Penn State news by
Penn State's student blog

Topics

More

Gameday Observations: Buffalo

Few things are better than an early-September night game.

You spend all day tailgating in beautiful weather before taking your seat inside of Beaver Stadium as the sun sets. It’s neither too hot nor too cold and even better when Penn State beats up on the opponent, so you can just enjoy the atmosphere and one of the year’s last few warm evenings.

Other than one weird, frustrating, and confusing half of a game, this past Saturday was just that: everything you could ask for for a day in Happy Valley. The sun shone. The birds chirped. Another banner challenging President Eric Barron’s handling of Joe Paterno made an appearance. And we were treated to another great day of football.

Gate A: Still A Shitshow

The second week of mobile ticketing had similarly-mixed results as the first. Plenty of students were still disgruntled by the change, its confusing procedures, and the ensuing slow-moving lines, but still, others reported no struggles whatsoever.

My group again needed to go to the resolution booth, as one friend still had phone troubles. The line we waited on wound around the gated area, but I can’t say it would’ve been much better had we gotten in one of the normal lines. They seemed to be as equally stagnant, for whatever reason.

It took about an hour for us to get to our seats, so we didn’t sit down until there were fewer than ten minutes left in the first quarter. I understand that it’s only the second week with this new system and that it’s complicated both for students and the ushers to adapt to, but an already-aggravating process seems to have somehow gotten worse and less predictable.

I’ll continue hoping for the best and that it will all come together eventually, but until then, I am dreading how much crazier Gate A is going to be next week against Pitt.

Only Real Ones Stay For The Alma Mater

I get that it was night game. And against Buffalo. And not close whatsoever at the end. But the student section disappointingly deteriorated during the fourth quarter.

Here’s what it looked like during the singing of the Alma Mater:

Forgive me for sounding like an angry Facebook commenter who goes on and on about how they walked to class in 10 inches of snow and how “Joe wouldn’t stand for this!” but staying until the very end is supposed to be one of our most sacred traditions.

Either way, the song still sounded as glorious as ever.

Cheering Evan Finegan

Buffalo punter Evan Finegan suffered a gruesome injury that silenced all of Beaver Stadium. Fans paid a quiet tribute to Finegan as he laid on the ground in pain before cheering him on as he was carted off the field. It was a touching moment of solidarity and support that best-captured the so-called “Happy Valley Hospitality” better than any tacky promotion on the big screen. Fans and players have also reached out to Finegan on social media since the injury.

We at Onward State wish Evan the best during his recovery.

Still No First Down Cheer

We still have yet to hear the new first down cheer that was introduced at “Be A Part From The Start” last month. Where has it been?

An Out-Of-This-World Halftime Show

The Blue Band has been BRINGING IT with its halftime shows this year. Its boy band tribute halftime show last week had plenty of catchy songs that were great to sing along to. Complete with fireworks and unique on-field formations, this weekend’s show went even further while commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.

The Playlist

It felt like Beaver Stadium again with “Sweet Caroline,” “Livin’ On A Prayer,” and “Mr. Brightside,” which were all absent last week, queued up, in addition to other classics like “Zombie Nation.”

However, the biggest music-related story Saturday was the debut of Music Man PJ Mullen’s remix of “Year 3000” and “Encore.” With Joe Jonas not in attendance and no imminent JoBros concert, Mullen didn’t play too much by the band. However, he did prove once again that you can add Jay-Z saying “Oh!” to any song and make it better — even if it’s one as monumental as “Year 3000.”

Quote Of The Day

“I’ll give you $30 for that shirt. Do you take Venmo?”

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.

[Photo Story] Elevated Views From Happy Valley

Our photographers looked down and saw the world below from a handful of elevated vantage points.

Penn State’s Restorative Justice Initiative Offering Bachelor’s Degrees To Incarcerated Individuals

The program will allow incarcerated persons to work toward a degree while in prison.

WBIT Creating Newfound Attention For Women’s College Basketball

The Lady Lions are headed to the semifinals after an energetic win in the last home game of the season.

Follow on Another Platform
113kFollowers
164kFollowers
59.4kFollowers
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