Nittany Lions to host Oregon State during 2008 football season

University Park, Pa. — Penn State will host Oregon State during the 2008 football campaign in the first meeting between the schools.

The Beavers will visit Beaver Stadium on Sept. 6, 2008, replacing Arkansas State on next year’s slate. Oregon State is the only Pacific-10 Conference team Penn State has not faced on the gridiron.

Oregon State is 8-4 this season under Coach Mike Riley, finishing third in the Pac-10 standings with a 6-3 record. The Beavers won six of their final seven games, including a 38-31 overtime win over No. 17 Oregon in the Civil War, as well as a victory at then-No. 2 California. Oregon State is playing Maryland in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 28.

In 2006, Oregon State knocked off No. 3 Southern California en route to a 10-4 record, culminated by a 39-38 win over Missouri in the Sun Bowl.

“We are very appreciative of Arkansas State and Utah adjusting their schedules in order to provide Oregon State with the opportunity to play in Happy Valley next season,” said Tim Curley, director of Athletics. “Oregon State will provide another challenging opponent during our non-conference schedule. We also appreciate the efforts of the Big Ten and Pac-10 to help facilitate this game taking place in 2008.”

The Nittany Lions have an all-time record of 22-11 vs. members of the Pac-10, having played Southern California the most of any Pac-10 team (4-4 record). The 2000 Kickoff Classic contest against the Trojans is Penn State’s last game against an opponent from the conference. The Lions hosted No. 3 Arizona in the 1999 Pigskin Classic.

Oregon State is the latest opponent to be announced in a series of intersectional games for Coach Joe Paterno’s squad against premier programs since the turn of the century. The Nittany Lions completed a two-game series with Notre Dame this year. Syracuse (2008-09) returns to the schedule the next two years, followed by games against Alabama in 2010 and ’11 and Virginia (2012-13). Among the Nittany Lions' other regular season non-conference opponents this decade were: Miami, Fla. (2001), Southern Miss (2001), Virginia (2001-02), Nebraska (2002-03), Boston College (2003-04), Cincinnati (2005) and South Florida (2005).

Penn State will open the 2008 season on Aug. 30, hosting Coastal Carolina and then Oregon State before renewing its rivalry with Syracuse, visiting the Carrier Dome on Sept. 13. The Nittany Lions will host Temple on Sept. 20 to conclude the non-conference schedule. Penn State will have an open date on Nov. 1, 2008.

Penn State will host Illinois on Sept. 27 to open Big Ten play. The Illinois game will be All-University/Varsity “S” Day. Michigan (Oct. 18 - Homecoming), Indiana (Nov. 15) and Michigan State (Nov. 22) also will visit Happy Valley in 2008.