Penn State

Penn State will charge top dollar for tickets to next season's home game against Rutgers. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

Many on the Penn State side dismiss the notion of a rivalry with Rutgers. But the Penn State ticket office suggests otherwise, as Rutgers and Michigan are the two most expensive tickets on the Nittany Lions' seven-game home schedule next season.

Penn State uses a variable pricing model, which sets prices based upon the expected demand for that game. Tickets for the Sept. 19 meeting with Rutgers and the Nov. 21

matchup with Michigan at Penn State's 107,000-seat Beaver Stadium range from

$100 to $200, according to PennLive.com.

Games against Big Ten opponents Indiana ($80-$150) and Illinois ($60-$140) fall short of the Rutgers and Michigan prices. Rutgers hasn't yet unveiled its single-game ticket prices for home games next season.

It's no surprise that Michigan, with its storied history and renewed excitement under new coach Jim Harbaugh, is commanding top dollar. Meanwhile, Penn State holds a 23-2 all-time advantage in the series with Rutgers, including a 55-27 win in their last meeting at Beaver Stadium in 1994. But it seems clear that times are changing now that both schools are members of the Big Ten.

"We focused on fan feedback, the Nittany Lion TicketExchange, other secondary markets, and our fans' purchasing behavior to provide the best mix of value and choice," Penn State assistant athletic director for ticketing sales and service Jeff Garner said in a press release.

Tickets for Rutgers' highly anticipated Big Ten debut against Penn State at High Point Solutions Stadium last September ranged from $185-300. Rutgers uses dynamic pricing, which adjusts prices based on demand. The demand merited the high prices, as the game was Rutgers' first preseason sellout of HPSS.

While it wasn't the prettiest game, the matchup provided a dramatic finish. Penn State rallied for a 13-10 win, taking advantage of five interceptions by Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova.

The loss gnawed the Rutgers players throughout the season, as a win against the Nittany Lions would have had numerous benefits.

Rutgers players undoubtedly have the rematch in Happy Valley circled on their calendars. Many fans do as well, although they should be prepared to pony up to get inside the stadium.

Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.