when did penn state join the big ten

Penn State was officially accepted as a member of the Big Ten Conference on June 4, 1990, but it began playing Big Ten football in the 1993 season. The vote to admit Penn State took place in Iowa City, marking the end of the formal process of joining the conference. Prior to joining, Penn State had been competing as an independent in football for over a century. The addition of Penn State expanded the traditionally Midwestern Big Ten Conference eastward and was a significant move for both the university and the conference.