Penn State athletics announced most of the dates on its football schedules for 2007 and 2008 yesterday, with some of the nation's top programs coming to Beaver Stadium.

The highlight is a Sept. 8, 2007, visit by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who will be playing in Happy Valley for the first time since 1991. Penn State will travel to South Bend on September 9, 2006, in the first game between the two schools since 1992.

Penn State will play its first two Big Ten games in 2007 on the road (Michigan and Illinois).

The Nittany Lions then play four of their final six conference games at home, starting with Iowa (Oct. 6) and Wisconsin (Oct. 13). Following a trip to Indiana, Penn State hosts Ohio State (Oct. 27) and Purdue (Nov. 3) to culminate the home slate. The Lions have an open date on Nov. 10 and visit Michigan State on Nov. 17 to end the regular season.

In addition to Notre Dame, Penn State has verbal agreements from its two remaining non-conference opponents in 2007. Those games will be announced once contracts have been signed.

In 2008, the highlight of the non-conference slate is a Sept. 13 visit to Syracuse, the first meeting between the Eastern rivals since 1990.

The Orange will visit Beaver Stadium on Sept. 12, 2009, for the first time since 1990.

The Lions will begin and end Big Ten play at home in 2008. Illinois visits State College on Sept. 27 for the conference opener. Penn State visits Purdue (Oct. 4) and Wisconsin (Oct. 11) and hosts Michigan on Oct. 18.

The Lions then travel to Ohio State (Oct. 25) and have an open date on Nov. 1 before visiting Iowa (Nov. 8). Indiana (Nov. 15) and Michigan State (Nov. 22) visit Beaver Stadium to conclude the 2008 season.

In addition to playing at Syracuse in 2008, Penn State will host Central Florida on Sept. 6 and has verbal agreements for its remaining two non-conference foes.

The NCAA is permitting 12 games in 2008, similar to 2002 and '03.