Penn State to Honor Joe Paterno on 50th Anniversary of 1st Game
Penn State plans to honor college football’s winningest coach during the 2016 season
On the 50th anniversary of coach Joe Paterno’s first game at Penn State, the university will commemorate the late icon. While the specifics are not yet known, a press release from the university marked September 17. against Temple to be the day Paterno is honored.
Penn State will formally honor former head coach Joe Paterno for the first time since his 2011 firing. https://t.co/8ruDEaVqfu
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 1, 2016
Joe Paterno led Penn State to 409 wins and two National Championships in the 1980s. The university has seldom recognized Paterno since his passing in 2012 after a brief battle with cancer. He is often spotted during pre-game hype videos played prior to kickoff.
His widow Sue Paterno is still very active in the State College community, and can occasionally be seen on campus.
The game against Temple will also be the second annual “Stripe Out” in Beaver Stadium. Each section will be assigned to wear either white or blue, creating a stunning visual across the stadium.
Stripe Out - Sept. 17/White Out - Oct. 22: @PennStateFball announces 2016 game themes https://t.co/ZzZapbOQqk pic.twitter.com/Zsy1dgwskA
— Penn State (@penn_state) April 20, 2016
That game, the third on the Nittany Lions schedule, is currently slated to be played at 12 p.m. Penn State will enter the game with a chip on their shoulder after losing to Temple in last years season opener 27-10 in Philadelphia.
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Penn State will begin their 130th season this Saturday when they host Kent State for an afternoon game. Their first road game will reincarnate their cross-state rivalry with Pitt.