The Truth about the "Sea of Red" yesterday

[africamurphy]

Tired of hearing about the "amazing" Utah fans and how they dominated the Rose Bowl. Some insights from someone who was there...

1. Calling a white out was dumb. If it was warm, sunny day...maybe it would have worked better. But in rainy, cold weather people just don't have jackets and coats and rain gear that is white. Group after group of PSU fan walked past us in blue/gray/black...I would guess that MAYBE half of PSU fans were actually in white. Many of them either didn't hear about the white out...or they didn't have warm clothing that was white.

2. Utah's main color is red. I bet every Utah fan had a red sweatshirt or jacket or coat at home. If it was a hot day, they may have been MORE likely to wear "not red." But when it's your team's main "coat color" it's what you wear on a dreary day like yesterday.

3. My guess is that the crowd was split 60-40 Utah to PSU. Of course they had more...we had a good (not great) season and our fans are centralized 2000 miles farther away from Pasadena than Utah's. But it wasn't a "sea of red" in reality. The actual breakdown was something like 50% red, 20% white, and 30% other (with PSU fans making up the majority of the "other" colors with their blue sweatshirts and black jackets). 50 to 20 (red to white) did make it look like a dominant Utah crowd...but it wasn't that bad.

 

[PSUSignore]

It's quite simple, the Rose Bowl allocates more tickets to the PAC 12 team, I assume due to proximity. PSU sold out their allotment so any claims that they didn't travel well are untrue, it's just that the Rose doesn't split the stadium 50/50.

 

[WIP2001]

Was at game and thought both fanbases turned out in a big way, showed passion and acted with class.

Pushing for our fans to wear white isn’t dumb. If you spend thousands to go to the game you can spend $75 on a white psu hoodie with a base layer and a clear disposable poncho just in case.

 

[PSU2UNC]

Tired of hearing about the "amazing" Utah fans and how they dominated the Rose Bowl. Some insights from someone who was there...

1. If it was warm, sunny day...maybe it would have worked better. But in rainy, cold weather people just don't have jackets and coats and rain gear that is white.

This isn't an issue at home for white outs, but I think for people that go to Beaver Stadium somewhat frequently they have cold weather gear that is white specifically for that reason. My guess is that you had a lot of west coast PSU fans that don't normally get back for home games (and therefore don't have as much white attire) in attendance. It's fine and the white looked good on TV. The Big Ten team will never have as many fans as the Pac Twelve team, but as pointed out above, PSU sold out their allotment and were loud.

 

[JWB389]

White doesn't travel well.

I saw the announced attendace was 95K. It's not even a secret that the PAC 12 gets more tickets and it's obvious there were more Utah fans there. The PSU fans seemed just as loud as the Utah fans over the TV.

I need to find the "Pitt fans say the darndest things" thread, becasue there is a monumental thread over there dissing our attendance.

 

[Ralphie_]

In the pre-game radio show Steve Jones said the PAC 12 gets 40,000 and and the B1G gets 20-22K tickets.

 

[ryoder1]

I was at the game and I think most PSU fans wore white. I was surprised Utah had that many fans in attendance even though I understand the Pac 12 gets more tickets. The big difference was they filled in half the endzone in our seating area (to the right of where the PSU section was and where the Blue Band was) which I think is unusual. I think those sections are more 50 50. They brought more than U$C had for the 2017 game.

As for being loud, I thought we were okay but could have been better. I am very loud and boisterous when attending games so I am a hard judge. Utah fans were no louder than us but had the big advantage of outnumbering us. I would estimate of the 95,000, 25,000 PSU, 60,000 Utah, 10,000 neutral. Franklin called it an away game in the post game interview, a bit of a slam.

 

[voltz99]

Tired of hearing about the "amazing" Utah fans and how they dominated the Rose Bowl. Some insights from someone who was there...

1. Calling a white out was dumb. If it was warm, sunny day...maybe it would have worked better. But in rainy, cold weather people just don't have jackets and coats and rain gear that is white. Group after group of PSU fan walked past us in blue/gray/black...I would guess that MAYBE half of PSU fans were actually in white. Many of them either didn't hear about the white out...or they didn't have warm clothing that was white.

2. Utah's main color is red. I bet every Utah fan had a red sweatshirt or jacket or coat at home. If it was a hot day, they may have been MORE likely to wear "not red." But when it's your team's main "coat color" it's what you wear on a dreary day like yesterday.

