Chicago Tribune: "Ranking the Big Ten's game-day experiences" (PSU #1)

[Judge Smails]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...best-game-day-experiences-20180919-story.html

Leaves are turning. Beer is flowing. Everyone is back on campus.

Ah, college football has returned. Chances are if you’re a Big Ten fan, you’ve returned to your alma mater for equal doses of football and nostalgia.

What makes a perfect Big Ten football experience — besides reminiscing with college friends about your glory days? We weighed factors such as atmosphere, tailgating, tradition, food and even parking to rank the fan experience at each Big Ten venue from best to worst.

Put some of these on your bucket list. Feel free to skip others (hint: the East Coast).


1. Penn State

A whiteout for a night game at Beaver Stadium makes for one of the best atmospheres in college football. (Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times)
More than 100,000 fans descend into a cozy Pennsylvania town every home football weekend and transform it into one of the grandest parties in college sports. Lots open on Thursday night as a pop-up town of white tents and RVs clusters around Beaver Stadium. Students set up camp for first-come, first-served seating in their section, helping build anticipation before game day. Stroll through the tailgating area before kickoff and you’ll likely be invited to share a beer or brat under someone’s tent. It’s hard to beat the raucous atmosphere of a whiteout during a night game in State College with fans chanting: “We are. Penn State.” The downside? Traffic is miserable with a two-lane road in and out of town.

 

[JWB389]

The downside? Traffic is miserable with a two-lane road in and out of town.

Huh?

 

[massimoManca II]

Hmph... I automatically assumed scUM would place 3rd **

 

[psuro]

One negative: Ohio State fans have a rep for being nasty toward those not wearing scarlet and gray

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...best-game-day-experiences-20180919-story.html

Leaves are turning. Beer is flowing. Everyone is back on campus.

Ah, college football has returned. Chances are if you’re a Big Ten fan, you’ve returned to your alma mater for equal doses of football and nostalgia.

What makes a perfect Big Ten football experience — besides reminiscing with college friends about your glory days? We weighed factors such as atmosphere, tailgating, tradition, food and even parking to rank the fan experience at each Big Ten venue from best to worst.

Put some of these on your bucket list. Feel free to skip others (hint: the East Coast).


1. Penn State

A whiteout for a night game at Beaver Stadium makes for one of the best atmospheres in college football. (Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times)
More than 100,000 fans descend into a cozy Pennsylvania town every home football weekend and transform it into one of the grandest parties in college sports. Lots open on Thursday night as a pop-up town of white tents and RVs clusters around Beaver Stadium. Students set up camp for first-come, first-served seating in their section, helping build anticipation before game day. Stroll through the tailgating area before kickoff and you’ll likely be invited to share a beer or brat under someone’s tent. It’s hard to beat the raucous atmosphere of a whiteout during a night game in State College with fans chanting: “We are. Penn State.” The downside? Traffic is miserable with a two-lane road in and out of town.

How is the experience for adults able to really enjoy everything? I've never been when I've been able to get a nice hotel, enjoy the day downtown and on campus beforehand, tailgate with some great food/drink, and then sit in the stands around folks who weren't slobberingly drunk. Anyone have a suite? And get off my lawn (that I paid someone to cut)!

And Barstool Sports' Penn State twitter scares the sh*t out of me.

 

[Pitt_Boss]

I used to tour college football game day experiences with some buddies. I have been to PSU and Michigan home games many times. PSU gets the edge for sure. In fact, I think Michigan is over-rated in that regard. Texas A&M and Tennessee were better for sure, and possibly a few others if I made a ranking. Oddly, we never made it Ohio St even with it being so close.

Usually when we went to these games, we wore the home team's colors or something neutral so we were never really harassed. However, I have seen first-hand opposing fans get treated very badly at PSU so I'd say that is one area for improvement @ PSU. My whole group wore Pitt gear to Texas A&M when Larry Fitzgerald-era Pitt played @A&M and the A&M people were unbelievably friendly and welcoming, it was like Disney World, thought we were being set up for something at first, but no just nice people everywhere. Will never forget that, they deserve props for that.

 

[Obliviax]

I used to tour college football game day experiences with some buddies. I have been to PSU and Michigan home games many times. PSU gets the edge for sure. In fact, I think Michigan is over-rated in that regard. Texas A&M and Tennessee were better for sure, and possibly a few others if I made a ranking. Oddly, we never made it Ohio St even with it being so close.

Usually when we went to these games, we wore the home team's colors or something neutral so we were never really harassed. However, I have seen first-hand opposing fans get treated very badly at PSU so I'd say that is one area for improvement @ PSU. My whole group wore Pitt gear to Texas A&M when Larry Fitzgerald-era Pitt played @A&M and the A&M people were unbelievably friendly and welcoming, it was like Disney World, thought we were being set up for something at first, but no just nice people everywhere. Will never forget that, they deserve props for that.

I recall the T A&M male cheerleader depicting Joe Paterno as dead or needed a casket, or something like that. They wanted to cut the kid and Paterno said to leave him alone, he was just being a kid. We had a good, tough game with them. I always wonder what that kid thinks today. Joe let him off the hook and didn't use it as a tool to fire up the team or press.

 

[Roar More]

Rutgers.. "players walk off the bus and circle a statue of William Leggett, captain of the 1869 team that took down Princeton in the first college football game by the extremely old-school score of 6-4."

Ouch!

 

[PSU87]

Rutgers.. "players walk off the bus and circle a statue of William Leggett, captain of the 1869 team that took down Princeton in the first college football game by the extremely old-school score of 6-4."

Ouch!

Yeah, but they haven't won a meaningful game since.

 

[AWS1022]

Yeah, but they haven't won a meaningful game since.

Yeah, they may want to change their tradition.

 

[NittPicker]

The downside? Traffic is miserable with a two-lane road in and out of town.

Huh?

It sounds like the guy hasn't been to State College for the past couple of decades. Either that or he drove in on Route 322 from the east and experienced that highway from Potter's Mills to Boalsburg. Thing is, that's the only major approach of about five which IS a two lane road.

 

[Roar More]

Yeah, but they haven't won a meaningful game since.

I was thinking more about the 6-4 score.

 

[berklion]

Ouch

Ouch, again

 

[PSU87]

I was thinking more about the 6-4 score.

I know, but as bad as 6-4 was.......Rutgres

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

Huh?

Up till that line, it seemed like she knew what she was talking about.

 

[fastlax16]

Yeah, but they haven't won a meaningful game since.

They rushed the field after beating Michigan not that long ago. That must have been meaningful...

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

One negative: Ohio State fans have a rep for being nasty toward those not wearing scarlet and gray

#culture