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Michigan Football vs Penn State: A look at the all-time series

By Christopher Mangum

ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 24: Linebacker Ben Gedeon #42 of the Michigan Wolverines makes the stop on running back Miles Sanders #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first quarter of the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Penn State 49-10 (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 24: Linebacker Ben Gedeon #42 of the Michigan Wolverines makes the stop on running back Miles Sanders #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first quarter of the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Penn State 49-10 (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Michigan football is set to face Penn State this weekend, and all signs point to an absolute dogfight. Before kickoff, let’s look at the all-time history between these two major college football programs.

Head-to-head

Michigan football leads the series with Penn State for all-time right now. Here are how the two stack up head to head throughout history.

Record

Michigan owns the series over Penn State, 15-10.

Most recent game

The Wolverines won the most recent matchup against the Nittany Lions, 21-17. The game was played in State College and snapped a two-game losing streak in Beaver Stadium.

Last five

Penn State is 3-2 against Michigan in its last five outings. The Nittany Lions bested Michigan in 2017 (42-13), 2019 (28-20), and 2020 (27-17).

Coaching records

Jim Harbaugh’s first season at Michigan was in 2015, and since is 4-3 against Penn State. James Franklin took over at Penn State in 2014 and is 3-5 against Michigan.

Biggest wins

Penn State’s biggest win over Michigan football was in 2008 (46-17), and Michigan’s biggest series win was in 2016 (49-10). In the most recent full-season matchup in Ann Arbor, Michigan beat Penn State 42-7 (2018).

Win streaks

The current series win streak is held by Michigan (1). Penn State’s longest win streak over Michigan is four games (2008-’13), and Michigan’s is nine games (1997-’07).

The Wolverines and Nittany Lions’ first matchup was in 1993 — the year Penn State joined the Big Ten. Michigan football won the first game, but it was soon followed by a Penn State win in 1994. From 1994 to 1996 Penn State had Michigan’s number, but in 1997 that all changed.

For an entire decade, 1997-2007 (the Loyd Carr era), Michigan did not lose to Penn State once. Even in 2005 — a season that Penn State went 11-1 and won the Big Ten — a seemingly lesser Michigan squad upset Joe Paterno’s Lions in Ann Arbor.

Michigan is 7-6 all-time in Beaver Stadium, and 8-4 in the Big House.

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