3. My guess is that the crowd was split 60-40 Utah to PSU. Of course they had more...we had a good (not great) season and our fans are centralized 2000 miles farther away from Pasadena than Utah's. But it wasn't a "sea of red" in reality. The actual breakdown was something like 50% red, 20% white, and 30% other (with PSU fans making up the majority of the "other" colors with their blue sweatshirts and black jackets). 50 to 20 (red to white) did make it look like a dominant Utah crowd...but it wasn't that bad.

A white t shirt fits over anything.

 

[BOSCO2]

A white t shirt fits over anything.

I visited Dick’s last week and purchased white ponchos for me and the wife. I’m now set for the next rainy whiteout.

 

[voltz99]

I visited Dick’s last week and purchased white ponchos for me and the wife. I’m now set for the next rainy whiteout.

They also have the clear ponchos for $1. Not being able to wear white is a lame excuse.

 

[ryoder1]

A white t shirt fits over anything.

Yep, that is what I did over a navy blue PSU pullover. Worked out great, a white PSU football t-shirt with blue long sleeves.

 

[RCS-PSU70]

The White Out was poorly promoted, I saw a lot of PSU fans in blue or other colors. Not sure the weather was much of a factor. That being said, it was a sea of Utah red. But they were some of the nicest opposing team fans I've been around.

 

[Obliviax]

Lots of Utah fans drove out for the game. The lots were full of then tailgating. There were occasional PSU tailgates but when you lied they had CA plates. With the flight problems and cost, easily a big advantage for Utah. I also thing the sea of red was in response to our white out. Regardless, quite a contrast TJ the red and white areas of the stadium.

 

[mcpat]

In the pre-game radio show Steve Jones said the PAC 12 gets 40,000 and and the B1G gets 20-22K tickets.

And my understanding is our allotment sold out in minutes.

 

[africamurphy]

The White Out was poorly promoted, I saw a lot of PSU fans in blue or other colors. Not sure the weather was much of a factor. That being said, it was a sea of Utah red. But they were some of the nicest opposing team fans I've been around.

Agreed. I think I heard it on here once...and one little sound clip from Franklin on Sunday.

I get what yall are saying about the white t-shirt. That's what I did. Big white t-shirt...but there are casual "fans" out there that don't read message boards and follow PSU instagram. They're just going to show up for the game.

I would never do a white-out at a bowl game again. (Even Auburn's orange and OSU's red put a stain on our white-outs this season.)

 

[LafayetteBear]

White doesn't travel well.

I saw the announced attendace was 95K. It's not even a secret that the PAC 12 gets more tickets and it's obvious there were more Utah fans there. The PSU fans seemed just as loud as the Utah fans over the TV.

You could hear "Sweet Caroline" pretty damn well.

 

[heckmans]

White doesn't travel well.

I saw the announced attendace was 95K. It's not even a secret that the PAC 12 gets more tickets and it's obvious there were more Utah fans there. The PSU fans seemed just as loud as the Utah fans over the TV.

I need to find the "Pitt fans say the darndest things" thread, becasue there is a monumental thread over there dissing our attendance.

Here you go...

Pitt fans say the darndest things

I think we need a running thread for the funny things Pitt fans say I'll start In response to Pitt landing a 5.6 3 star

bwi.forums.rivals.com

 

[creamery freak]

Tired of hearing about the "amazing" Utah fans and how they dominated the Rose Bowl. Some insights from someone who was there...

1. Calling a white out was dumb. If it was warm, sunny day...maybe it would have worked better. But in rainy, cold weather people just don't have jackets and coats and rain gear that is white. Group after group of PSU fan walked past us in blue/gray/black...I would guess that MAYBE half of PSU fans were actually in white. Many of them either didn't hear about the white out...or they didn't have warm clothing that was white.

2. Utah's main color is red. I bet every Utah fan had a red sweatshirt or jacket or coat at home. If it was a hot day, they may have been MORE likely to wear "not red." But when it's your team's main "coat color" it's what you wear on a dreary day like yesterday.

3. My guess is that the crowd was split 60-40 Utah to PSU. Of course they had more...we had a good (not great) season and our fans are centralized 2000 miles farther away from Pasadena than Utah's. But it wasn't a "sea of red" in reality. The actual breakdown was something like 50% red, 20% white, and 30% other (with PSU fans making up the majority of the "other" colors with their blue sweatshirts and black jackets). 50 to 20 (red to white) did make it look like a dominant Utah crowd...but it wasn't that bad.

