- First of all, for all the talk of on-campus stadiums, Beaver Stadium felt like anything but that. Maybe it was the way we came in off of 99, but I saw no part of the PSU campus and the only PSU building I saw was the Ag Arena. If you knew nothing about college football and were visiting Beaver Stadium from another country, I don't know how you'd even realize there was a college attached to the team. Its a big stadium in the middle of endless fields and farms. This may sound odd, but the closest thing I can think that it reminds me of is Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. And I say that because HR Stadium is a stadium on a giant plot of land completely surrounded by grass parking lots. You get off the exit and the stadium/parking lots are right there just like Beaver Stadium.
- Again, maybe its because of the way I came in, but the atmosphere around the stadium was nothing remotely close to Notre Dame or Clemson, or even Virginia Tech as those venues felt like true college football experiences. Penn State had the weird mix of like an NFL but played on a farm. But, I honestly couldn't have been less impressed. Now maybe if I came in a different way and walked through campus it would be different.
- The Penn State people were friendly. Now I was with my family so I didn't expect to be M-F'd but the majority seemed like normal, good people. And maybe it was just where I was sitting but I didn't encounter any rude, obnoxious PSU fans. Actually I thought most around us were too laid back. Maybe it was because I bought more expensive seats on the lower sidelines and those are the richer fans??? Not sure. A part of me thought that this was just truly another game for them because they didn't seem that into it.
- Overall, Beaver Stadium did not seem any louder than Clemson, VT (during their heyday), WVU, or even Heinz during the PSU game last year. The thing that I thought was pretty cool, though, was that every time Barkley got a little opening, the whole place grew in anticipation that he was going to the house and there was such disappointment when he only got 10 yards instead of 60.
- Maybe it was where I was sitting but the place seemed to lack the electricity. Maybe PSU fans were just expecting the W. Maybe it was the boring nature of the game, not sure, but it did not feel hostile or intimidating. Maybe I was just expecting it to be and my expectations were too high.
- They announced 110K but there were several hundred empty blue chairbacks in the lower upper deck endzone that stayed empty the whole game. Not sure what was up with that. Maybe expensive donor seats that they couldn't sell on a season ticket basis?
- I actively looked to see if I can see a black Penn State fan but I honestly did not see any.
- I'd estimate the Pitt crowd at 4000. 3000 in the upper endzone and 1000 bought through brokers scattered throughout the stadium. The nice thing about the throwback colors is most Pitt fans wore them and you can tell the Pitt section because of the royal blue and yellow.
- During one song they play, cant remember which one, they dub in James Franklin saying "dominate the state," but of course this game is just another game.
- They ran a commercial for the women's basketball team but not the men's team which might have a shot at the NCAAT this year.
- Joe Paterno got a loud cheer when they introduced a NC team and said it was coached by Joe Paterno.
- As expected Beaver Stadium is old and decrepid and lacks all types of amenities but the same goes for any college stadium I've been to.
- Overall, I was very disappointed in not just how the game went, but in every aspect of the experience. I wished it was louder, more hostile, more obnoxious, and wished I saw a whole lot more Pennsyltuckians. Full credit to PSU for getting 90K there most weeks and 110 there Saturday but when you have 700K alums and nothing to do within 2 hours, I'm not sure that is honestly very hard to do. But I felt their fans were pretty tame and lame. The coolest thing was during the timeouts during some songs they'd play the students would sing them.
- Again, maybe its because of the way I came in, but the atmosphere around the stadium was nothing remotely close to Notre Dame or Clemson, or even Virginia Tech as those venues felt like true college football experiences. Penn State had the weird mix of like an NFL but played on a farm. But, I honestly couldn't have been less impressed. Now maybe if I came in a different way and walked through campus it would be different.
- The Penn State people were friendly. Now I was with my family so I didn't expect to be M-F'd but the majority seemed like normal, good people. And maybe it was just where I was sitting but I didn't encounter any rude, obnoxious PSU fans. Actually I thought most around us were too laid back. Maybe it was because I bought more expensive seats on the lower sidelines and those are the richer fans??? Not sure. A part of me thought that this was just truly another game for them because they didn't seem that into it.
- Overall, Beaver Stadium did not seem any louder than Clemson, VT (during their heyday), WVU, or even Heinz during the PSU game last year. The thing that I thought was pretty cool, though, was that every time Barkley got a little opening, the whole place grew in anticipation that he was going to the house and there was such disappointment when he only got 10 yards instead of 60.
- Maybe it was where I was sitting but the place seemed to lack the electricity. Maybe PSU fans were just expecting the W. Maybe it was the boring nature of the game, not sure, but it did not feel hostile or intimidating. Maybe I was just expecting it to be and my expectations were too high.
- They announced 110K but there were several hundred empty blue chairbacks in the lower upper deck endzone that stayed empty the whole game. Not sure what was up with that. Maybe expensive donor seats that they couldn't sell on a season ticket basis?
- I actively looked to see if I can see a black Penn State fan but I honestly did not see any.
- I'd estimate the Pitt crowd at 4000. 3000 in the upper endzone and 1000 bought through brokers scattered throughout the stadium. The nice thing about the throwback colors is most Pitt fans wore them and you can tell the Pitt section because of the royal blue and yellow.
- During one song they play, cant remember which one, they dub in James Franklin saying "dominate the state," but of course this game is just another game.
- They ran a commercial for the women's basketball team but not the men's team which might have a shot at the NCAAT this year.
- Joe Paterno got a loud cheer when they introduced a NC team and said it was coached by Joe Paterno.
- As expected Beaver Stadium is old and decrepid and lacks all types of amenities but the same goes for any college stadium I've been to.
- Overall, I was very disappointed in not just how the game went, but in every aspect of the experience. I wished it was louder, more hostile, more obnoxious, and wished I saw a whole lot more Pennsyltuckians. Full credit to PSU for getting 90K there most weeks and 110 there Saturday but when you have 700K alums and nothing to do within 2 hours, I'm not sure that is honestly very hard to do. But I felt their fans were pretty tame and lame. The coolest thing was during the timeouts during some songs they'd play the students would sing them.