Penn State Football: Latest TicketCity Bowl News and Updates

This year's TicketCity Bowl is not short on storylines, with both schools set to take the field with an interim head coach, under different circumstances. One school is even switching conferences, just for good measure.

Here is a look at some of the headlines focusing on Penn State and Houston leading up to this year's bowl game.

1. Penn State Coaching Search: Kyle Whittingham

On Saturday, CBSSports.com reported that Penn State representatives had reached out to Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham is also being pursued by Arizona State, but his mention is an interesting one as far as Penn State is concerned.

Whittingham, like Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, is a former Urban Meyer assistant, and if he were to become Penn State's next head coach, it would add another level of intrigue to the annual Penn State-Ohio State game.

Whittingham took over Utah after Meyer left the spot vacant to pursue the Florida job. Whittingham has led the Utes to a Sugar Bowl victory and is 6-1 in bowl games. He is also very defensively-minded and a former linebacker, which would seem to blend well at Penn State.

2. Penn State Coaching Search: Tom Bradley

Interim head coach Tom Bradley still expects to interview for the head coaching job at Penn State. Last week, he said he expects to be given an interview soon.

During a conference call for the TicketCity Bowl, Bradley said (via Pittsburgh Tribune Review), "I anticipate being part of the official interview process in the not so distant future."

That interview could come as early as this week, with Bradley and athletics director Dave Joyner working around Bradley's schedule in preparing the team for the bowl game.

3. Penn State Coaching Search: Tom Clements

One potential coaching candidate who has thrown his hat in the ring has been Green Bay Packers assistant coach Tom Clements, a western Pennsylvania native. Clements has served as the Packers' quarterback coach, helping to groom Aaron Rodgers to be one of the top players in the NFL.

Clements has no Penn State ties. He is a former Notre Dame player who had a brief playing career in the NFL and played in the Canadian Football League. He has coached for the Steelers as well.

4. Kevin Sumlin Leaves Houston

Houston will be without head coach Kevin Sumlin, who has accepted an offer to become Texas A&M's new head coach and will begin his new job immediately. That means Tony Levine will assume the head coaching responsibilities for the TicketCity Bowl.

Will this coaching change have any impact on the game itself?

5. Devon Still Honored

Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still may not have been honored with the Outland Trophy or Chuck Bednarik Award at the annual college football awards show last week, but he was named a First-Team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.

Still is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, which will be announced on Monday.

In addition, Still was voted the team's MVP at the annual senior banquet.

6. Mike McQueary Changes His Testimony?

Considered to be one of the key witnesses in the upcoming Jerry Sandusky trial, Mike McQueary appears to have changed his official story with his involvement in the whole case.

According to reports, McQueary appears to have backtracked on his original grand jury testimony with what he allegedly saw in a Penn State athletics facility involving Sandusky and a child.

McQueary will more than likely be placed on the stand during the Sandusky trial, which is set to begin on Tuesday (more on this in a moment).

7. The Trial Begins

One of the biggest trials in Pennsylvania's history is set to begin with preliminary hearings on Tuesday in Centre County Court.

Jerry Sandusky will finally begin his court procedure and faces more than 50 counts of various forms of child abuse. Though he has stated multiple times publicly that he is innocent, and his wife suggests the victims are liars, the evidence is thought to be stacked against him.

While the focus will certainly be Sandusky, we may find out plenty of answers to some other questions during this trial.

What did Joe Paterno know, and when did he know it?

What did Paterno do afterward?

Those questions may be more suitable under a different trial, but this trial will be sure to fascinate on so many levels.

8. Joe Paterno Fractures Pelvis

Since being fired by Penn State's Board of Trustees, Joe Paterno's health has taken multiple hits according to reports. First was being diagnosed with lung cancer. Second was a pelvic injury. Paterno re-injured his pelvis after an in-home fall recently, but he will not need surgery.

You may remember that Paterno injured his pelvis after being run into by a player (Devon Smith) during practice this summer.

Even though he is no longer a part of the team, it is hard to put aside any news Paterno-related.

9. Houston Joins Big East

Aside from Kevin Sumlin leaving Houston to coach Texas A&M, the Cougars made some positive news in the last week by confirming they would be joining the Big East. The move up to the Big East will be accompanied by SMU and Central Florida as full-league members and Boise State and San Diego State as football-only members.

That's right, Big East football in California.

While the addition of Houston appeared to be just a matter of time, the Big East waited to confirm the news until they had all of the pieces in place to make more of a splash with the announcement, so it seems.

10. Brandon Beachum Rehabs

Senior running back Brandon Beachum underwent surgery on his broken left ankle after the conclusion of the regular season. The injury means he has played his final game for the Nittany Lions, which is a shame since he has had an injury-plagued college career in State College.

Beachum is set to graduate this month and the rehab generally takes four to six months, which means that he likely will not have a chance to show his skills for any potential NFL scouts who may be willing to give him a look, if the NFL is something he is interested in pursuing.

Kevin McGuire is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.