Tag: Beaver Stadium

Penn State’s Beaver Stadium press box demolished as part of renovation

The Beaver Stadium press box was demolished as part of a renovation

There is a massive renovation planned for Beaver Stadium, to the tune of $700 million. On Saturday, it started with the demolition of the iconic press box at Penn State’s home.

Check it out as the implosing takes place and the home of millions and millions of written words capsizes.

The Nittany Lions hope to demolish Notre Dame next week in a CFP semifinal to advance to College Football Playoff Championship Game.

Here’s video as Penn State tears down press box at Beaver Stadium

Check out the video of Penn State demolishing the press box at Beaver Stadium.

It is the end of an era at Penn State as the archaic press box of Beaver Stadium came crashing down Saturday morning. The demolition of the press box was a carefully orchestrated event that will lead to offseason renovations of Beaver Stadium.

The demolition of the press box is part of a massive renovation project for Beaver Stadium that will cost $700 million when all is said and done. The ongoing renovation process will carry on for a few years with the plans to have Beaver Stadium fully renovated in time for the 2027 season. Upgrades will include updated restrooms and escalators, premium seating, updated concessions, and, of course, a brand-new press box.

Having sat in the press box for a number of years in my early days in college football media, this was a bit of a bittersweet moment to soak in, even from afar. But I can say without hesitation this is long overdue as Penn State’s press box was designed for media working in the 1960s without the use of laptops and mobile phones, let alone the growing number of media outlets covering sports we have today. If it was cramped, overcrowded, and outdated over a decade ago as I was finding my voice in college football media, then it surely was in even more need of an upgrade in 2025.

Fortunately, those upgrades are coming and should be in place for 2026. And odds are the new press box will shake much less when the 110,000 fans are jumping in excitement.

You can view the video of the press box demolition in the video provided below by Penn State Athletics.

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The rematch between Oregon and Penn State is already set for 2025

The rematch of the Big Ten Conference Championship Game between Oregon and Penn State is already set for 2025.

The Big Ten will officially announce the 2025 conference on Wednesday, but we know when and where the Ducks will face the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Oregon will travel to Penn State for the first time in school history in September 27, 2025, in what might be the first Big Ten showdown of the season.

The Ducks didn’t face the Nittany Lions in the regular season this year, but the two teams battled it out for the conference title Saturday night in Indianapolis, with Oregon coming out on top, 45-37.

Both teams will look slightly different then as they do now, but the Ducks and Nittany Lions are likely to be highly ranked when next year’s game occurs.

Oregon is quickly gaining some new rivals in the Big Ten as the Ducks went through this regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, including 9-0 in Big Ten play. Ohio State can attest to how difficult it is to come to Autzen Stadium.

Fortunately for Penn State, its trip out west to Eugene will have to wait some time as the Ducks will face either a White Out or something else at Beaver Stadium.

Either way, it should be quite the game, as this year’s conference championship game proved to be.

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Penn State breaks record for biggest crowd in Beaver Stadium history against Ohio State

Penn State and Ohio State’s matchup is always must-see TV, but even the stadium crowd showed up in a record breaking way this week.

Penn State’s [autotag]Beaver Stadium[/autotag] is one of the most iconic stadiums in all of college football, and this year’s meeting with Ohio State has added to its rich history. Penn State fans flocked to Happy Valley, breaking the Beaver Stadium attendance record with 111,030 people showing up to watch the top-five matchup.

Penn State has been having one of its best starts to a season in years, so it’s no surprise that so many fans wanted to be there for the biggest game of the year. The Nittany Lions are always near the top of attendance rankings, but it must feel special for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his team to see fans support them in a historic way.

Unfortunately for fans, Penn State ultimately came up short against the Buckeyes 20-13. Despite the loss, Penn State is in a good position to finally make the College Football Playoff this season, something that has eluded them under Franklin.

With 12 teams now able to make the playoffs, all Penn State likely has to do is win the rest of their games (where they will be heavily favored in each), and the selection committee will almost assuredly give them a spot.

Perhaps if Penn State is given a high enough seed, fans will have a chance to break this record again if they host a playoff matchup later this season.

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Ohio State vs. Penn State sets Beaver Stadium attendance history

The Penn State Nittany Lions welcomed the Ohio State Buckeyes to Beaver Stadium for a noon record-setting kickoff.

There are only so many top-five matchups in a college football season, and the Penn State Nittany Lions welcomed the Ohio State Buckeyes for Big Noon Saturday for one of them.

The Nittany Lions came in at No. 3, and the Buckeyes were No. 4.

The then-No. 2 Buckeyes battled the No. 3 (now No. 1) Oregon Ducks earlier in the season in another of those matchups. This should be Ohio State’s last top-five matchup before the end of the regular season.

The game was held at one of the largest stadiums in the world, Beaver Stadium. The battle also broke the attendance record for said stadium per Front Office Sports.

It lived up to the hype as well with a tremendous opening few quarters. With both defenses have shown why they are among the best in the country, it was a low-scoring battle.

This was one of Ohio State’s biggest challenges of the season, and it will arguably be the most people either of these teams will ever play in front of with the Ohio Stadium attendance record coming in at 110,045.

Penn State shares preview of Beaver Stadium video scoreboard upgrades

Penn State shared a look at the new video scoreboards coming to Beaver Stadium.

