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Gameday Observations: Iowa

Ah, the White Out.

The Greatest Show in College Sports returned in all its glory to Beaver Stadium Saturday, and every moment was memorable. Penn State football blanked Iowa 31-0 en route to the team’s first shutout of a top-25 team since 1999 and handed the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season.

The night was filled with countless Nittany Lion costumes, familiar faces leading raucous “We Are” chants, and 110,830 of our closest friends packing the stadium. Let’s recount some of the best moments of this year’s White Out.

Security Measures Improve From Disastrous 2022 Display

If you were nervous heading to Gate A ahead of this year’s White Out, you weren’t alone. Last year’s crowd control for the 2022 prime-time challenge against Minnesota was a catastrophe and led to the implementation of wristbands for the student section and an increased security presence within the stadium.

This year, while filing into Gate A is no walk in the park an hour before kickoff, it didn’t feel unsafe like it had in years past. Moreover, the student section was filled rather efficiently and few had problems shuffling into the stadium despite record attendance numbers.

Nittany Lion Debuts Fire ‘Fits

Damn, this guy can pull anything off.

This week, the Nittany Lion’s job was “White Out.”

The Symbol of Our Best rolled out a few fun, new outfits to bring some energy to Beaver Stadium throughout the game’s media timeouts. He showcased a white, inflatable suit, a dapper monochromatic ensemble, and a Chick-fil-A-inspired cow print costume.

Nittany Lion, you made the White Out uniquely yours.

“SkeeYee” Rings Through The Valley

Sexyy Red rolling into Beaver Stadium definitely wasn’t one of our 2023 Penn State football prop bets, but the 25-year-old rapper’s appearance in Happy Valley didn’t disappoint in the slightest.

Red led an electric rendition of her summer 2023 hit release “SkeeYee” from the sideline and posed for pictures with a handful of Class of 2024 commits, including four-star safety Dejuan Lane.

The Nittany Lions then celebrated their powerful victory with a postgame locker room celebration full-on dance party to “SkeeYee.”

Legends Return For White Out

Inject Grant Haley at the White Out into our veins.

The Penn State football letterman and former Penn State cornerback served as the team’s honorary captain Saturday and led the stadium with a rowdy, reminiscent “We Are” chant.

Oh, 2016.

Former quarterback Trace McSorley was also slated to appear as an honorary captain but instead met with an NFL team, according to the Family Clothesline.

The Penn State wrestling team got to celebrate its 2023 National Championship and lift its trophy in front of the crowd while leading a “We Are” chant, and former Penn State hoops shooting guard and current NBA rookie Seth Lundy pumped up the stadium, too.

Beaver Stadium Tallies Second-Largest Attendance In Stadium History

Penn State showed up in droves to this year’s White Out. Exactly 110,830 fans answered the Nittany Lions’ White Out-call and recorded Beaver Stadium’s second-largest attendance in its history.

The crowd was just 59 folks short of Beaver Stadium’s all-time attendance record from Penn State’s one-point White Out loss to Ohio State in 2018.

Weather-Specific Song Becomes Rainy Game Crowd Favorite

“Someone told me long ago there’s a calm before the storm. I know, it’s been coming for some time.”

Some could say Penn State’s shutout victory over Iowa had been brewing since 2021 when the Nittany Lions’ undefeated streak was snapped in an ugly, injury-plagued Big Ten battle in Kinnick Stadium.

Two years later, Penn State left no questions unanswered in its soggy White Out rematch that had “been coming for some time.”

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” blasted through Beaver Stadium a few times and energized the sopping crowd during timeouts, instantly becoming a classic 2023 White Out anthem.

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About the Author

Keeley Lamm

Keeley was Onward State’s managing editor and social media manager in another life. She was also the host of Onward State’s podcast, Podward State. Hopefully she's sitting on a porch somewhere, and you can reach her at [email protected].

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