Tag: Beaver Stadium

Penn State to spend summer reviewing upgrade concepts for Beaver Stadium

Penn State and architectural firm Populous will spend the summer reviewing potential upgrades and renovations to Beaver Stadium.

As Penn State continues to undergo a series of facility upgrades across the athletics department, the sights are set on what comes next for its 110,000-seat crown jewel, Beaver Stadium. On Thursday, Penn State announced it will spend the next few months with architecture and design firm Populous to review potential options for a renovated and upgraded Beaver Stadium.

Penn State has been working with Populous since 2016 on developing a massive plan for upgrading athletics facilities, a specialty of Populous. The term of the long-range project was initially set at 20 years, plenty of time to give every athletics facility some upgrades. Beaver Stadium is a venue in desperate need of plenty of upgrades.

“We are excited to work with Populous, led by Penn State letterman Scott Radecic and alum Jeff Funovits, on this important project in our Facilities Master Plan,” said athletics director Sandy Barbour in a released statement. “Our team is looking forward to the feedback from our user groups in order to create the roadmap for the necessary and desired renovations as well as to maximize the value that Beaver Stadium brings to our campus and community.”

The study conducted by Populous will gather information from Penn State officials to community members to learn what kind of upgrades will deliver a top-notch gameday experience. Plans for upgrades to Beaver Stadium are far from definite, but upgraded plumbing and network capabilities will surely be in the mix, as could upgraded seating options. Additional chairback seating is expected in addition to new concession locations and new restrooms and wider concourses.

Populous has worked on a large number of projects centered around large-gathering vents, including a number of football stadiums around the country. That includes Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. They have also worked on a number of athletic facilities, including Penn State’s Lasch Football Building.

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Could we see two Whiteout games at Penn State in 2021?

The Whiteout has been big for Penn State night games at Beaver Stadium. Could we have more than one whiteout game in 2021?

Whenever the schedule comes out for the season, you look to see if you have any home games under the primetime lights. You know the entire nation will be tuned in and Penn State’s Beaver Stadium offers one of the best atmospheres for a night game.

As of now, Penn State has one confirmed night game which is set for Week 3 against the Auburn Tigers on September 18, 2021. But will we see a second night game at Beaver Stadium in 2021?

Take a look ahead to the month of November, when the Michigan Wolverines make their way into Happy Valley. The last time Penn State had two night home games was in 2019, which were wins over Buffalo and, naturally, Michigan.

So now the question comes, could we possibly see 2 WHITEOUT games in 2021? Once again, it seems entirely likely. The Auburn game in September is a very strong candidate, but the Michigan game in November could be as well. If both teams are doing well and are still in the fight for the Big Ten Championship, then it would make plenty of sense for Penn State to enforce a full whiteout if they have not already decided to do so.

As everyone knows, the whiteout is one of the most unique atmospheres in college football and it is one of the signature draws for college football and for network TV.

The last couple of years, Penn State has saved the whiteout for their games against Michigan & Ohio State. Why would this season be any different?

The impact of the Whiteout was felt in 2019 when Michigan had to burn a timeout on the first play of game due to the crowd noise…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VypxiD8GOxY

The Whiteout went nuts when Penn State blocked the Ohio State field goal and Grant Haley returned it for a go-ahead touchdown in the final five minutes against the No. 2 Buckeyes. The win over Ohio State catapulted Penn State into the Big Ten championship game by the end of the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpTM-q730Kk

It is going to be great to see the Whiteout back in full force which is something we missed during the 2020 season.

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Penn State could be walking into a packed Ohio Stadium this season

Ohio State is hoping to have full capacity at Ohio Stadium in 2021, making Penn State’s road trip that much more daunting.

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Penn State’s 2021 schedule is full of challenges, including three difficult road trips in conference replay. Penn State draws the short straw in crossover divisional matchups with road games at Wisconsin and Iowa. And this year’s annual division showdown with Ohio State will take place in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Stadium has rarely been kind to the Nittany Lions since joining the Big Ten. This year’s contest could see Ohio Stadium at full capacity as well.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said last week “We’re hopefully going to have an opportunity to be at 100% capacity” last week.

