Penn State’s most recent high-profile loss in football was to Ohio State , 38–14, during the 2025 season.

Clarifying the question

The phrase “who did Penn State lose to” is a bit vague because:

  • Penn State has multiple sports (football, basketball, etc.).
  • Each team has several losses over a season.
  • Different recent seasons (2024–2026) include several notable defeats.

If your question is about:

  • Football, 2025 season : The standout loss is to No. 1 Ohio State, 38–14, part of a five-game losing streak.
  • Men’s basketball, early 2026 : The team opened 2026 with consecutive losses to Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, UCLA, and Maryland.

Recent notable losses by sport

Football (recent seasons)

  • Lost 38–14 to No. 1 Ohio State in November 2025, extending a losing streak to five games.
  • The loss to Ohio State followed a season already trending downwards, with fans and media framing it as part of a broader slump.

Men’s basketball (start of 2026)

Penn State men’s basketball started 2026 with a rough stretch, dropping five straight games:

  • vs. Illinois (ranked No. 20) at The Palestra.
  • vs. Michigan (ranked No. 2).
  • at Purdue (ranked No. 5).
  • vs. UCLA.
  • at Maryland.

These results combined for an average losing margin of about 10 points and fueled concern about the team’s direction to start 2026.

Forum / trending context

On forums and fan spaces, the question “who did Penn State lose to” usually pops up:

  • Right after a big game like Ohio State in football, especially when it continues a losing trend.
  • During ugly stretches in basketball where multiple ranked opponents beat them in a row.

In many recent discussions, Ohio State in football and the early-2026 basketball skid (Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, UCLA, Maryland) are the main “losses” people are talking about.

TL;DR: Most recently in football, Penn State lost to Ohio State 38–14 in 2025. In men’s basketball to start 2026, they lost five straight to Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, UCLA, and Maryland.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.