Well, folks, Penn State football was back in Beaver Stadium.

The Nittany Lions had a hard-fought battle against Indiana on Saturday, coming so close to their first win since the White Out, before losing by just inches. We were back home to watch the game and everything around the stadium.

Fans Showed Up, Although A Bit Late

Penn State fans are loyal. The student section was a bit empty about 30 minutes before kickoff, leading many to think that the students had given up and chosen tailgates instead. But they made their way into the stadium, turning it into a full student section and bringing the needed energy back. It’s a noon game, of course, there will be some late stragglers. When the team needs them most, the students are still pulling through.

Pack Of Shirtless Fans Kept Growing

In the first quarter, there were a handful of shirtless fans in the upper right corner of the student section. Throughout the game, it kept growing, heading down the bleachers and recruiting more dedicated fans to their cause. At one point, a dad even joined, carrying his shirtless young son on his shoulders and jumping with the students. If you build it, they will come.

Helmet Stripe Struggled

The matchup against Indiana marked Penn State’s helmet stripe game, attempting for a 90% White Out with a navy stripe down the middle of the field. It did not go as planned. Many students didn’t get the memo to wear white, and there were navy shirts throughout the whole stadium. Indiana fans had a decent showing, too, with red scattered everywhere you looked, no strong helmet stripe in sight.

Fans Ready To Rush The Field

While the student section definitely lost some people around halftime, the majority of fans stuck out the game for good reason. In the final minutes of the game, with Penn State leading and a win in sight, many fans headed to the section behind the goal posts, filing into the bleachers as close to the field as they could get. Whispers were heard all around to get as close as possible and be ready to rush the field if the upset happened, with security on alert. Of course, we know how the game ended, and fans threw their shakers and headed right for the exit instead.

See you again in Beaver for the Nebraska game!