Penn State, Pitt add to football rivalry

As soon as Penn State and Pittsburgh signed an agreement in the summer of 2011 to play two football games later in the decade, fans around the state clamored for more.

Their wish was granted Friday when the universities announced the addition of two more games, meaning the fierce intrastate rivals will meet for four consecutive years from 2016 through 2019.

The Nittany Lions will play the Panthers on Sept. 8, 2018, at Heinz Field and on Sept. 14, 2019, at Beaver Stadium. The announced earlier games take place on Sept. 10, 2016, in Pittsburgh and Sept. 16, 2017, in State College.

The additional games match the desire of Penn State coach Bill O'Brien to find a way to play Pitt more.

"We are thrilled to have the University of Pittsburgh back on the schedule for several consecutive years," O'Brien said in a statement. "Regional rivalries in college football are special. I have been involved in a few as a coach. Penn State vs. Pitt is a rivalry rich with history and tradition."

The two teams have played 96 times but have not met since 2000, when the Panthers took a 12-0 victory at Three Rivers Stadium. Penn State holds a 50-42-4 edge in the series dating back to the first game in 1893.

Academic honors. Defensive end Pete Massaro and redshirt junior guard John Urschel have been named to the Capital One Academic All-America first team announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

For Massaro, a graduate of Marple Newtown High School in Delaware County, it marked the second time he had been named to the team, having also been honored in 2010. He graduated in December 2011 with a 3.85 grade-point average in finance and is on schedule to earn a second degree in economics later this month.

Urschel, of Williamsburg, N.Y., graduated in three years last spring with a 4.0 GPA in mathematics and is on schedule to earn a masters degree in math next May.

Massaro and Urschel joined 26 of their teammates on the Big Ten's academic all-conference team.