If you're asking my advice, there are three groups of people in life I would not mess with. I wouldn't mess with anyone rumored to have connections to organized crime, just to be safe. I wouldn't mess with a mom who feels her child has been disrespected, overlooked or otherwise mistreated. That goes without saying.
And in light of Wednesday's developments, I wouldn't mess with the Big Ten office, specifically if I was a Big Ten coach looking to pester, neg, or otherwise force the league to give my team a favorable football schedule.
Over the summer, Penn State head coach James Franklin pointed out that his team has opened conference play on the road for seven straight seasons. He and AD Pat Kraft would speak with the folks in the league office and get it addressed, Franklin said. Except he said it much more bluntly.
“It stinks. I called conference office and said this is unacceptable," he said. This shouldn't happen at Penn State."
Fast forward to Wednesday. The Big Ten dropped its 2023 slate and Penn State begins conference play.... at Illinois.
Just in 👀#B1Gtoday pic.twitter.com/rusNs2NgiO
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 26, 2022
Its reminiscent of 2020 when Nebraska, the loudest and angriest of the 14 schools over the league's temporary decision to cancel that year's football season and even had a group of parents sue the conference, opened that belated season at Ohio State. "Okay," the Big Ten said, "y'all want to play football that bad? Enjoy Columbus."
One can imagine the Big Ten schedulemaker nodding and "uh-huh"-ing through that phone conversation with Franklin back in the summer, hanging up the phone, opening their "2023 FB sked" Google doc and immediately typing in "Penn State at Illinois" for the Week 16 slate.
Not only is the Illinois game Penn State's eight straight road B1G opener, its their 13th of the last 14. To Penn State's credit, it is 8-4 in the previous 12.
Penn State Big Ten Openers
2022 -- at Purdue (W, 35-31)
2021 -- at Wisconsin (W, 16-10)
2020 -- at Indiana (L, 36-35 OT)
2019 -- at Maryland (W, 59-0)
2018 -- at Illinois (W, 63-24)
2017 -- at Iowa (W, 21-19)
2016 -- at Michigan (L, 49-10)
2015 -- vs. Rutgers
2014 -- at Rutgers (W, 13-10)
2013 -- at Indiana (L, 44-24)
2012 -- at Illinois (W, 35-7)
2011 -- at Indiana (W, 16-10)
2010 -- at Iowa (L, 24-3)
"It is incredibly frustrating and disappointing Penn State will be starting our Big Ten football slate next year on the road for the eighth-straight season and for the 13th time in the last 14 years," AD Pat Kraft told FootballScoop in a statement. "When I arrived on campus, I shared with the conference staff my concerns and repeatedly referenced their failure to address this issue in the past. I have been in communication with Commissioner Warren and I am confident this issue will be addressed moving forward."
We've reached out to the Big Ten for comment and will update if we hear back.
In the meantime, Penn State fans should go ahead and prepare themselves now to open 2024 at USC or UCLA.
Update: Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren provided this statement to FootballScoop.
"The Big Ten Conference is collectively working to evolve and strengthen our football scheduling process. In alignment with our member institutions and media partners we are committed to fortifying our procedures to ensure equity for our programs, excitement for our fans, and the very best opportunities and exposure for our student-athletes."