Penn State has learned via letter from NCAA President Mark Emmert that the governing body of collegiate sports will launch an investigation of the university’s athletic programs in the wake of allegations of sexual abuse by a former assistant coach and charges of perjury against to two senior school officials, according to a release posted at Penn State Live website (http://live.psu.edu). Read the full release here including the PDF of the letter from the NCAA, and read the updated entire AP story right here.

On Monday the Big Ten Conference announced it is removing Joe Paterno’s name from the Big Ten Conference Football Championship trophy. The trophy had been named the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy and it will now be the Stagg Championship Trophy. Watch the Big Ten Blast video in this post to get the latest details.

Rodney Erickson, Penn State’s interim president, met with the media on Friday afternoon at the end of a long and extraordinary week for the school and the football program. Asked if Mike McQueary was placed on leave for his conduct or to ensure his safety, Erickson said it was “a complicated situation.” “What became clear is that, under any circumstances, he would not be able to function in a coaching role,” Erickson said in his first news conference as president. He replaced Graham Spanier who, like Paterno, was fired Wednesday night. Read more about an incredible even days at the school here.

Penn State announced extra security measures for Saturday’s football game as well as any home athletic events through Sunday. “Bags of any sort, including purses, will not be permitted at the Bryce Jordan Center, Greenburg Ice Pavilion, Jeffrey Field and Rec Hall,” the school announced. A,so, all fans at the football game are encouraged to wear blue. Also fans are encouraged to arrive at the football stadium gates earlier than usual as the extra safety measures may delay fans entrance into the stadium. Inspections will be more deliberate and thorough, and the University’s regulation on bags will be strictly enforced.

Penn State’s board of trustees met Friday morning at the end of a week that saw the board fired Nittany Lions football coach Joe Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier amid a child sex abuse case against a former team assistant. The AP reports: “In front of an overflow crowd at a meeting that was moved from a hotel boardroom to a ballroom to accommodate more people, the trustees opened with Chairman Steve Garban welcoming interim President Rod Erickson. Gov. Tom Corbett was also on hand to help the board navigate a course through the turmoil. Garban pledged to support Erickson as the board works “for the future of this institution that we respect and love.” Read the full AP story here.

This weekend’s nice collection of Big Ten games is highlighted by Michigan State at Iowa in a pivotal Legends Division tilt while Nebraska’s first trip to Penn State as a member of the Big Ten is the headliner in the Leaders Division. But the dark clouds of a child sex-abuse scandal that has cost coach Joe Paterno and others their jobs casts a long, dark shadow over Senior Day at Penn State.

On Thursday night’s edition of BTN Live our crew continued our ongoing coverage of Penn State and the dismissal of Joe Paterno. As we do each week on our weekly live one-hour show we spotlighted the best of your tweets from Twitter sent to @BTNLive and ran them on TV during our conversation. We post clips on BTN.com and archive full episode on BTN2go.com,  but we know some people don’ see the show live on TV. So we did the next best thing and captured screen grabs. Who got their message on TV? Have a look inside.

Mike Hall reports an update on Penn State’s Board of Trustees asking interim head football coach Tom Bradley to keep assistant coach Mike McQueary off the field during Saturday’s game. Hall also has an update regarding Ohio State’s NCAA investigation. Watch it now in this post. Also, read  a statement posted today from Interim Penn State President Rodney Erickson.

The announcement that Penn State assistant coach Tom Bradley is now the interim head coach of the Penn State football team is the latest in a whirlwind of events swirling around Penn State University. Late Wednesday night the Penn State Board of Trustees announced that Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier had been fired, a stunning development that brought reaction from players and came on the heels of the news that the 84-year-old Paterno had hoped to remain and retire at the end of the season. Our TV crew on Big Ten Football & Beyond covered it all Wednesday night.

Here’s the full text of a statement released by Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne regarding the Huskers’ upcoming game at Penn State on Saturday: “I am saddened to learn of the recent events at Penn State and we will continue to monitor the developments on their campus. We will hold the alleged victims and all those involved in our thoughts and prayers.”

The repercussions of a sex-abuse scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky will be felt for years at Penn State. The fallout among the school’s brass has been swift and stunning. Joe Paterno was unceremoniously fired yesterday. On the same day, school president Graham Spanier also was dumped. Athletic director Tim Curley has taken a leave of absence after being charged with perjury. Still, their fates pale compared to Sandusky’s victims.

D. J. Dozier was a star running back for Joe Paterno and the Penn State football team and was named All-American in 1986. Our BTN crew spoke with the former Nittany Lions standout on Thursday morning after Tom Bradley was formally announced as the interim head coach of the Penn State football team. They also spoke with former Penn State defensive standout Michael Haynes, and that video is posted further down in this post.

NCAA president Mark Emmert sent out this statement on Thursday: “Regarding the ongoing Penn State criminal investigation, the NCAA is actively monitoring developments and assessing appropriate steps moving forward. The NCAA will defer in the immediate term to law enforcement officials since this situation involved alleged crimes. As the facts are established through the justice system, we will determine whether Association bylaws have been violated and act accordingly. To be clear, civil and criminal law will always take precedence over Association rules.” Read the full AP story here.

Penn State interim football coach Tom Bradley spoke with reporters at Penn State on Thursday morning and said, ” I take this job with very mixed emotions due to the situation.” BTN streamed the event live and has posted the entire press conference right here in this post.

BTN is on the air now live as Penn State introduces Tom Bradley as interim head football coach. The press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET.  Dave Revsine, Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith will host coverage from BTN studios in Chicago and Rick Pizzo is in State College. BTN will have updates throughout the day as news breaks. The press conference coverage is now also streaming live at our BTN.com live streaming page now.