Dec. 27, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla.; December 27, 2009 - The Penn State football team returned to the practice field today and participated in the annual Florida Citrus Sports Day For Kids at Disney Quest with approximately 200 Central Florida youth.
The Nittany Lions paired off with an LSU player or a teammate and youth sponsored by 12 Central Florida organizations at Disney Quest, a five-story complex with a variety of interactive games and rides. Day For Kids is a primary event in the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation MVPs program. The Wisconsin and Miami (Fla.) teams also participated in the event, as they near their Champs Sports Bowl meeting on Tuesday at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.
Penn State tailback Brent Carter (Pottstown) was paired with Jalen Harper, a young man from the Orlando area. They played against each other in several racing car games, sword fighting and the AstroBlaster, a bumper car-like ride.
"We're having a great time," said Carter. "He's ahead of me, 2-1, in the games we've played so far and we worked together in the AstroBlaster."
Carter said he and teammates had visited Walt Disney World and Disney's Hollywood Studios the past two days, while others had visited Disney's Animal Kingdom and Epcot.
The Nittany Lions returned to practice after having Christmas Day and Saturday off. The team practiced under cloudy skies, with occasional rain, and temperatures in the mid-50's.
On Monday, Penn State will practice and then visit Universal Studios Orlando.
The Nittany Lions (10-2) will play LSU (9-3) in the 64th Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2010. The teams are meeting for just the second time, with the first meeting resulting in a 16-9 Penn State win in the 1974 Orange Bowl. The 2010 Capital One Bowl will kick at 1:00 p.m. in Orlando, Fla. and air on ABC, Sports USA Radio and the Penn State Sports Network. Penn State will be playing in its fourth different New Year's bowl game in the last five years.
For ticket information for the Capital One Bowl, go to Bowl Central at www.GoPSUsports.com/gameday.
Penn State is 50-13 (79.3) since the start of the 2005 season, the nation's No. 8 winning percentage over that span. Penn State will be playing in its 36th bowl game under Paterno, who is the all-time leader in post-season appearances and victories (23-11-1 record). The Nittany Lions were No. 13 in the final Bowl Championship Series rankings.
Penn State has earned its 24th New Year's bowl bid under the Hall of Fame coach, who owns a 16-7 mark in such contests. The Nittany Lions have posted Paterno's Football Bowl Subdivision record 21st season with at least 10 victories. The Lions are playing in their fifth Capital One Bowl and first since meeting Auburn on January 1, 2003.