Aug. 26, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - Penn State alumni and fans in metropolitan Washington, D.C. will have an opportunity to see the Nittany Lion football team play in the shadow of the nation's capital during the 2010 season.
Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Fred Glass announced today that the athletic department has reached an agreement with the Washington Redskins and FedExField to move its 2010 Big Ten Conference home game with Penn State to the Redskins' home facility in Landover, Md. The game will be played on November 20, 2010.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to play the 2010 Indiana football game at FedExField, one of the nation's premier sports facilities," stated Tim Curley, Penn State Director of Athletics. "This game will provide a great chance for some of our players to play close to home and for our fans and the more than 40,000 Penn State alumni in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C. to see the Nittany Lions play in person."
The 2009 Penn State roster includes 13 players from Maryland, four from Virginia and five from Delaware.
Indiana will play in Beaver Stadium on Nov. 14, 2009 for Senior Day.
The Nittany Lions will play in metropolitan Washington, D.C. for the first time since an October 2, 1993 visit to the University of Maryland. Penn State played at the University of Virginia during the 2001 season and the two teams will meet again in 2012 and '13.
The Penn State-Indiana game will be shown by one of the Big Ten Conference's television partners (ABC/ESPN or Big Ten Network).
"We are excited to have Indiana and Penn State playing a Big Ten Conference game at FedExField," Redskins Chief Operating Officer Mitch Gershman said. "Both universities have a very large following with enthusiastic fan support and alumni in the Washington Metropolitan area. It is a unique opportunity for the fans of this area to watch Big Ten Football in person, and we expect a great crowd at the game."
FedExField, with a seating capacity of 91,704, is the largest venue used by a professional sports team in the United States. Opened in 1997, the venue has hosted several college football games, including the 2004 BCA Classic between the Virginia Tech Hokies and USC Trojans. That contest attracted 91,665 spectators.
Coach Joe Paterno's No. 9/8 Nittany Lions open the season Sept. 5, hosting Akron at 12:00 p.m. Four Penn State home games are sold out, with a limited number of tickets remaining for Akron, Syracuse (Sept. 12, 12:00 p.m.), Temple (Sept. 19, 12:00), and Eastern Illinois (Oct. 10, TBA). Single game tickets are on sale at www.GoPSUsports.com or by calling the Bryce Jordan Ticket Office at 814-865-5555.
Penn State Football Eve will launch the season on Friday, Sept. 4, with activities starting at 6:00 p.m. outside Beaver Stadium. The program inside the stadium starts at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Blue Band, cheerleaders, dance team and videos. The seniors and 2009 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Curt Warner will be introduced and after Coach Paterno's address to the crowd, a new stadium video will be unveiled. The event and parking are free.