The White Out has become the centerpiece of Penn State football tradition, and this season, it has brought a new level of anticipation.
Head coach James Franklin and the No. 3 Nittany Lions will host No. 6 Oregon at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 27 in what will be the highest combined ranking ever for the primetime spectacle.
With Beaver Stadium holding 106,572 fans and a record crowd of 111,030 once set inside its walls, the stage is already set for an emotional night in Happy Valley. Franklin, however, insists he doesn’t need to remind his players of the stakes.
“I think that happens naturally,” Franklin said, pointing to the way his team has lived through the buildup across campus and in daily life.
Penn State’s White Out tradition meets its biggest test
Since its first White Out in 2004 under Joe Paterno, Penn State has turned the event into a nationally recognized tradition. The Nittany Lions hold a 13-8 overall record in White Out contests, including an 8-3 mark under Franklin.
His teams have strung together six consecutive wins in the event, highlighted last year when Penn State added a second White Out during its College Football Playoff run.
For Franklin, the environment does not require a motivational speech.
“So, I don’t think it’s anything that I need to address with them. It is a special deal and we’re fortunate and honored to coach in it and to play in it,” he said.
Many current players either attended as recruits or have already experienced the setting firsthand.
Penn State enters the matchup ranked third after an untested nonconference slate, while Oregon comes in at sixth with multiple Power Four victories.
Neither team has faced a tight contest this season, raising expectations for a defining showdown.
“So, I’ll take my eight seconds when we walk out of the tunnel and take it all in and feel the energy,” Franklin said. “And then once you kind of run on the field, you’re kind of locked in and focused on the opponent and the challenge.”
White Out conditions will be in full force when kickoff arrives at 7:30 p.m. EST, with both teams and their fan bases set for one of the sport’s most electric atmospheres.
