Despite chilly forecasts for this weekend, the sun was shining on Beaver Stadium and made for a picturesque backdrop Saturday afternoon when Penn State held off Indiana 34-27.

For many, it was the last home game of the season. And after last week’s loss to Minnesota, something felt different in the air. There lacked the same excitement that had characterized the first few months of the season — which is hard to imagine considering that the Nittany Lions still have a direct path to the College Football Playoff and even with a loss to Ohio State next week, should make a New Year’s Six bowl.

Still, aside from what happened on the field or how into the game the crowd seemed, the Military Appreciation festivities made for a special, heartwarming afternoon. Here’s what we observed from the stands.

Cam Brown Honoring His Father Carrying The Flag

Before the game, Cam Brown led the team out of the tunnel while carrying an American flag and ran it across the field to his father Desmond, a veteran. It was a touching tribute that drew quite a roar from the crowd and the latest such display from the Nittany Lions.

Last year, Amani Oruwariye carried the flag during the Military Appreciation game against Iowa.

Special way to kick off our #MilitaryAppreciation game as senior captain @Freakyy6ix led the team out with an American Flag. Brown presented the flag to his father, a military veteran. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/33ygwAyE1J

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 16, 2019

A Surprise Military Homecoming

Early in the game, the family of Noah Young, who is serving in the United States Navy, was brought onto the field to accept an award in his honor. After the family was introduced, Penn State women’s soccer alumnae and World Cup champions Alyssa Naeher and Ali Krieger joined them on the field to lead a “We Are” cheer. But not before another special surprise appearance was made.

Young came riding onto the field to surprise his family, including wife Kayla. After being reunited, they, along with Naeher and Krieger, led the cheer and left few fans with dry eyes.

A Happy Valley homecoming for Military Appreciation Week pic.twitter.com/S3fbYKq0LX

— Onward State (@OnwardState) November 16, 2019

It's military appreciation day at Beaver Stadium, and one military family was surprised with a reunion between the first and second quarters of today's game.

Oh, and they got to meet Ali Krieger and Alyssa Naeher, too. https://t.co/OU1VHCVAYg pic.twitter.com/4gqBwaL3kB

— Onward State (@OnwardState) November 16, 2019

“We Are” From Overseas 

Young’s “We Are” was one of many cheers led by military members. Videos of Penn Staters overseas screaming the cheer played over and over on the video board.

For the White Out, the gameday production crew played videos of former Penn State players shouting out the team. I like the element the personal element this type of in-between-play segment adds — as opposed to just the on-field host — and am curious what kind of themes they come up with for future games.

Condom Balloons

When there isn’t an unforgettable play liked a blocked-kick field goal or a weather delay or anything else notable to mark a game, Penn State games are remembered for random incidents. Sometimes, they’re cool. Other times, they’re time. Regardless, they’re what we’re all going to talk about as nostalgic alumni sitting in the nosebleed seats for years to come.

Last year, we had the Mo Bamba game against Iowa. In 2017, we had Saquon Barkley’s ripped-my-pants game against Nebraska. This weekend, we had the condom game.

Blown-up condoms floated through the air above the student section throughout the game. One even landed in the end zone in front of the student section on Jake Pinegar’s field goal and popped upon touching down.

The condoms seem to be one of the weirder things to pass through Beaver Stadium, and there’s no saying whether they’ll become a permanent gameday tradition. But they energized the crowd much more so than the game itself. So maybe Blue & White Society will start handing out branded condoms at Gate A.

I Want To Drown In The Ocean Of Trumpets

I’m unsure if this is a common occurrence that I had never noticed because I don’t normally sit where I sat this weekend or if this was something new, but trumpeters from the Blue Band went out into the non-student section crowd to play “Fight On, State.” I thought it was cool to see them among the other fans and a good way to get them into the game.

I’m pretty sure I even saw the beautiful piano man David Brubeck crawl out of one of the trumpets and then this happened: Brubeck and I stood in Section EA, holding hands.