Blue White Illustrated

W hen you compare Penn State's 2016 football schedule with last season's slate, it's not hard to un- derstand why some national college football analysts believe it's going to be quite di=cult for the Nittany Lions to improve upon their 7-5 regular-season record in 2015. Penn State will face eight teams that made bowl appearances last season, in- cluding Big Ten games against Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan State. The Spartans lost to Alabama in the Cotton Bowl, which was hosting a College Foot- ball Playo< semi;nal, while the Buck- eyes defeated Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and the Hawkeyes fell to Stanford in the Rose Bowl. All told, the eight bowl teams on Penn State's upcoming sched- ule amassed a 76-31 record. In addition, Penn State might be facing its toughest nonconference schedule since the NCAA levied its sanctions in 2012. A>er opening at home against Kent State on Sept. 3, the Lions will re- sume their long-dormant rivalry against Pitt on Sept. 10 at Heinz Field before re- turning home to face Temple on Sept. 17. The Panthers posted an 8-5 record in Pat Narduzzi's ;rst season, ending with a 44-28 loss to Navy in the Military Bowl. They have not played Penn State since 2000 when they upset the Lions, 12-0, in the last game of a four game se- ries that began in 1997. Pitt returns 15 starters from last sea- son, as well as star running back James Conner, who missed last season due to health problems a>er winning Atlantic Coast Conference Oer run- ning a nonconference gauntlet that in- cludes Oklahoma State, Penn State and playo< runner-up Clemson. Temple is coming o< its ;rst victory over Penn State since 1941, a 27-10 romp in last year's season opener. The Owls return 16 starters, including their two top o

• Vol. 31, No. 12 (uberflip) 1-67_Layout 1
• Vol. 31, No. 12 (uberflip) pt2_Layout 1