Mountaineers would likely be placed in the Big Ten East conference.