COACH: Joe Paterno, 44th season

2008 RECORD: 11-2, 7-1 Big Ten, tied for first

LAST BOWL: 2009 Rose Bowl, lost to Southern California, 38-24

STADIUM: Beaver Stadium (107,282)

KEY PLAYERS: QB Daryll Clark, RB Evan Royster, C Stefen Wisniewski, DT Jared Odrick, LB Sean Lee, LB Navorro Bowman.

KEY RECRUITS: QB Kevin Newsome, WR Justin Brown, S Gerald Hodges

KEY DEPARTURES: C A.Q. Shipley, WR Derrick Williams, WR Deon Butler, WR Jordan Norwood, DE Aaron Maybin, DE Josh Gaines

COACHSPEAK: "A lot of them we've seen in practice, and they've played some, but they haven't been anywhere where the success of the game rests on their shoulders, and they can't make dumb mistakes, jump offsides. I'm not sure where we are up front, but I think it is a question mark for us." — Paterno on his offensive line, which will have three new starters.

2009 SCHEDULEDate OpponentSept. 5 AkronSept. 12 SyracuseSept. 19 TempleSept. 25 IowaOct. 3 at IllinoisOct. 10 Eastern IllinoisOct. 17 MinnesotaOct. 24 at MichiganOct. 31 at NorthwesternNov. 7 Ohio StateNov. 14 IndianaNov. 21 at Michigan State