June 7, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., - The kick times and TV for Penn State's initial two contests during its blockbuster 2011 home football schedule are set - against Indiana State and Alabama - bringing the number of announced start times this season to four.
The opening game of Penn State's 125th season celebration is Sept. 3 vs. Indiana State. The contest will kick at 12:00 p.m. in Beaver Stadium and air on the Big Ten Network, the Nittany Lions' second announced BTN appearance this season. The Nittany Lions and Sycamores will be meeting for the first time.
Alabama will be playing in Happy Valley since 1989 when its visits Sept. 10 for a 3:30 p.m, kick. ABC will be televise the clash of national powers to a national audience. The Crimson Tide have a 9-5 series advantage after winning last year in Tuscaloosa. All Penn State fans are encouraged to wear white to the highly-anticipated clash with the Crimson Tide.
Penn State's 92nd Homecoming game, vs. Purdue on Oct. 15, previously had been announced for a 12:00 p.m. kick on Beaver Stadium, with TV to be announced. The Nittany Lions' Oct. 22 contest at Northwestern will be a 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. kick that will be televised by the Big Ten Network. Penn State will be playing a true conference away game on BTN for the first time in four years.
The kick time for the Sept. 17 Penn State at Temple game in Lincoln Financial Field should be announced later this month. All remaining Penn State kick times and TV information most likely will be announced 12 days prior to game, starting on Sept. 12 for the home game with Eastern Michigan, which is Sept. 24.
Every Nittany Lion football game has been televised the past seven seasons and 203 of the last 205 Penn State contests overall have been on TV. All Nittany Lion football and basketball games air on the Penn State Sports Network and www.GoPSUsports.com.
The Big Ten Network is available to more than 75 million homes through agreements with more than 300 cable, satellite and telco providers in all 50 states and Canada. Atlantic Broadband, Beaver Valley Cable, Cablevision, CATV Service, Comcast, Consolidated Communications, Hometown Utilicom TV, Kuhn Communications, Nittany Media, RCN, Service Electric Broadband, Service Electric Cable TV & Communications, Service Electric Cablevision, Shen-Heights TV, Time-Warner Cable and Windstream are among the Pennsylvania cable providers who carry Big Ten Network.
Armstrong, Blue Ridge, MetroCast and Adams Cable, though, do not carry the Big Ten Network in Pennsylvania and the Medina and Youngstown, Ohio areas. More than 35,000 Penn State alumni live in the communities served by the four cable providers in Pennsylvania and the Medina-Youngstown areas, in addition to thousands more fans and current Penn State students.
The Nittany Lions return 41 letterwinners and 15 starters for the 2011 season, (7 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 17 players that have starting experience under Hall of Fame Coach Joe Paterno.
Since the start of the 2005 season, Penn State has earned a 58-19 (75.3) record, to rank among the top 10 percent in the nation. Over the past six years the Nittany Lions have won two Big Ten Championships, won four bowl games and played in five New Year's or Bowl Championship Series (BCS) games, the nation's third-highest total.
Season tickets are available for the 2011 Penn State football season. The Nittany Lions will face seven teams that played in bowl games last year, including four at home. Among the teams coming to Beaver Stadium this fall are: Alabama, Iowa (Oct. 8), Purdue, Illinois (Oct. 29) and new Big Ten member Nebraska (Nov. 12). The Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers will annually meet starting this fall.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY).