Penn State football is 1-0 under Matt Campbell, folks.

The Nittany Lions tamed the Thundering Herd 45-0 on Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium behind overpowering offensive performances and a suffocating defense. The win can be pinned down to Rocco Becht’s pinpoint precision, Koby Howard’s breakout of receiving prowess, and Caleb Bacon’s defensive dominance, but the players are simply thankful for the Beaver Stadium crowd.

It was the first time Penn State fans were able to see the new-look Nittany Lions out on the field in an actual game. The starting lineup was constructed of Penn State returners, Iowa State newcomers, and other transfers alike. For the ones who completed their first experience in Beaver Stadium, the afternoon was nothing short of extraordinary.

“It’s pretty crazy, pretty special. It’s probably going to hit me a little bit tonight as well when I’m going to bed,” Becht said following his four-touchdown performance. “Just to see everything click together for the first time with 60 new players coming in, it’s really hard to go out there and have minimal mistakes. So, we did a great job today, and I’m super proud of everybody.”

Beaver Stadium was filled with 108,489 people for Campbell’s debut as Penn State’s head coach. Most of the Iowa State transfers have never experienced playing in a historic venue that big, with over 100,000 people screaming their heads off.

The Penn State faithful didn’t produce a signature play that threw Marshall off like the Michigan first-play timeout or the endless forced false starts in the White Out, but the players felt the stadium’s magnitude nonetheless.

“It was definitely electric. I haven’t, obviously, I haven’t been in that stadium with any fans other than the spring game, so it was crazy to see,” Brett Eskildsen said postgame.

Eskildsen’s first-quarter 25-yard score off a screen from Becht blew the roof off Beaver Stadium immediately after Howard’s energizing 42-yard touchdown. The Nittany Lions have given the fans something to cheer about, and that propelled them to continue piling it on the Thundering Herd.

Penn State outplayed Marshall in every facet of the game. It outgained the Thundering Herd by 340 yards. Penn State’s three quarterbacks in Becht, Alex Manske, and Connor Barry outhrew Marshall’s Carlos Del-Rio Wilson and Zion Turner by 221 yards. The Nittany Lions pitched a shutout and registered two takeaways. The game felt out of reach by the end of the first quarter.

Despite the team’s stellar performance to open the season, Campbell made sure that neither the players nor the coaching staff were the first people he thanked after the game.

“A sincere thank you to [our] fan base, our student body. It was really special to be a part of this for the first time, and I know so many people have said how special it is to play football here,” Campbell said. “It was really special to coach here today. The environment was second to none.”

Manske registered his first Penn State snaps against the Thundering Herd, entering the game in the third quarter once Campbell pulled Becht for rest. Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser raved about Manske heading into the game, saying that he was too good through camp to not play him.

Manske completed 6-of-8 passes for 57 yards before Barry got a shot under center. After going through open-heart surgery in the offseason, Manske couldn’t think of a better place to return to football.

“It was a little emotional. I think it was really rewarding after going through everything. It was really fun just to be back out there and playing football again,” Manske said.

Campbell wanted to prep the squad for the Beaver Stadium environment before ever setting foot on the field for a real game. Campbell brought Penn State letterman Jordan Hill to speak to the team earlier in the week about what it feels like to play on the hallowed ground.

“Anytime you hear a former letterman talk about what happens in that stadium, it’s super powerful. Obviously, they describe it to a T … I remember him specifically saying, ‘You’re not going to know what happened. The words won’t describe what it is,'” Bacon said. “I can’t wait to be playing there this fall. Can’t wait for the White Out game.”

It’s clear that the players were truly astounded by Beaver Stadium’s magnitude and energy, but there were none possibly more so than senior linebacker Kooper Ebel. Ebel spent the first three years of his college career with Campbell at Iowa State, racking up experience and trust.

He was a major domino toppler in the transfer portal when Campbell agreed to become Penn State’s head coach, and the moment of stepping out into Beaver Stadium as the defense’s ‘green dot’ was a full-circle moment for him.

“There’s no better feeling. That’s why I play football. That’s why a lot of us play football, is for moments like that. 108,000, I think they said, was at the stadium today. Those guys, they got our back. They’re cheering loud, and we’re super excited and fortunate to have them,” Ebel said.

It’s no longer a new era, folks. Now, it’s just the current era. These are the current faces and leadership of the program.

Beaver Stadium, though? It might look different, but its aura hasn’t changed, and it looks like it never will.