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MATCHUP: Akron Zips at No. 8 Penn State Nittany Lions, Noon, Beaver Stadium (107,282), State College
TV/RADIO/WEB: Big Ten Network (Matt Devlin, Glen Mason, Kenny Jackson); WILK-AM: 910, 980, 1300 (Steve Jones, Jack Ham); www.GoPSUsports.com.
LINE: Penn State by 27.
RECORDS: Penn State (0-0); Akron (0-0).
COACHES: Joe Paterno (383-127-3), 44th season at Penn State; J.D. Brookhart (27-33), 6th season at Akron.
SERIES HISTORY: 4th meeting; Penn State leads, 3-0.
LAST MEETING: Penn State won 34-16 in State College on Sept. 2, 2006.
KEY MATCHUP: PSU’s revamped secondary will be tested out of the gate with a senior-laden Akron passing attack designed by Brookhart and former Pitt and Stanford coach Walt Harris.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Penn State QB Daryll Clark. Will he look the same without his old security blankets at receiver?
TELLING NUMBERS: Joe Paterno has a career record of 39-1 against current MAC teams. The lone loss was against Toledo in 2000.
DID YOU KNOW: The Lions are playing their latest season opener since 1998 when they hosted Southern Miss, also on Sept. 5.
PENN STATE WILL WIN IF: The four new starters in the secondary don’t collapse completely.
AKRON WILL WIN IF: QB Chris Jacquemin can catch fire out of the no-huddle to help negate the Lions’ formidable front seven.
OUTLOOK: Last year’s PSU squad looked outstanding from the word go. It may be tougher to get such a quick read on the 2009 team, but the ever-dependable Evan Royster should help matters greatly, allowing the Lions to control the clock and wear down an iffy Akron defense by halftime.
PREDICTION: Penn State 41, Akron 10.
—Derek Levarse