Aug 27, 2013
PENN STATE (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. SYRACUSE (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
SATURDAY, AUG. 31, 2013, 3:30 ET • ABC/ESPN2
MetLife Stadium (82,566) • EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
Penn State Game Notes | Syracuse Game Notes
GAME INFORMATION
TELEVISION: ABC/ESPN2
Mike Patrick (p-by-p), Ed Cunningham (analyst) and Jeannine Edwards (sideline).
TV APPEARANCES: The Nittany Lions are appearing on television for the 229th time in their last 231 games.
RADIO: Penn State Sports Network (60 stations):
Steve Jones (p-by-p), Jack Ham (analyst), Loren Crispell (sideline).
Local: 93.7 FM & 1450 AM.
Syracuse Sports Network: Matt Park (p-by-p), Chris Gedney (analyst), Brian Higgins (sideline).
Sirius: Ch. 117; XM: CH. 202
WEB: Audio at GoPSUsports.com
SERIES: There is a long history between these two programs and Penn State leads the all-time series 40-23-5 (2 wins vacated by PSU). The teams first met in 1922 in a scoreless tie that was played at the historic Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan, New York City.
COACHES:
BILL O'BRIEN:
PENN STATE RECORD: 8-4, 2nd year
OVERALL RECORD: Same
VS. SYRACUSE: First Meeting
NOTABLE: Named Penn State's 15th head football coach on Jan. 6, 2012...Former New England Patriots offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick...Coached NFL MVP Tom Brady from 2009-11...Won first career game vs. Navy on Sept. 15, 2012...2012 Big Ten-Dave McClain Coach of the Year...2012 Bear Bryant, Maxwell Football Club and ESPN National Coach of the Year.
SCOTT SHAFER:
SYRACUSE RECORD: 0-0, 1st year
OVERALL RECORD: Same
VS. PENN STATE: First Meeting
AT A GLANCE
Penn State will meet Syracuse for the 71st time when the teams clash at MetLife Stadium to open the 2013 campaign. This is the first time the Nittany Lions will open their season away from Beaver Stadium since the 2000 Kickoff Classic, when they faced off with USC in Giants Stadium.
In his second season at the helm, head coach Bill O'Brien's squad returns 16 starters and 37 letterwinners from last year's 8-4 team. The majority of Penn State's offensive skill positions, offensive line and numerous defensive contributors return. Linebackers Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges, defensive tackle Jordan Hill, quarterback Matt McGloin and center Matt Stankiewitch are among the key losses from 2012.
One returnee that the Nittany Lions will rely on in 2013 is senior linebacker Glenn Carson, who has compiled 171 tackles in two seasons as the every game starter in the middle of the defense. Adding the pressure up front for the defense will be the 2012 Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Deion Barnes, and senior defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
The offense brings back junior wide receiver Allen Robinson, a Biletnikoff Award, who was the Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver of the year in 2012 after making 77 catches for 1,013 yards and 11 scores.
For the eighth straight season the Lions had a 1,000-yard rusher as junior Zach Zwinak piled up exactly 1,000 yards on 203 carries to become the 14th running back in school history to hit the mark (22 times).
The Nittany Lions are in their 127th season all-time and 21st as Big Ten members.