Things around the country continue to be trending in a positive direction as we collectively continue to pull ourselves out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center for Disease Control updated the guidelines last week to say fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks with the exception of crowded settings. even if fans have to wear masks in a packed Big Ten stadium, it will be a massive step back toward normalcy after a year with no Big Ten football stadiums having gates open to fans across the conference.

Penn State is naturally in a similar position to Ohio State. Both schools have stadiums with a seating capacity of over 100,000 (Michigan too, of course), and the push to get as many of those seats filled a possible is financially important for these schools, as long as the safety of all attending a game is not at any additional or unnecessary risk.

Pennsylvania is moving back toward seeing stadiums fully opened as well. Seating capacity for indoor and outdoor events has recently been increased, and the Philadelphia Phillies have an outline to return to 100 percent capacity in the coming weeks. Penn State has not mapped out what the plan will be for Beaver Stadium just yet, but we will be getting close to finding out that information as the season is just months away.

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Miles Sanders says he wants a Super Bowl in Beaver Stadium

Former Penn State running back Miles Sanders thinks the NFL should hold its championship game in Happy Valley.

Former Penn State running back and current Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders was among the Nittany Lion alums returning to Beaver Stadium over the weekend for practice inside Beaver Stadium. Sanders reunited with other former Nittany Lions like KJ Hamler and Blake Gillikin and Pat Freiermuth to soak in the atmosphere for the first event with fans in Beaver Stadium since the 2019 regular-season finale.

Being back at field level in Beaver Stadium led to Sanders reflecting on some of his favorite memories playing for Penn State, with the whiteout games being at the top of the list. Sanders also recalled his 48-yard touchdown run against Michigan State to break a 7-7 tie in 2018…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fof6EFBMpM8

Sanders spoke highly of the chance to play in the atmosphere a packed Beaver Stadium can offer. Obviously, it could be some time before 110,000 fans can cram back into the stands in the stadium, but Sanders says it ranks at the top of the list for him.

Sanders thinks so much about a packed Beaver Stadium that he said he wishes the Super Bowl could be played there.

Hey, sign us up, especially if it involves Sanders’ Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The opportunity to see a Super Bowl in Happy Valley may be a pipe dream for a number of reasons, but the idea of an NFL game being played in the stadium during the regular season may not be as far-fetched. The NFL recently decided to increase the number of regular-season games in a season from 16 to 17. Doing so creates opportunities for potential neutral site games, and pitting two in-state opponents against each other in a college stadium could work in certain states. Beaver Stadium hosting an Eagles-Steelers game would certainly be a massive draw. Maybe Sanders can stump for that to happen in the meantime.

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Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast: Why Penn State fans should pay attention to MLB in 2021

Why Penn State fans will be watching to see how stadium capacity is handled in MLB stadiums in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 2021.

Today is opening day for Major League Baseball and the doors to games are open in the state of Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates will welcome back a limited number of fans to baseball’s regular season this year as the sports world around the state continues to try getting back to normal.

So what does this have to do with Penn State? Penn State football to be specific? It’s simple. Pay attention to how the stadium capacity issue is adjusted this summer.

As of now, the Phillies and Pirates will be allowing roughly 8,000 fans into their 40,000-45,000-seat stadiums. Similar attendance restrictions are currently in place for the Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Football fans, meanwhile, will be hoping and waiting for larger attendance allowances by the time football season rolls around. Penn State will be particularly interested in the progress being made as they have quite a few more seats they hope to fill in 100,000-seat Beaver Stadium.

While roughly 8,000 fans will be allowed to attend baseball games at the start of the season, will the percentage be increased as the summer rolls along? If so, that would be great news for Penn State fans because it would suggest Penn State may be able to allow more fans into Beaver Stadium this fall.

Also in this episode of Locked On Nittany Lions is some follow-up thoughts on the reactions to Penn State’s pro day last week. Micah Parsons is the star of this draft class from Penn State, but Jayson Oweh may be the most interesting prospect to monitor leading up to the NFL draft. First impressions from new head basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry are also on the table for discussion today.

Follow Locked On Nittany Lions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and wherever else you get your podcasts. Or, you can catch today’s episode below and listen in your browser.

