Penn State football is adding Maine to its 2027 non-conference schedule, per Matt Fortuna of The Inside Zone. The game is tentatively scheduled for September 11 of that year and will be played at Beaver Stadium.

On Wednesday, it was announced that the previously scheduled meeting between Penn State and newly-minted FBS opponent Delaware was mutually cancelled by the two schools. The Blue Hens quickly filled their schedule opening with another Big Ten opponent in Illinois, while Penn State went searching to fill its third non-conference slot.

After less than a day, the administration settled on Maine, an FCS opponent hailing out of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), the same conference that Delaware was in until they transitioned to the FBS in 2025.

The Black Bears have had some ups and downs as a program since moving to Division I in 1978, winning seven conference championships and making eight FCS Playoff appearances, most recently in 2018. They’ve struggled over the past four seasons under head coach Jordan Stevens, going 6-6 in 2025 in their best season since that 2018 conference title.

This will be the first time Penn State and Maine have played in football, and it will continue a trend of Penn State beginning to schedule more FCS opponents as a soft landing in non-conference play. In 2021, 2023, and 2025, Penn State scheduled CAA opponents in Delaware and Villanova.