May 25, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Football's season opener against Akron September 2 will kick at noon and air live on ABC. The game will also air on the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com.
The Nittany Lions are 5-0 all-time against the Zips. The squads last met in 2014 when Penn State posted as 21-3 win in James Franklin's first game in Beaver Stadium. Jesse James caught a pair of touchdown passes and finished with 57 receiving yards, while DaeSean Hamilton had a team-high seven catches for 69 yards. Christian Hackenberg threw 319 yards and three scores. Mike Hull paced the defensive effort with 11 tackles, including a sack.
Every Penn State football game has been televised the past 12 seasons and 289 of the last 291 contests overall have been on TV.
The Nittany Lions return 45 lettermen and 18 starters from last year's Big Ten Championship squad, led by All-American running back Saquon Barkley and All-Big Ten honorees Trace McSorley, Mike Gesicki, Jason Cabinda, Marcus Allen, Grant Haley and Tyler Davis.
The Nittany Lions' home schedule features a trio of non-conference games, including Pitt's first visit to Beaver Stadium since 1999. The Nittany Lions open the season against Akron (Sept. 2) and face Pitt (Sept. 9) and Georgia State (Sept. 16) to close out a three-game homestand to start the year. In Big Ten play, Penn State welcomes Indiana (Sept. 30), Michigan (Oct. 21), Rutgers (Nov. 11 - Homecoming) and Nebraska (Nov. 18) to Happy Valley.
More than 7,000 new season tickets have been sold for the 2017 campaign. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2017 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.