Kickoff for Penn State’s return to Philadelphia to face the Temple Owls, has been set for noon on Sept. 17 marking the fifth announced kickoff time for the 2011 season. This will be Penn State’s first time back at Lincoln Financial Field in 4 years since a 31-0 Penn State victory over the Temple Owls back in 2007.

The two in-state programs will be facing off for the 6th consecutive year, and 41st time overall with the Nittany Lions leading the series, 36-3-1. Last season’s 22-10 closer-than-expected victory also marks the 28th consecutive win over the Owls, currently the longest active streak in college football.

The two teams are scheduled to continue the series annually, except the 2013 season though at least 2016 with the Owls visiting Beaver Stadium in 2012, ’14 and ’16 and Penn State returning to Philadelphia in in 2015.

Temple’s willingness to agree to these 3-for-1 scheduling deals makes them an attractive opponent to remain on Penn State’s schedule in the foreseeable future especially once the Big Ten moves to a 9 game conference schedule which will further reducing the number of non-conference games.

Today’s announcement, combined with an earlier one by Disney Sports networks devoid of any prime time games involving the Nittany Lions, and those of the Purdue (noon) and Alabama (3:30) games, it is becoming clear Penn State’s clash against Northwestern will remain the Nittany Lion’s only game in primetime this season.

Even though kickoff times for the marquee away games against Indiana, Ohio State and Wisconsin and home tilts against Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska are still unannounced, Penn State fans shouldn’t keep their hopes up for the possibility of another primetime game this season.

With Big Ten rules prohibiting night games in the month of November, the Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin games – three of Penn State’s most-anticipated games – are restricted from primetime. The rules leave the Iowa, Illinois and Indiana games as the only longshot candidates for primetime, none of whom seem attractive enough to networks to pick up at the 8pm slot unless both teams are undefeated by game week.

Other announced kickoffs and television networks:

Sept. 3 vs. Indiana State, 12:00 p.m. (BTN)

Sept. 10 vs. Alabama, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN on ABC)

Sept. 17 at Temple, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU)

Oct. 15 vs. Purdue, 12:00 p.m. (TV TBA)

Oct. 22 at Northwestern, 6:00 p.m. CT (BTN)