SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Joe Paterno remembers the good old days, when Penn State-Syracuse meant something to Eastern football.

"I came to Penn State back in 1950. It was a big rivalry for us, Penn State and Syracuse," Paterno said. "We've had some great football games with Syracuse through the years, and they've always had some great backs going back to Jimmy Brown. And Ernie Davis was a class kid."

A series that began when Warren Harding was in the White House gets rekindled Saturday when Paterno and his Nittany Lions visit the Orange.

The schools met every season except one from 1922-90, but the series ended when the Big East was formed and Penn State joined the Big Ten. Today, the programs are headed in opposite directions. Penn State is unbeaten after two games and ranked No. 17; Syracuse is the butt of jokes, no longer the force it once was.

It is difficult to believe that only a decade ago Donovan McNabb led the Orange into Michigan Stadium and easily beat Tom Brady and the defending national champions.

Since Greg Robinson succeeded Paul Pasqualoni as coach before the 2005 season, Syracuse is 7-30. The Orange (0-2) have lost six straight dating to last November and have the 111th-ranked defense in the nation after allowing nine touchdowns and 962 yards in losses at Northwestern and at home to Akron.