Michigan vs Penn State has turned into a bit of a rivalry. Both teams play similar styles of football and have been near the top of the Big Ten on a consistent basis in recent years.
James Franklin and Jim Harbaugh certainly did not like each other and weren't afraid to say it. Michigan has had the upper hand in this rivalry but winning the games has not always been easy. From throwing peanut butter and jelly's in the tunnel, to last-second touchdowns, this series has seen a lot. Let's take a look at the numbers and one unforgettable Michigan victory.
All-time series record: Michigan leads 17-10
Most recent meeting: Michigan won 24-15 in 2023
First meeting: Michigan won 21-13 in 1993
Largest margin of victory: Michigan 49-10 in 2016, Penn State 29 point victories in 2008 and 2017.
Favorite game from the series: Michigan 27 Penn State 25 in 2005
The 2005 Michigan vs Penn State game is a top-3 favorite football game of my life. It is one of those games that I can remember exactly where I was as a 13-year-old watching the game.
Penn State came in undefeated and ranked No. 8 in the country. Michigan was 3-3 and unranked. The game started as a defensive stalemate, with the score 3-0 in favor of Michigan at halftime.
However, the second half brought us points and fireworks. With the score tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter, Chad Henne took off out of the pocket, only to get stripped by Alan Zemitis who took it back for a touchdown. Thanks to a great return by Steve Breaston, Michigan took over with great field position. Henne dropped a dime to Manningham for the touchdown, and Michael Hart punched in the two-point conversion to tie the game back up. A touchdown with less than a minute to go gave Penn State the lead by four. Another great return by Breaston set up Michigan at the 50-yard line for what will always be remembered as one of the greatest moments in the history of The Big House.
Henne hit Manningham with one second on the clock to give Michigan the win. "TOUCHDOWN MANNINGHAM, MICHIGAN WINS", is a call you just never forget. Some notable performances on the day were Chad Henne throwing for 212 yards and two touchdowns, Michael Hart running for 108 yards with a touchdown, Jason Avant with eight catches for 74 yards, Leon Hall with one interception, and Prescott Burgess with eight tackles and a forced fumble
Michigan and Penn State will not play in 2025 but do have matchups set for 2026 and 2027. The 2026 game will be played in Ann Arbor. Penn State will be coming into this year with lofty expectations as they will have quite a few key contributors returning to the team.
Most notably, Drew Allar, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are all coming back. Michigan has won three straight in this series and seven out of the last 10, but a game vs the Nittany Lions will always be a tough one to win. This is a helmet game matchup, and the product on the field usually lives up to that tradition. Is there another Super Mario moment on the horizon? We will see. Go Blue!