NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The embattled Penn State football team will open the 2012 season against Ohio University on Saturday, and one song will be absent from the playlist at Beaver Stadium.

“Sweet Caroline,” traditionally played at many sporting events across the United States, will no longer be played at Nittany Lion home games.

The song lyrics include several repetitions of the phrase “reaching out, touching me, touching you.” It was originally reported by Pennsylvania newspaper the Altoona Mirror that the song was cut due to concern over the lyrics in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky conviction.

According to ESPN, however, Penn State officials stand by the fact that the decision to cut the song has nothing to do with lyrics or any sexual connotations.

Rather, the school insists that the song was cut from the queue because it is outdated and played at many other stadiums and arenas across the country, with no genuine, historical ties to the university.

In June, Sandusky was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years, a swift and emphatic end to a case that shattered Penn State University’s Happy Valley image and brought down Hall of Fame football coach Joe Paterno.

Do you buy Penn State’s claim, or was this decision directly related to Sandusky? Offer your thoughts and comments in the section below…