Topics

More

Meet The Sean Clifford Fanatic From College GameDay In Texas

Penn State alumnus and Texas transplant Ryan Tracy is waiting for the Nittany Lions to earn a bid to the Cotton Bowl.

After graduating in 2016, Tracy moved to Houston to take a job as a risk engineer with a property insurance company. Since then, he’s only made it back to Happy Valley for one (albeit worthwhile) football game — the 2016 White Out against Ohio State.

If hell freezes over and Penn State somehow weasels its way into the College Football Playoff, Tracy might get to see his alma mater play for a second time since graduation and in a semifinal game three hours from his new home. But if not, he’d still have a memorable experience of rooting for the Nittany Lions this season.

Tracy attended ESPN’s College GameDay in Dallas this weekend before Texas played Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown at AT&T Stadium. He drove up to the game from Houston with some Texas alumni friends and eagerly got in line early Saturday morning to attend GameDay. After all, the show never visited Penn State during Tracy’s time in Happy Valley (or at all since 2009), but has now come twice in the three years since he graduated.

Tracy proudly waved a sign that read “Sean Clifford For Heisman” at the front of the crowd of the live pregame show, much to the approval of fans on Twitter and Penn State’s student news Sean Clifford blog.

“I always wanted to make a sign and hold it up,” Tracy said. “I thought to myself, ‘I can make another sign about hating Baker Mayfield and blend in,’ or I can do something for Penn State and make it easy for my friends and family to see me on TV.

“It’s cool what [Clifford] has done in his limited opportunities this season. He’s definitely living it up in his moments and I’m excited for the future because of him.”

In a sea of burnt orange and crimson, Tracy, dressed in all white, certainly made it easy for his friends, family, and fellow Cliffordian disciples to find him. 

Tracy’s dedication got us wondering: What if we aren’t thinking big enough with our SeanCliffordForHeisman.com campaign? What if there’s something left to be done, á la Ol’ Crimson? What if Penn State is exactly the type of university with alumni obsessed enough to rain on host schools’ parades by bragging about how the nation’s top statistically performing quarterback and deserved Heisman frontrunner doesn’t even need to start?

To answer these questions and expand our movement offline, we’ve started a petition to make Sean Clifford For Heisman signs a weekly institution on College GameDay. Like Washington State fans with Ol’ Crimson, we want Sean Clifford For Heisman signs at every taping of College GameDay so we can spread the Gospel according to Sean on national television every single Saturday.

Sign and share to show your support and help bolster Clifford’s Heisman campaign, beginning with GameDay’s taping at Michigan next weekend.

Ann Arbor, SeanCliffordForHeisman.com is coming to your city.

Your ad blocker is on.

Please choose an option below.

Sign up for our e-mail newsletter:
OR
Support quality journalism:
Purchase a Subscription!

About the Author

Anthony Colucci

Anthony Colucci was once Onward State’s managing editor and preferred walk-on honors student who majored in psychology and public relations. Despite being from the make-believe land of Central Jersey, he was never a Rutgers fan. If you ever want to know how good Saquon Barkley's ball security is, ask Anthony what happened when he tried to force a fumble at the Mifflin Streak. If you want to hear the story or are bored and want to share prequel memes, follow @_anthonycolucci on Twitter or email him at [email protected]. All other requests and complaints should be directed to Onward State media contact emeritus Steve Connelly.

Meet The Penn Staters Competing In The Paris Olympics

Twenty-one current and former Penn State athletes will appear in the Paris Olympic Games.

Penn State Football Four-Star Commit Max Granville Reclassifies To Class Of 2024

Granville, who was previously in the class of 2025, will join the program this summer.

News & Notes From James Franklin’s Big Ten Media Days Availability

Franklin addressed the media on day two of Big Ten Media Days Wednesday.

113kFollowers
164kFollowers
60kFollowers
4,570Subscribers
Other posts by Anthony

An Open Letter To My Sedated Self: Anthony Colucci’s Senior Column

“No challenge you encounter in college will come close to the obstacles you overcame to get there. However, that drive to do things your own way and disregard for what’s seen as ‘normal’ or ‘expected’ will carry on.”

4 Lessons I Learned From Cael Sanderson After Covering Him For 4 Years

Play Penn State-Themed Family Feud