Penn State’s all-time results in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Penn State may not be known as a basketball school, but the Nittany Lions are one of the few Big Ten teams to own an all-time winning record in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Penn State has even scored a few upsets along the way to help the Big Ten claim victory over their counterparts from the ACC.
Every season since 1999, the ACC and Big Ten have arranged a full conference vs. conference scheduling agreement in basketball, and it has been among the highlights of the sport’s nonconference schedule. Conference bragging rights have gone back and forth with a good run by the ACC and more recent success experienced by the Big Ten.
It hasn’t always been pretty for Penn State basketball, of course. But here is a look at every game Penn State has played in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, which comes to a close in 2022, at least for now.
1999: Clemson 85, Penn State 75
Penn State scored a victory in the inaugural ACC/Big Ten Challenge with a win over Clemson in the Bryce Jordan Center. But the ACC took the overall series by a margin of 5-4 after Florida State won at Northwestern in the final game of the series to decide the outcome.
Penn State Record: 1-0
2000: NC State 84, Penn State 76
Penn State came up short against their ACC counterpart in the second year of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, this time losing in Raleigh to NC State. As this was the final game on the schedule, Penn State’s loss was the deciding game to give the ACC another series victory, 5-4.
Penn State record: 1-1
2001: Clemson 79, Penn State 66
Two years after losing to Penn State on the road, Clemson got its revenge in the Bryce Jordan Center. Clemson’s victory on the road clinched the series victory for the ACC. After jumping out to a 5-1 record, the ACC finished 5-3.
Penn State record: 1-2
2002: Clemson 79, Penn State 70
Penn State and Clemson met for the third time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but this time the Tigers got to play host. And in front of their home crowd, Clemson once again celebrated a victory over the Nittany Lions to give the ACC a 3-0 start in the series. The ACC won once again, 5-4.
Penn State record: 1-3
2005: Clemson 96, Penn State 88
After sitting out of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the 2003 and 2004 seasons due to the uneven numbers in membership, Penn State returned to participate in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in 2005, and it once again was paired with Clemson. Getting the home court didn’t change the result, however, as Clemson won a high-scoring affair in the Bryce Jordan Center. Clemson’s win helped the ACC to a 6-5 victory in the series to keep its winning streak alive.
Penn State record: 1-4
2006: Georgia Tech 77, Penn State 73
Penn State hung tough with the top 25 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 2006 ACC/Big Ten Challenge down in Atlanta but ultimately suffered another defeat in the series. And the ACC once again claimed victory overall with a 8-3 margin against the Big Ten.
Penn State record: 1-5
2007: Penn State 66, Virginia Tech 61
Penn State claimed a victory in the final game of the 2007 ACC/Big Ten Challenge with a home win against Virginia Tech, but the ACC still claimed yet another series victory, 8-3.
Penn State record: 2-5
2008: Penn State 85, Georgia Tech 83
Penn State made a return trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech in 2008, only this time they returned home with a victory. Penn State did its part to help the Big Ten, but it was the ACC celebrating another year of bragging rights, 6-5.
Penn State record: 3-5
2009: Penn State 69, Virginia 66
Penn State helped to set the tone for the Big Ten’s first series victory in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with a road win at Virginia. It was Penn State’s third straight win in the challenge and the Big Ten edged the ACC 6-5.
Penn State record: 4-5
2010: Maryland 62, Penn State 39
Wow, we don’t need to talk about this one too much. Penn State was drubbed at home by Maryland, a few years prior to the Terps moving to the Big Ten. The Big Ten still claimed victory overall, but this one was rough.
Penn State record: 4-6
2011: Penn State 62, Boston College 54
Penn State bounced bck in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in 2011 with a road victory at Boston College. The win gave the Big Ten a 6-2 advantage in the series to push the conference within a win of claiming victory. The Big Ten finished 8-4.
Penn State record: 5-6
2012: Boston College 73, Penn State 61
The Eagles got revenge the following season with a victory in the Bryce Jordan Center over the Nittany Lions. This loss dropped the Big Ten to a narrow 6-5 lead, and a Duke victory over Ohio State evened the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at 6-6 for the year.
Penn State record: 5-7
2013: Pitt 78, Penn State 69
For the first time, Penn State and Pitt faced each other in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but it was the Panthers celebrated a victory in western PA this time around. Penn State’s loss dropped the Big Ten to 0-3 to start the series, and the ACC would take a 4-0 lead before the Big Ten stormed back to force a draw at six wins each.
Penn State record: 5-8
2014: Penn State 61, Virginia Tech 58
Penn State was once again paired up with Virginia Tech in the 2014 edition of the challenge, and the Nittany Lions took a tight one at home in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Big Ten took this year’s challenge by a mark of 8-6.
Penn State record: 6-8
2015: Penn State 67, Boston College 58
Penn State made another road trip up to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College in the 2015 ACC/Big Ten Challenge and returned home with the clinching win for the Big Ten. The Big Ten took an 8-6 record against the ACC in 2015, with Penn State’s being the seventh.
Penn State record: 7-8
2016: Penn State 67, Georgia Tech 60
Penn State hosted Georgia Tech in 2016 and sent the Yellow Jackets home with a loss. Penn State’s win evened the series at 2-2 but the ACC would make a run for a 9-6 victory against the Big Ten. But Penn State did its part.
Penn State record: 8-8
2017: NC State 85, Penn State 78
Penn State couldn’t keep pace with the Wolfpack on the road in 2017. But the rest of the Big Ten didn’t fare too much better either. The ACC dominated the Big Ten in 2017 with a lopsided 11-3 advantage to brag about.
Penn State record: 8-9
2018: Penn State 63, Virginia Tech 62
Penn State scored a big upset victory over the No. 13 Virginia Tech Hokies in 2018, and it was needed for the Big Ten. The ACC and Big Ten tied the 2018 edition of the challenge, but Penn State’s upset of the Hokies helped make up for Louisville dropping No. 9 Michigan State on the same night.
Penn State record: 9-9
2019: Penn State 76, Wake Forest 54
Penn State won going away against visiting Wake Forest in 2019, and once again it was a crucial win for the Big Ten. With the series tied 6-6, Penn State gave the Big Ten a one-game lead with just one final game to be played, which went the Big Ten’s way with Ohio State blowing out North Carolina.
Penn State record: 10-9
2020: Penn State 75, Virginia Tech 55
For the second time in three years, Penn State pulled the upset of a ranked Virginia Tech squad. This time they did so on the road in Blacksburg. Penn State’s big win helped the Big Ten jump out to a big 6-1 lead in the series but the Big Ten had to scramble for a 7-5 win in the challenge.
Penn State record: 11-9
2011: Miami 63, Penn State 58
Penn State had a tough time against Miami in the Bryce Jordan Center a year ago. The loss by the Nittany Lions forced the Big Ten to have to win the final game on the schedule before claiming victory in the challenge, which they did with Wisconsin’s road win at Georgia Tech.
Penn State record: 11-10
