Penn State football took down Michigan 28-21 on Saturday night under White Out conditions at Beaver Stadium.

The annual White Out is one of college football’s most special and electric atmospheres, and it’s an experience many claim you need to attend to truly understand how incredible it truly is.

Many Penn Staters get their first taste of the White Out as wide-eyed freshmen a few weeks into their first semesters of college. Our first-year staff members tried to put into words what Saturday and the greatest atmosphere in college football was really like.

Gabe Angieri

The day started with me waking up at 4 a.m. for College GameDay. Waiting on line was actually fun — despite the fact that it was freezing cold. I probably won’t do it again, but it’s a thing you have to do at least once. College GameDay itself was an awesome experience.

The White Out was the greatest atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of, and it was also one of the greatest experiences of my life. Overall, the day was everything I thought it would be and more.

Ava Brendgord

My first White Out was more than I could have ever imagined. As soon as I walked into Beaver Stadium, I could tell this wasn’t a typical home game at Penn State. I could feel the excitement and electricity from the crowd hours before the game even started.

The student section was packed with screaming fans dressed head to toe (literally) in white and it was amazing. Seeing more than 110,000 fans dressed and chanting in unison truly is an incredible sight to see.

I had always heard people talking about how amazing the White Out is, but I finally understand that now. The passionate spirit and atmosphere of the game suck you in, and before I knew it, I was jumping up and down, chest-bumping my girlfriends, and chanting “WE ARE PENN STATE!” like there was no tomorrow.

Matt Noah

I entered this White Out weekend with high expectations — especially knowing that tickets for this weekend’s game started north of $100. However, seeing Beaver Stadium packed and rocking an hour before the game was incredibly special.

The White Out was the loudest stadium environment I have ever been a part of. I had lost my voice by halftime. Every play that Penn State did anything the crowd would instantly erupt. Big credit to Beaver Stadium Music Man PJ Mullen for consistently keeping the crowd engaged with excellent music choices (read: “Mo Bamba”). Saturday was definitely a night I will never forget, and it also didn’t hurt that Penn State came away with the win.

Colleen Nersten

The White Out was everything I could’ve asked for and more. I skipped out on a wedding this weekend, so my expectations were pretty damn high. Once the College GameDay trucks started showing up on campus earlier this week, the student body exploded in excitement, me included.

Overall, this was a really special weekend. It was an exhausting few days, but I wouldn’t change a thing about them. I was truly blown away by the energy that was in the stadium — even more than an hour before kickoff. It gave me chills. My first White Out as a student is something that I will truly never forget.

Lily Whitmoyer

Saturday wasn’t my first White Out game, but it was my first one as a Penn State student. There are no words to describe the feeling of standing squished between several thousand people who love Penn State football as much as you do.

Every emotion – joy, stress, excitement, and frustration – was heightened as a result of the electrifying atmosphere. From singing “Sweet Caroline” as loud as I possibly could to cheering and almost falling off the bench when Pat Freiermuth caught a touchdown pass right in front of me, I couldn’t have asked for a better first White Out in the student section.

Alysa Rubin

Going into White Out weekend, I thought I had a rough idea of what to expect. I figured I’d sleep in a little, tailgate all afternoon, and get in line for Gate A an hour before kickoff. Little did I know just how off my expectations were.

From waking up at 7:30 a.m. for College GameDay to jumping around the tailgating lots all afternoon to sprinting to our seats as soon as Gate A opened, my first White Out was Penn State football like I had never experienced it before. Everywhere I went, I saw an endless sea of white. I truly felt like I was one with the Penn State family while decked out in my white shirt, pants, and shoes.

I thanked my lucky stars that I was not a Michigan fan because I would’ve been too scared to walk around in broad daylight. The game itself was nerve-wracking, but the atmosphere around me kept me on my feet and screaming my lungs out during every second of the contest. Each cheer from the student section surrounding me carried more passion and excitement than any other sporting event I’ve ever been to.

Being from around Philly, I’ve been to plenty of high-profile sporting events. Nothing can compare to what I felt at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night. It was truly indescribable, and I’m pretty sure my life has forever been changed by this experience.

Lauren Wysseier

My first White Out as a Penn State student undoubtedly exceeded all of my expectations. My day started at 4 a.m. as I dragged my delirious self on two hours of sleep to stand in line for the College GameDay pit. Sure, I was exhausted and on the verge of catching frostbite as I waited for the pit to open, but it was honestly an awesome experience that I’ll never forget.

The real highlight of Saturday was, of course, the actual White Out game. My whole life, I’ve been told that a primetime White Out at Beaver Stadium is an extraordinary life experience — especially by my dad, a passionate Penn State alum. But nobody can really put into words how incredible it is. The roar and energy of the crowd is truly unmatched, especially when Penn State beats Michigan on home turf.

I’m already counting down the days until next year’s White Out.

Jared Raggi

The White Out was a game I’ll never forget. To be able to be part of College GameDay, a show I’ve watched religiously since I was in elementary school, was a dream come true. From that to the tailgates, my legs were ready to fall off by the time I made it into Beaver Stadium. But I wouldn’t trade the pain I stood through during the game for anything in the world.

Walking into the stadium an hour early and getting a seat two rows from the top of the student section made me realize how intense this was going to be. Right before the game started, I looked around and took everything in.

Almost everybody in the stadium was wearing white, and when the ball was kicked off, they were all rooting for the same outcome together. Beaver Stadium was one huge family on Saturday — a family I’m excited to be a part of for the next four years.