In fact, I’ve seen many student sections in the Big 12 with empty seats under similar circumstances. But I'm not sure any students in the Big 12 would camp out in 30-degree weather the night before to get tickets for a game featuring an opponent the caliber of Purdue. That’s saying a lot, considering the program was on the brink of decimation just a year ago.īiggest difference from Big 12: The fans in the Big 12 are great. I couldn't detect any malaise on campus, and thanks in large part to coach Bill O’Brien, there is an infusing optimism that Penn State will be back on top before long. Penn State bumper stickers lined the highway all the way back to the airport I flew into (Pittsburgh). Downtown State College was hopping the night before the game. Students camped out for the best seats the night before, even though the opponent was Purdue. Floodlights outside the stadium are kept on hours after the game, so the tailgates - and the reunions - can carry on into the night.īiggest surprise: Despite everything that has happened the last couple of years, the school spirit at Penn State couldn’t be stronger. The tailgating doesn’t end when the final whistle blows, either. As several tailgaters explained to me, the Penn State tailgate is a way for family and friends who might not live close to one another to reconnect, which is difficult to do during the actual game. Before every game, tens of thousands descend to the parking lots and fields outside Beaver Stadium for pregame camaraderie. Must-see sight in State College: The heartbeat of the Penn State football experience is the tailgate.
And I learned, there’s no better way to win over a group of Penn State strangers than a box of grilled stickies from Ye Olde College Diner. So tremendous I ordered a to-go box to take to the tailgate I had been invited to the next day. Add in a cup of black coffee, and it was tremendous. Penn State reporter Josh Moyer gave me the sage advice of ordering it a la mode (with ice cream). The grilled stickies are akin to cinnamon rolls, only more delicious. My first moose burger #campusconnection #flipweek #pennstate /3Am5pIrxcaīest meal: Does this have to be an actual meal? The best thing I ate in State College was a grilled sticky from Ye Olde College Diner.
And the experience was a memorable one.īelow is an overview of my trip to a place I hope to return to someday soon: My visit to Penn State exceeded even the expectation she set for me.
Since we met, she’s always talked about how special a place Penn State is.Īs fate would have it, my Flip Week assignment happened to be State College, Pa., which gave me the chance to inspect firsthand whether she’s been telling the truth. One of my best friends in Oklahoma City is a Penn State grad who moved to the Sooner State a couple of years ago. Here is what they learned from the experience.
You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĮditor's note: During Week 12, 10 reporters changed conferences to experience college football in unfamiliar territory.