Watching some of the other bowl games on Monday, I was amazed at the stadiums being only one half to two thirds full. That is why bowls like PSU, they draw their fans and generally fill stadiums because people want to see them.

 

[ryoder1]

Watching some of the other bowl games on Monday, I was amazed at the stadiums being only one half to two thirds full. That is why bowls like PSU, they draw their fans and generally fill stadiums because people want to see them.

The Rose Bowl always sells out. Add PSU to the mix and even more of draw. Yesterday was no exception.

I wonder what will happen once the 12 team playoff happens, I guess the Rose Bowl will be one of the games but the tradition of Pac 12 vs Big 10 goes away. They probably will let them keep their 5pm EST on New Year's Day time slot.

 

[PSU Lion 2000]

On a related note, using the major bowls as the semi-final and final games of the playoff will continue to give the southern schools (and California) a big home field advantage. Detroit, Minnesota, Indy, etc. should try hard to get in the rotation just like the hoops Final Four.

 

[demlion]

One of my PSU friends speculated that the Mormons all brought their wives.

 

[Nittany1997]

I have an XL long sleeve white t-shirt even though I wear a sm-edium.

 

[ryoder1]

On a related note, using the major bowls as the semi-final and final games of the playoff will continue to give the southern schools (and California) a big home field advantage. Detroit, Minnesota, Indy, etc. should try hard to get in the rotation just like the hoops Final Four.

I agree although PSU will travel well to Atlanta and even Miami, probably Nawlins as well. Although if we are matched up against an SEC powerhouse like Bama, GA, Tenn, LSU then our crowd will be drowned out in Atlanta and Nawlins. Miami could be more neutral.

The Rose Bowl is the outlier that gives a distinct advantage to the west coast schools and as we saw even a Utah.

 

[Woodpecker]

I need to find the "Pitt fans say the darndest things" thread, becasue there is a monumental thread over there dissing our attendance.

No doubt they were proud that the Tony the Tiger Bowl was full of Blue and Gold

 

[stf110]

Lots of Utah fans drove out for the game. The lots were full of then tailgating. There were occasional PSU tailgates but when you lied they had CA plates. With the flight problems and cost, easily a big advantage for Utah. I also thing the sea of red was in response to our white out. Regardless, quite a contrast TJ the red and white areas of the stadium.

Yea, its a 10 hour drive from Salt Lake, and from most of the rest of the state its even less than that, so a drive you can make in one day and the cost of gas is going to be way less than airfaire.

 

[psu00]

Yea, its a 10 hour drive from Salt Lake, and from most of the rest of the state its even less than that, so a drive you can make in one day and the cost of gas is going to be way less than airfaire.

True. I see a lot of Utah fans talking about how they drove to the game.

When the matchup was announced I looked at the air fair just to see. From Harrisburg it was $800 for a 19 hour flight with massive layovers arriving the next day. That was the cheapest. If you wanted a ‘normal’ flight it was $1000 and up minimum. That also had a big affect I think. (It may have changed later as we got closer to the game - I just looked that once).

 

[Wandering Spectator]

One of my PSU friends speculated that the Mormons all brought their wives.

You sound like the guy I met at the bar after the game. Came up to me and my Utah friends and laid a similar line on them. Totally classless.

 

[demlion]

You sound like the guy I met at the bar after the game. Came up to me and my Utah friends and laid a similar line on them. Totally classless.

My Mormon friends of over 40 years' standing thought it was funny. One of them is best friends with the guy who said it, who lives in Utah.

 

[PSU2UNC]

You sound like the guy I met at the bar after the game. Came up to me and my Utah friends and laid a similar line on them. Totally classless.

Was it as classless as the Utah message board posters referring to PSU as Ped State?

 

[Obliviax]

Given the tickets allotted and travel challenges for PSU fans, I thought PSU showed out pretty darn well. For the most part, the Utah fans were great and on par with PSU fans. I thought that there was a lot of mutual respect. Similar football philosophies and similar in the sense that they are in a conference that it top-heavy with programs that really don't want Utah to win. What we should have done is have a sign saying we are accepting applications into the B1G for free beer (or whatever).

 

[PSU2UNC]

for free beer (or whatever).

Given the demographics of their alumni base I'm guessing it would be "whatever" LOL

 

[Wandering Spectator]

Was it as classless as the Utah message board posters referring to PSU as Ped State?

Yes.

 

[Texas Lion]

Could it also be the Penn State just doesn't travel like they used to travel? I was at the Cotton Bowl a few years back and Memphis probably doubled our attendance.