Follow us on Twitter @NittanyLionWire and like us on Facebook for continuing coverage and commentary on the Nittany Lions.

If NFL expands schedule, will Steelers and Eagles play in Penn State’s Beaver Stadium?

The NFL is moving toward expanding its regular season, making a potential NFL game in Penn State’s Beaver Stadium a growing possibility.

The NFL is making moves toward expanding its regular season to 17 games, and the possibility of additional neutral site games is likely to be a product of the schedule expansion. So the obvious question to ask in the Keystone State is could we see a future NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles… at Penn State?

the scenario would seem to make a whole lot of sense, and there is no question a neutral field matchup between the state’s two NFL franchises could have the potential to create quite the atmosphere inside the 110,000-seat Beaver Stadium.

But maybe don’t count those chickens before they hatch.

The idea of using Beaver Stadium in Penn State’s offseason is not a new topic of conversation, and it is one Penn State officials are not shy about having. But Penn State is in the process of ensuring multiple facility upgrades are implemented, including at Beaver Stadium. Such upgrades would be necessary for a non-Penn State football event like the NHL’s Winter Classic, which is why the talk about a future outdoor NHL game in State College remains on the radar, but just barely at the moment.

Of course, Beaver Stadium is already setup for football!

Let’s put to the side the current state of affairs in Pennsylvania and the country with respect to the pandemic. Obviously, the pandemic has forced the conversations about events and attendance to be scaled differently than under normal circumstances. But, for the sake of conversation, let’s stick to the normal circumstances. Could we see the Steelers and Eagles kickoff against one another on Beaver Stadium’s field some Sunday?

There is no question it would be a profitable event for Penn State, who would stand to rake in some revenue through ticket sales (after the NFL’s hefty share) and concessions, not to mention parking.

There are some other hurdles that would have to be assessed as well. Most notably, the sale of alcoholic beverages. Penn State has not yet allowed for the sale of beer to the general public inside Beaver Stadium, but that is a trend that could become a reality at Penn State soon enough. If Penn State is going to host an NFL game, it would probably want to seriously consider putting alcoholic sales on the fast track.

The schedule is also a significant determining factor. Any NFL game would have to be scheduled around Penn State’s schedule. Playing an NFL game on a Penn State bye week or while Penn State is on the road makes sense, although Penn State would probably prefer to keep the NFL cleats off its playing surface until after Penn State’s home schedule is wrapped up. Fortunately, the NFL schedule continues its regular season well after the conclusion of the college football season.

Do you want to see the Steelers and Eagles play a game in Beaver Stadium?

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PHOTOS: Penn State’s first round NFL draft picks since joining the Big Ten

Penn State football plans for no fans in the stands for 2020

Penn State is planning for home games without fans in 2020.

Penn State will be without star linebacker Micah Parsons, who opted out of the 2020 season. Now, hours later Thursday, the Nittany Lions and their faithful learn they won’t be attending games at Beaver Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A letter from AD Sandy Barbour went out:

As of today, the current large group gatherings guidance from the Governor’s office limits capacity to 250 people for outside events and 25 people for inside events. Therefore, under the current conditions and current state orders, our fall sports events would be conducted without fans in the general seating areas of our facilities. We continue to work with the Governor’s office to discuss, and possibly be prepared for the opportunity to have spectators at our fall Penn State sporting events.

Despite the current state orders, we continue to refine our plans to welcome Nittany Lion fans, should the conditions and orders be revised to accommodate spectators at events. These plans will have the safety and wellbeing of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans and community at the forefront. Let me be clear; we will only enact these plans should the orders currently in place by the Governor and the PA Department of Health accommodate such activity based on conditions and public health advice.

Penn State Athletics has always and will always put the health, safety and education of our students as our top priority. The current COVID-19 environment is no exception. Your support and generosity have always been the cornerstone of our ability to provide our coaches, staff and students with the resources necessary to meet our students’ needs in those areas. You have ALWAYS supported our students at our times of the most acute need. This is one of those moments.

The Toughest Opposing Crowd Notre Dame Ever Faced

Before Penn State became the center of the college football universe for all of the wrong reasons, it was highly respected.

