To FOX and Big Noon Kickoff,

Please, for the love of everything blue and white, push back the time for Penn State football’s faceoff against Ohio State on Saturday, November 2. I’m begging you.

On Monday, Penn State Athletics and the Big Ten announced that the Ohio State game will kick off at noon and broadcast on FOX, sparking a mixed reaction from the Penn State community via Twitter.

Happy Valley, get ready for an afternoon thriller

vs. Ohio State
Noon#WeArePennState pic.twitter.com/wtsz2ywBbx

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) October 21, 2024

Take the time to read some of the comments — a majority are against FOX picking this specific game for Big Noon Kickoff.

Historically, FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” showcases the biggest games in the biggest time slot, so it makes sense for two Big Ten teams in the top five to be selected for that weekend. It might be a good move for FOX, but frankly, it’s not for the fan experience and Penn State’s historical and energetic gameday atmosphere.

Plus, we already had a Big Noon Kickoff this season at Beaver Stadium. Another one wasn’t really on my 2024 bingo card.

With No. 4 Ohio State, one of No. 3 Penn State’s biggest historical rivals, playing in Beaver Stadium and former President Donald Trump potentially making another visit for the game, Happy Valley is going to be a logistical nightmare.

On top of the typical, early tailgating and preparations that come along with noon games, given that the Ohio State game is one of the most highly anticipated games of the season year after year, movement in and around the stadium will be pretty hectic. Why add to the stress? Why not change it to a night game?

The traffic, security, and attendance for a normal noon game tend to already be heightened with extra precautionary measures put in place to ensure the fan experience is as safe and fun as possible. After all, the average attendance in Beaver Stadium reaches over 105,000 fans per home game.

Throw Trump making an appearance into the mix, and that’s even more security, even more foot and street traffic, and likely an even bigger crowd. So, why start the game so early?

Having just one of these factors for a home game already impacts the overall game-day experience. But having all three of them combined into one game? That’s a lot, to say the least. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

The game, which is meant to be about football, becomes something else entirely — a complicated hassle for all folks involved, including the fans who want to celebrate their team, in their town, in the second largest stadium in the country.

Let’s face it. No one wants to get up at the crack of dawn and face all the extra protocols and craziness. Are Penn State fans really expected to show up to the stadium two or three hours early to make it just in time for kickoff?

Don’t even get me started on what the lines and process at the gates will look like, especially Gate A and especially at 9 a.m. That’s a potential disaster in itself. This is the thanks decades worth of students get for creating “the best student section in the county by far?”

By making kickoff at a later time, like 3:30 or 7:30 p.m., some of that stress will be alleviated. It not only gives the stadium, security, and police all more time to prepare for the day, but it also allows fans to have enough to get from tailgating lots, downtown, and campus calmly and safely.

There’s something inherently different about a noon kickoff versus a later game. Noon games rush the overall fan experience. No tailgate should have to start with the sunrise. Fans don’t want to wake up before the sun comes up and hike over to the stadium and tailgating lots.

Late afternoon or evening matchups let fans soak up the day and prepare for what’s ahead. Let it play out in the prime-time spotlight it deserves.

To put it bluntly, having this game at noon is anything but the smart or right decision — it will completely take away the Penn State fan experience we all know and love. Not just for current students and community members but the alumni, family, and friends who are making the trip for the big game, too. That’s not fair to them.

Pushing back the time ensures more safety, less stress, and most importantly more time — more time to get to Happy Valley, more time to get inside Beaver Stadium, more time to tailgate, and more time to prepare for what’s expected to be a long day and stressful game.

Besides, crowd control during gamedays hasn’t always gone smoothly. The security and safety measures taken during the student section during the 2022 White Out game are a prime example. History doesn’t have to repeat itself. Fans should be able to get into the stadium in an efficient, timely manner.

On top of this, what about the potential protests and threats that come with a former president coming to such a big game at such a big school? Shouldn’t the community be given enough time to prepare for that? Shouldn’t police have enough time to handle crowd control? I don’t think cops on horses alone can control the potential marches, protests, or vandalism that may pose the gameday experience.

Whether you support Trump or not, it should be apparent that his planned appearance is an extraordinary scenario that heightens the stakes, security protocols, and pressure for fans, staff, and the entire community.

Moving this game to a later time isn’t just a gift that will positively impact Penn State. It’s a gift to the spectacle, the sport, and the thousands of Penn State and Ohio State fans who have waited months for this game.

From all of us who’ll be in Beaver Stadium, standing shoulder to shoulder in a crowd of thousands of fans, in a sea of blue and white: don’t make us set our alarms at 5 a.m. Don’t force fans to stress even more. Show this game, the team, and its fans the respect they all deserve.

Do the right thing, FOX.