STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Note: The video is from July 23.
Penn State will open its season Saturday with a challenging road game against Big Ten foe Wisconsin. The Badgers are ranked No. 12 in the nation in the Associated Press preseason poll, and No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Saturday's game will kick off at noon from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. The game will be televised on FOX.
Here's what you need to know about the matchup, courtesy of the Penn State athletics communications office:
BIG TEN OPENER: The Nittany Lions will open the season against a Big Ten Conference foe for the fourth time since 1993. Last year, they fell 36-35 in overtime at Indiana.
In prior seasons, Penn State defetated Minnesota 38-20 on Sept. 4, 1993 in Happy Valley, and hammered the Gophers 56-3 on the road in 1994.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Penn State is opening its conference schedule with a road game for the sixth straight season and the 20th time in 29 years as a member of the Big Ten.
Since 2016, Penn State has began conference play at Michigan, at Iowa, at Illinois, at Maryland, and at Indiana.
The Lions will also open Big Ten play on the road for the next three seasons, when they visit Purdue (2022), Illinois (2023) and Rutgers (2024).
THE SERIES: Penn State holds a slim 10-9 lead in the all-time series with Wisconsin, including four straight victories in their last four matchups. The Lions won 22-10 the last time they faced the Badgers on Nov. 10, 2018, riding a 159-yard, one-TD performance from running back Miles Sanders and a strong day by the defense, which generated five sacks and forced four turnovers.
TOUGH START: When they visit the Badgers Saturday, the Lions will be facing a ranked opponent in their season opener for the 13th time in program history. Penn State is 7-5 all-time against ranked teams in its season opener. The last time the Lions took on a ranked foe in their opener was 2001, when they fell 33-7 to No. 2 Miami.
ON WISCONSIN: The Badgers are coming off a 4-3 campaign last year, in a season shortened by COVID-19. They defeated Illinois (45-7), Michigan (49-11), MInnesota (20-17 in OT) and Wake Forest (42-28) in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
Wisconsin suffered a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season, falling to No. 19 Northwestern (17-7), No. 10 Indiana (14-6) and No. 19 Iowa (28-7).
The Badgers led the conference in total defense (299.9 yards per game) and rushing defense (96.1 yards per game), and were ranked fifth nationwide on those categories. They also No. 1 in the conference in third-down defense (.287) and fourth-down defense (.182), and was ninth in the nation in points allowed (17.4 per game).
Quarterback Graham Mertz returns to run the Badger offense after completing 61 percent of his throws for 1,238 yards and nine touchdowns. The top returning rusher is Jalen Berger (301 yards, two TDs), while tight end Jake Ferguson is back after leading the team with 30 catches for 305 yards and four TDs last season.
Wisconsin's dominant defense brings back linebackers Jack Sanborn (team-high 52 tackles last year), Leo Chenal and Nick Herbig.
ABOUT PENN STATE: The Nittany Lions will unveil a new offense under coordinator Mike Yurich, who takes over the controls after previous stints in Texas, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State. In 15 seasons as an offensive coordinator, Yurich's teams have averaged 6.49 yards per play and have scored 50 or more points 26 times. His offenses have eclipsed 40 points in 50 percent of the games he's coached.
Last year, Texas ranked eighth in the nation in scoring (42.7 points per game), 16th in passing efficiency (156.2) and 19th in total offense (475.4 yards per game).
Yurich inherts an offense that brings back nine starters and 19 letterwinners, including nine of its leading receivers and four of its five top rushers. The top returnee on the flanks is wideout Jahan Dotson (52-884, eight TDs), while Keyvone Lee (89-438, four TDs) leads a strong contingent in the backfield.
Quarterback Sean Clifford also returns to run the offense after passing for 1,883 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
Also back is running back Noah Cain, who suffered a season-ending injury on the opening drive against Indiana last year. The redshirt sophomore rushed for 443 yards and eight TDs as a freshman in 2019.
On defense, Penn State brings back seven starters and 19 lettermen from last season, giving coordinator Brent Pry plenty to work with.
The Lion defense has thrived under Pry. Since 2016, they rank second nationally only to Clemson in sacks per game (3.10), are third in QB hurries (876) and fourth in pressures generated (1,305). They have racked up 239 sacks over the last six years, ranking behind only Clemson and Alabama.
Last year, Penn State was third in the Big Ten in total defense (328.8 yars per game), second in passing defense (198.6 yards per game) and fourth in rushing defense (130.2 yards per game).
Four of Penn State's top tacklers from last year are back, including linebackers Ellis Brooks, Jesse Luketa, and Brandon Smith and safety Jaquan Brisker.
A total of five All-Conference selections return, including Brisker (third team), Smith (honorable mention), cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. (third team) and Tariq Castro-Fields (honorable mention), and defensive tackle PJ Mustipher (honorable mention).
Penn State also brings back starting punter Jordan Stout, kicker Jake Pinegar, and long snapper Chris Stoll, along with Dotson, their leading punt returner last year.
NITTANY LION CAPTAINS: Head coach James Franklin announced Brisker, Mustipher, Clifford, Stout, redshirt senior safety Jonathan Sutherland, and redshirt junior offensive lineman Rasheed Walker have been named team captains for the 2021 season.