Penn State football is still more than a month away from its White Out game against Washington on November 9.

However, recent developments across college football have put the decision to make the Huskies the White Out opponent into question.

Undefeated Illinois will journey to Beaver Stadium this Saturday as the 19th-ranked team in the nation. Coming into the season, few people believed that the Fighting Illini would even be ranked.

Washington, meanwhile, has had a relatively slow start to the season. The Huskies currently sit outside of the AP Top 25 and already have a loss on their resume.

The Illinois game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m., making it the only guaranteed night game of the season thus far.

Because of the circumstances, James Franklin has called for “White Out energy” in the stadium this weekend. Many fans have taken it a step further, pledging to wear white to the game as well. Though the atmosphere in Beaver Stadium may resemble monochromatic mayhem, Penn State Athletics isn’t allowed to call the game a White Out due to contractual obligations.

Two of our writers debated whether or not Penn State made the right call on denying the Illinois game White Out status.

Michael Siroty: Illinois Should Have Been The White Out

Listen, I absolutely understand that nobody, myself included, expected Illinois to be ranked No. 19 when it came to Happy Valley. However, nobody expected Washington to be good either. Yes, the Huskies went to the College Football Playoff last year, but they also lost their Heisman contender quarterback Michael Penix Jr., star wide receiver Rome Odunze, and head coach Kalen DeBoer, just to name a few.

I also see the point that the Huskies are a new team to the Big Ten with a decent brand, so it makes for an exciting change of scenery for a White Out. However, three years ago, Penn State’s White Out game was against Auburn, not even a conference opponent, so that argument for Washington is off the board.

Let me get back to the initial question of whether it should’ve been Illinois being the White Out opponent. My simple answer is yes. The first reason why I believe Penn State should’ve scheduled the White Out against the Fighting Illini is the weather.

Late September still calls for 70º weather, while a game on November 9 would likely be around 30º. Sure, football in the cold is cool in some instances, but it’s a lot more comfortable to enjoy a September game than a November game, and more people have white T-shirts and hoodies than white puffer jackets.

The next reason I believe Illinois should’ve gotten the nod to be Penn State’s White Out opponent is the fact that it could’ve been a tone-setter for the rest of the season. With three non-conference games under their belt, the Nittany Lions haven’t set the tone for the season and an early-season White Out would do exactly that.

The fans would be fired up if Penn State dominated Illinois in front of 110,000 folks all wearing white. A late-season White Out doesn’t do much for momentum, as the toughest games will be in the rearview mirror at that point.

Illinois has looked very good to start the season, and the Illini coming to town this weekend ranked in the top 20 would’ve made for an electric White Out. I urge all fans to wear that one certain color we’ve been talking about, even though it might not be made official on the schedule.

Jamie Lynch: ‘White Out Energy’ Will Suffice

I am really excited for the game on Saturday. Let me rephrase that. I am ecstatic for the game on Saturday. Nothing beats a Beaver Stadium game under the lights against a top-25 opponent.

But would I be this ecstatic if the famous Penn State White Out was scheduled to commence when the Fighting Illini came to town? Probably not.

Here’s a hot take for you all: One of the main reasons this game is receiving so much attention is because it’s not the White Out. If the White Out was slated to occur this weekend, the fan energy toward Illinois would be more of, “Well, at least they’re ranked,” rather than a newfound eagerness.

The effort by fans to coordinate an environment that will encapsulate “White Out energy” is creating a buzz that will last for the week leading up to the game, energizing the team and Nittany Lion faithful alike. Essentially, because the Athletics didn’t give Illinois the White Out treatment, we get the anticipation of two. Surprise, surprise.

Let me give you a brief history lesson. In 2016 and 2017, Penn State fans called for two “unofficial” White Outs. One was against Iowa, and the other against Pitt (student section only). While these two opponents weren’t the most high-profile teams on the schedule, they marched into Beaver Stadium during pivotal points of the season.

What happened? Penn State blew them out. Illinois falls into a nearly identical category. Its lack of brand recognition is not worthy of an official White Out, but the rebellious nature of an impromptu one will make for a uniquely imposing environment — just what James Franklin’s squad needs early in the season. While Washington may be unranked, let’s not forget that it is the national runner-up.

I will conclude by saying this: When we arrive in late October, we fans will still have so much to look forward to in the season. Envision a victory over Ohio State, followed by a White Out to solidify Big Ten Championship hopes. Or, say we lose a few games before the November 9 date with the Huskies. At least we will still have the White Out to look forward to, right?

Don’t kid yourselves, folks. If the Greatest Show in College Sports was announced as the Illinois game, you would not have been happy. I kept receipts.