The Hill News

GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said Pennsylvania State University's football team should probably "take a pass" on attending a bowl game this year.

"I am not too sure if I was on a bowl committee, I would be too anxious about inviting Penn State to a bowl game, given the situation up there," the former Republican Pennsylvania senator said Wednesday, according to the Des Moines Register. "I think it would probably be best to take a pass on a bowl game this year."

Santorum, a Penn State alumna, said the team should finish its regular football season and stop there.

"I would make the suggestion that it would be in the best interests of everybody to finish the schedule and put this season behind us and move! on," Santorum said.

The Nittany Lions football team has a record of 8-2 and would normally be a lock for a bowl game appearance after the regular season ends.

But the team and school are under fire over the sexual abuse charges against Jerry Sandusky, a former defense coordinator at Penn State who has been accused of abusing eight boys over a decade and a half.

The football program's legendary coach, Joe Paterno, was fired after the charges came to light.