Penn State is in the process of upgrading Beaver Stadium as part of a multi-year renovation plan. Among the updates to the stadium will be upgraded video boards around the stadium, including a brand new screen in the South end zone. Penn State showed off a brief preview of some of the planned video board upgrades in a social media posting on Monday, and the artist’s rendition of the new look is exciting.

Penn State will be adding a new video scoreboard in the South end zone and adding more ribbon video boards on that end of the stadium. Penn State will also be adding more ribbon boards to the North end zone

Penn State plans on spending the next three offseasons completing the renovations, so it will be a bit of a gradual process, but the plans will aim to limit the impact it has on the fan experience during the football season. The total budget for the renovation plans is limited to $700 million and will be completed before the start of the 2027 college football season.

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Where Penn State’s Beaver Stadium ranks on ESPN’s list of the top 25 college football stadiums

Where does ESPN rank Beaver Stadium in their Top 25 stadiums?

Penn State’s Beaver Stadium made ESPN’s newly released list of the top 25 venues in college football.

The rankings come from 14 of ESPN’s college football writers and do not have any criteria or parameters. Each writer submitted their top 20 stadiums in order, with each venue getting 20 points for a first-place vote, 19 for second place, 18 for third place and 1 point for their 20th-ranked stadium.

Related: Top 25 toughest stadiums in EA Sports College Football 25

Nine of the 25 stadiums, including six of the top 8 venues, are in the now 18-team Big Ten Conference. We’ve ranked the 18 Big Ten stadiums by seating capacity, so perhaps there is some correlation between the number of fans and a top overall venue.

Almost every stadium ranking you will find is high on Beaver Stadium, often placing it within the top 5. Here is where the Nittany Lions’ iconic venue ranks among the rest of college football’s top stadiums:

Why you should play as Penn State in EA Sports College Football 25

What teams will you play with in EA Sports College Football 25? Penn State offers some intriguing reasons why you should choose them

The time is finally here!

EA Sports College Football 25 fans can play starting this week, and if you pre-ordered the deluxe edition, you can already begin playing. Everyone else will have to wait a couple more days until Friday, July 19, when the full game is released.

Now that people have started to play the game, who are the best teams to play with? We have already explored the toughest venues to play in and how EA recreated the iconic Beaver Stadium atmosphere.

Penn State is ranked in the top ten with an OVR rating of 88, so there are many reasons to want to play with this Nittany Lions squad. An 87 OVR on offense and 88 OVR on defense put the Nittany Lions firmly in the mix as one of the most balanced teams in the game.

Related: Top 10 overall teams in EA Sports College Football 25

CBS Sports released their reasons for playing with each of the 134 teams in the newly released game.

Penn State offers a tremendous home field advantage; you’ll play in front of a loud, packed stadium with more than 100,000 psychos in it every home game. You’ll also inherit a stacked roster with room for improvement on offense. – CBS Sports

Although playing with Penn State might feel like a cop-out due to its talent levels, you will want to experience Beaver Stadium’s home-field advantage in the game, and you still can achieve the program’s long-awaited goal of making a College Football Playoff.

What teams are you most excited to play in the new game? Penn State sure sounds enticing, with its raucous atmosphere.

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Beaver Stadium renovation plans approved by board of trustees

Penn State’s $700 million renovation plans for Beaver Stadium have been approved by the Board of Trustees.

Penn State is now one giant step closer to moving forward on massive renovation plans for Beaver Stadium. The Penn State Board of Trustees voted in favor in investing in the planned renovations to Beaver Stadium that will allow the stadium to be used all year for various events in addition to its usual football schedule.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to share there is overwhelming support for the University’s recommendation to renovate Beaver Stadium,” Board of Trustees Chair Matt Schuyler said in a released statement. “I’m pleased that the renovation will benefit our student-athletes, elevate Beaver Stadium’s significance in driving local and state economies, and ensure Beaver Stadium remains a premier facility in all of college athletics.”

Penn State previously approved a budget of $70 million to be used for Beaver Stadium renovations focusing on safety and accessibility around the stadium and widening sections of the concourse. The stadium also has been undergoing projects to help winterize the stadium, which would be mandatory to use the venue for events in the colder winter months.

Penn State plans on spending the next three offseasons completing the renovations, so it will be a bit of a gradual process, but the plans will aim to limit the impact it has on the fan experience during the football season. The total budget for the renovation plans is limited to $700 million and will be completed before the start of the 2027 college football season.

Renovations like these are needed in order to host an event like an NHL outdoor hockey game as Beaver Stadium simply would not be able to handle the cold weather for a marquee event of that nature. Perhaps more relevant to Penn State would be the opportunity to host a College Football Playoff game in December, as the expansion of the playoff field will have schools hosting the early round matchups moving forward beginning in 2024.

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ChatGPT ranks the most intimidating Big Ten football stadiums to play in

ChatGPT ranks the most intimidating Big Ten football stadiums to play in

From SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey, to Husky Stadium in Seattle Washington, the Big Ten stretches from coast to coast.

With the conference’s latitude comes different stadium environments, different histories and unique traditions in every case.

Related: You might be surprised where Wisconsin football is on ESPN’s early 2024 SP+ rankings

Late last summer, I ranked the toughest road environments in the Big Ten after the conference’s new additions. Now that the 2023 season has concluded and the conference officially has 18 members, I decided to check the list with some outside counsel.

That is where ChatGPT comes in. I asked the OpenAI language model to rank the 18 Big Ten football home atmospheres by the most intimidating to play in — obviously including new additions USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

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Here is what the ChatGPT responded: