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09/05/09 vs. Akron (Home) 12:00 p.m. ET (Game Preview | Buy Tickets)
09/12/09 vs. Syracuse (Home) 12:00 p.m. ET (Game Preview | Buy Tickets)
09/19/09 vs. Temple (Home) 12:00 p.m. ET (Game Preview | Buy Tickets)
09/26/09 vs. Iowa (Home) 8:00 p.m. ET
10/03/09 at Illinois (Away, Champaign, Illinois) TBA
10/10/09 vs. Eastern Illinois (Home) Pa. TBA
10/17/09 vs. Minnesota (Home) 3:30 p.m. ET
10/24/09 at Michigan (Away, Ann Arbor, Michigan) TBA
10/31/09 at Northwestern (Away, Evanston, Illinois) 4:30 p.m. ET
11/07/09 vs. Ohio State (Home) TBA
11/14/09 vs. Indiana (Home) TBA
11/21/09 at Michigan State (Away, East Lansing, Michigan) TBA

(courtesy of gopsusports.com)

The Penn State Nittany Lion football team has a few question marks entering into the 2009 season. Thanks to another solid recruiting season (ranked #5 overall by scout.com, the lions are loaded with young talent-- but have lost a number of key veterans that led this squad to Big Ten title last season.

Returning starters: 8

Notable losses:
WR Deon Butler
WR Jordan Norwood
WR Derrick Williams
C A.Q. Shipley
G Rich Ohrnberger
OT Gerald Cadogan
DE Maurice Evans
DE Josh Gaines
DE Aaron Maybin
LB Tyrell Sales
CB Tony Davis
CB Lydell Sargeant
S Mark Rubin
S Anthony Scirrotto
K Kevin Kelly

Probable starters/contributors:
WR Graham Zug, Brett Brackett, Chaz Powell, and Derek Moye
C Stefen Wisniewski
G Lou Eliades, Johnnie Troutman and J.B. Walton
OT DeOn'tae Pannell
DE Jerome Hayes, Jack Crawford, Kevion Latham and Eric Lattimore
LB Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman, Josh Hull, Bani Gbadyu
CB AJ Wallace, D'Anton Lynn
S Drew Astorino; Knowledge Timmons, Gerald Hodges, Nick Sukay or Cedric Jefferies
K Collin Wagner, Anthony Fera

Although Penn State has lost a whopping 15 starters, many of their returning veterans have seen considerable playing time in the past. This is a credit to the depth of this football team over the past few seasons. The return of Sean Lee to the Nittany Lion defense should certainly solidify the linebacking core, and the defensive line and secondary should have more than enough talent to excel in the offensive-laden big ten conference.

Offensively, the Nittany Lions return QB sensation Darryl Clarke and two fantastic running backs in Evan Royster and Stefon Green. However, big question marks remain on the offensive line and at the wide reciever positions. Penn State will have to rely on unproven youngsters at the gaurd and tackle positions to push some big bodies around against Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa. In addition, the wide reciever position is completely open, with no player entering this season with any meaningful experience.

This squad will certainly have the talent to contend for the Big Ten title-- and it doesn't hurt to play 8 games at home, where the Nittany Lions almost never lose. If Penn State can take revenge on Iowa in week 4, they should be relatively untested until mid October, where the real challenges will start. Michigan, Northwestern and Ohio State should all give Penn State headaches, but none are overwhelmingly talented this season. Penn State should once again finish near the top of the Big Ten, and quite possibly could win it all again.