Which begs the question ... It's one of the most iconic and unique mascots in college sports, but where does it come from? What makes a lion "Nittany," anyway? According to the Penn State website ...

The time it took from when the Nittany Lion mascot pressed the ceremonial detonator ... Indeed, in anticipation of playing host to a late December College Football Playoff opening-round game ...

The spring semester at The College of New Jersey ... in honor of the school’s mascot. This year, during finals week, students began touching the lion’s nose for good luck.