As first reported by ESPN’s Josh Moyer, true freshman Christian Hackenberg has been named Penn State’s starting quarterback for the team’s opening game on Saturday against Syracuse.

Onward State sources have also confirmed that Hackenberg, a five-star recruit out of Fork Union, Virginia, has been named the starter over junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson.

Hackenberg comes in highly touted — he was ESPN’s #1 quarterback recruit and its 15th overall prospect coming into 2013. He will be the first true freshman to start at QB for the Lions since 2010, when Robert Bolden started for Penn State in a 44-10 defeat of Youngstown State.

Despite pegging Hackenberg as the starter, coach Bill O’Brien has emphasized that both quarterbacks will play, no matter who is named the starter.

Of course, nothing is official until the first offensive snap of the game tomorrow, but it appears that Hackenberg will lead O’Brien’s high-powered offense in MetLife Stadium.