Pigskin Classic out for Lions

The Nittany Lions won't be using an early game to springboard themselves into the season as they did during the 1996 season with the Kickoff Classic. Speculation had linked Penn State to the Aug. 23 Pigskin Classic, with Notre Dame possibly the opponent.

But the Lions officially told Pigskin Classic officials last week to stop considering them for a berth in the third-annual game.

"We advised them that we didn't have an interest in participating," said L. Budd Thalman, Penn State's assistant athletic director. "We were never able to get a suitable matchup."

The most rumored matchup, something Lion coach Joe Paterno mentioned, was playing Notre Dame, either in Beaver Stadium or in Philadelphia.

But the Fighting Irish were never even contacted by Pigskin Classic officials.

"We don't know of any consideration for us," said George Kelly, an assistant athletic director for Notre Dame. "I would have liked for it to come to fruition."

Neither side got what it wanted.

Thalman wouldn't go into detail into who Penn State considered "marquee," but teams like Florida, Florida State, Nebraska and Tennessee would also fit that bill.

Past games have showcased some of the nation's best teams. In the Pigskin Classic's two seasons, Michigan and Virginia played the inaugural game in Anaheim, Calif., and Brigham Young faced Texas A&M last year in Provo, Utah.

"I'd say the number one reason is that we couldn't match up with the kind of opponent that we wanted," Thalman said.

Beating Southern California, 24-7, in the Kickoff Classic in the 1996 season boosted the Lions to a 5-0 start, a 11-2 season, a win in the Fiesta Bowl and a top 10 finish for the third time in four years.

Penn State won't have the early game this year; instead, the Lions will open the season Sept. 6 at home against Pittsburgh. Just because Penn State isn't playing in the Pigskin Classic this year doesn't mean the Lions won't consider it in the years to come.

"We ruled it out for this year," Thalman said, "but we wouldn't rule out playing in it in the future."