Before Penn State became the center of the college football universe for all of the wrong reasons, it was highly respected. That’s why Notre Dame was happy to have a road game lined up with the Nittany Lions for its second 2007 contest. But the game’s timing turned out to be terrible. It followed the worst season-opening defeat in program history, a 33-3 disaster against Georgia Tech in South Bend, and a frenzied crowd to rival all others awaited them.

On Sept. 8, 2007, the Irish went into Happy Valley looking for stability. Ahead of the contest, Charlie Weis tabbed freshman Jimmy Clausen to make his first career start. They and the rest of the team realized quickly they would have to do it during Penn State’s annual White Out. Unlike previous years, all fans were asked to wear white instead of only the students, and it hard to find any Nittany Lion supporter among the 110,078 who packed Beaver Stadium who didn’t comply.

The Irish got on the board first with Darrin Walls’ 73-yard interception return for a touchdown. All momentum from that was lost for good when, in the final minute of the first quarter, Derrick Williams returned a punt to the end zone from 78 yards out. From there, the crowd continued to make noise, and everything that could go wrong for the Irish did in a 31-10 loss. Just watch these videos from the game and say you’d be able to focus on your job:

With a completely unforgiving backdrop, the Notre Dame offense was shut down. Clausen was sacked six times, and the run game accumulated no yardage on 26 carries. It’s miraculous that Clausen only threw one interception and that none of the Irish’s three fumbles were lost. Had it gone any worse, Clausen surely would have been pulled.

Loud crowd noise make communication difficult, and that’s exactly what happened. The Irish were penalized 14 times for 97 yards. To say it simply was due to no discipline would be selling the Penn State fans short. They forced the Irish to listen to each other carefully and closely, and it still wasn’t enough to keep the flags off the field.

Though it was a bad night to be a Notre Dame supporter and it came during a 3-9 season, you had to give the Penn State fans credit. They went all out in supporting their team, and it paid off for them. Of course, Penn State’s reputation was shattered a few years later, and it’s perfectly reasonable if you continue to look at that program, university and community through that lens. Regardless, this is a fan base that knows how to cheer, and for one night, Irish fans got to experience it firsthand.

Indiana-Penn State odds: Nittany Lions face tough test at home

Previewing Saturday’s Indiana-Penn State college football matchup, with college football betting odds, picks and best bets

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The Indiana Hoosiers (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) and Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1, 5-1) will do battle in Happy Valley on Saturday at noon ET, with the Lions looking to bounce back after a narrow loss at Minnesota last weekend and the Hoosiers going for their first 8-win season since 1993.

We analyze the Indiana-Penn State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Indiana at Penn State: Three things you need to know

1. Indiana has quietly rolled up seven victories, with their two losses a 51-10 setback to Ohio State on Sept. 14 and a 40-31 loss at Michigan State on Sept. 28. The Hoosiers have won four in a row and are 5-1 against the spread in their last six.

2. Hoosiers RB Stevie Scott III is one of the most underrated runners in the Big Ten, racking up 737 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns. Penn State WR KJ Hamler of Penn State has 739 receiving yards and eight scores to lead the Lions.

3. Penn State ranks 13th in the country at 300.0 yards per game allowed, with its rushing defense (74.2 yards per game) ranking third. And the Lions’ scoring defense (12.0 points per game) is fifth in the nation.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Indiana at Penn State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Penn State 31, Indiana 24

Moneyline (ML)

Penn State (-834) is going to bounce back and return to the win column. However, it won’t be a rout, and the Nittany Lions are certainly not worth putting up more than eight times the return. If anything, Indiana (+440) would be worth a small-unit bet to more than quadruple your lettuce.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Penn State to win would return a profit of $1.20.

Against the Spread (ATS)

INDIANA (+14.5, -115) is a sharp play catching more than two touchdowns in this one. If you were to tease it up and combine it with a handful of other games, even better. It will be interesting to see how Penn State (-14.5, -106) rebounds. Its defense was bludgeoned by a team which wasn’t getting very much respect in Minnesota. Now against the Hoosiers, that sounds all too familiar.

Over/Under (O/U)

The total (54.5) is going to be super close. Avoid playing the O/U in this one, as Vegas has this right and the game will come in right around the projected total.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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