Penn State Reschedules Fall Graduation With College Football Playoff in Mind

The university pushes its December graduation ahead one day in case the Nittany Lions make the playoffs.

A general view of Penn State's Beaver Stadium prior to a Nittany Lions college football game. / Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State announced this week that it has rescheduled graduation ceremonies in December in case a "large-scale event" comes to campus. What event could be so disruptive? The College Football Playoff, of course.

Penn State originally had scheduled its fall semester graduation ceremonies for Saturday, Dec. 21, which coincides with the first round of the College Football Playoff. Since the playoff expands to 12 teams next season, and with first-round games occurring at campus sites, it's possible the Nittany Lions could host a playoff game at Beaver Stadium on Dec. 21. As Penn State noted in a news release, the schedule change was made "out of an abundance of caution to allow dedicated time to honor graduates’ accomplishments and contribute to a smoother experience for their families and friends."

Penn State's news release did not mention the College Football Playoff, referring instead to a "potential conflict with a large-scale event on the University Park campus." But at a University Faculty Senate meeting on April 16, officials noted the playoff scenario.

"There is no possibility of holding commencement at the same time as the game," Kathleen Bieschke, Penn State vice provost for faculty affairs, said during the meeting. "Everyone knows that would be ridiculous."

Bieschke said that Penn State rescheduled commencement even though a home playoff game is uncertain. The university sought to give students and families a firm date for commencement, access to hotel rooms "that are reasonable" and the ability to make travel plans. Bieschke added that the rescheduling is for this year only and that Penn State hopes to continue holding graduation on Saturdays.

“We don’t really know what’s going to happen with the football playoff system enough to say what are we going to do for years moving forward," Bieschke said at the April 16 meeting. "But I can assure you, I am very motivated to not have graduation on a Sunday.”

The 2024 College Football Playoff begins with one game Friday, Dec. 20. Three games will be held Dec. 21. The quarterfinals will be held Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 at the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls. The Orange and Cotton bowls will host the semifinals Jan, 9, with the championship game scheduled for Jan. 20 in Houston.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.