USC football, Penn State’s White Out opponent, made headlines during Week 0 of the college football season for all the wrong reasons.

The Trojans went viral for an embarrassingly empty stadium, which the school claims had just 51,144 fans in attendance for a 42-26 win over San Jose State on Saturday. For reference, USC’s stadium currently holds just over 77,000 fans.

According to Barstool USC, however, not attending the season opener is ok if it’s just too hot out.

Maybe because people don’t want to sit in triple digit weather https://t.co/C6lS3WSQdZ

— Barstool USC (@BarstoolSC) August 29, 2026

USC also released a statement explaining why fans did not attend the match-up, though a passive-aggressive tone leaves one to believe not everyone involved was too pleased with the “dress like a seat” theme the USC students pulled off.

“We understand the factors that impacted Saturday’s attendance,” the statement reads. “We have high expectations and a premier home schedule this season, and we know the competitive advantage an electric Coliseum atmosphere can provide our program. We thank our fans who showed up Saturday and look forward to seeing increased attendance the rest of the season.”

We at Onward State worry about what USC fans might go through when they see 110,000 fans in white come October 10.

With that said, we decided to compile a list of Penn State things that are harder than attending a USC football game.

Attending A Home Playoff Game

Look, USC fans, we know the Trojans haven’t exactly been relevant since the iPhone came out, but while you were watching Penn State vs. SMU from your couch in 2024, you may have seen posts on social media about just how cold it gets in Happy Valley.

Deep in December, 106,013 Penn State fans battled 15° weather with wind up to 30 miles per hour. Not only did those fans show up, but they produced one of the noisiest environments Beaver Stadium has seen in years and helped Penn State win 38-10.

Walking Up Shortlidge Road

Those who have made the trek from downtown State College to the top of Shortlidge Road for a class know that their body temperature almost certainly reaches the much-feared triple digits USC fans talked about.

Nothing is worse than showing up to class drenched in sweat and out of breath.

We would much rather watch Lincoln Riley’s defense give up 26 points to San Jose State than make this walk.

Predicting Penn State Football’s Uniforms

Penn State football has had almost the same uniforms since it adopted the iconic plain white helmet in 1975, but it could still be argued that attending a USC game is easier than guessing the jerseys each year.

Take this season, for example: was anyone really 100% sure Adidas would keep the Nike template? We are 100% sure, however, that USC football tickets were only $9 this week, and more than 51,000 people in the Los Angeles area were able to afford them.

Deciding What Bar To Go To

There are countless bars in downtown State College, and almost every single one brings something interesting to the table.

Whether you’re a Shandy Gaff person, a Doggies person, or a Champs person, every Penn State student of legal drinking age has had a debate with friends on where to go.

Sometimes, by the time you have decided where to indulge in a few beverages, you could have made it to the Coliseum and back.