It’s finally gameday, Penn State! The Nittany Lions kick off their 2016 this afternoon against the Kent State Golden Flashes. Other than the Blue-White Game, this will be the first we’ve seen of Franklin’s squad since the Taxslayer Bowl that ended a 7-5 season regular season. This is the first time Penn State will play Kent State since 2013, and the Golden Flashes are coming off a 3-9 season.

This is the first home game opener to a season since 2012, and boy is it great to be back. Penn State last faced Kent State in 2013, when Bill O’Brien’s squad rolled to an easy 34-0 win. The Nittany Lions have never lost to the Golden Flashes, holding a 4-0 record in the series.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s game:

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m., Eastern time
Television: Big Ten Network
Radio: Penn State Sports Network — Local: 93.7 FM/1450 AM, as well as Sirius channel 136 and XM channel 196
Weather: A beautiful day for football. According to Accuweather, it will be mostly sunny all day with a temperature around at 75 degrees for kickoff and 72 degrees when the game ends.
Last Time They Met: The Lions shut out Kent State 34-0 on a rainy September Saturday in Beaver Stadium. Christian Hackeberg struggled in his young career but Zach Zwinak, Bill Belton, and Akeel Lynch came up big on the ground, combining for 287 yards on 42 carries. Penn State more than doubled the Golden Flahses total yardage on the game, a trend we’re hoping to see continued today.
Injuries: Fortunately not many because it’s early in the season, though redshirt freshman Nick Bowers is out for the year.
Media Coverage: Make sure you’re following @Onward State and @OnwardStSports on Twitter and like Onward State on Facebook for the best coverage of today’s game. Our main account will tweet out big plays, photos, and interesting information while our sports account will tweet play-by-play statistics, and analysis. You can also follow our live blog for a more in-depth account of the game as well as some of our best social content.

Sports editor David Abruzzese (@abruz11 on Twitter) and sports writer Ethan Kasales (@easyEKasales) will be in the press box for Onward State and Visual Manager Dana Lipshutz (@DanaLipshutz) will be shooting photos on the field. StatCollege.com’s Ben Jones will also be in the press box.

Updates on Beaver Stadium: For the first time ever, fans will be wanded upon entering the stadium for increased security. Allow extra time to get to your seats, especially considering today is the first time the new system will be implemented.

Here’s a recap of our coverage leading up to the game, including features, news, and previews from the preseason:

Staff Predictions: Penn State vs. Kent State

Planning Your Perfect Game Day

Breaking Down Penn State’s Season Opener Against The Golden State Flashes

Nyeem Wartman-White Talks Season Expectations, Favorite Pair Of Crocs

Every Hour Of Your Penn State Tailgate Experience

Penn State Football Releases First Depth Chart

Penn State Athletics Announces New Beaver Stadium Security Measures

Breaking Down Brent Pry’s Defense Heading Into Football Season

James Franklin Sheds Light On Offensive Line, ‘Green’ Freshmen

We’ll see you in Beaver Stadium!