STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 25: A general view of Beaver Stadium during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 25, 2014 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)Tonight was supposed to be Penn State’s annual “White Out” game at Beaver Stadium. Instead, there is barely anyone in the stands.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big Ten is not allowing fans at games this fall. A limited number of family and friends are able to attend, but that’s it.
Instead of a raucous, towel-waving crowd, we’re seeing rows of empty seats on the ABC broadcast. It’s eerie and kind of sad to look at.
College football fans and media alike are disappointed by the scene (or lack thereof) in Happy Valley.
I know we’ve had empty stadiums all season, but seeing a Penn State night game at home against Ohio State with an empty stadium is just strange. This was the last time I was there for this game a few years ago pic.twitter.com/q7VXJpR2NK
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) October 31, 2020
Feels very eerie…. Ohio State and Penn State will kickoff in what is essentially an empty Beaver Stadium in an hour pic.twitter.com/SpByjSKofJ
— Kenny Schierlinger (@KSchierlinger) October 31, 2020
This time, Beaver Stadium … pic.twitter.com/0eaR3mtFmi
— Frank Bodani (@YDRPennState) October 31, 2020
empty Beaver Stadium got me feeling a certain kind of bleak
— Sam Cooper (@SamDCooper) October 31, 2020
Tonight’s crowd at Beaver Stadium. pic.twitter.com/E59gCK3pRl
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) October 31, 2020
You'll probably see some dogs among the cutouts in the stands at Beaver Stadium.
Why would someone get a picture of their dog?
I've got an answer for ya!https://t.co/WhD4oIcSme— Cory Giger (@CoryGiger) October 31, 2020
Of all the empty stadiums this season, a near-empty Beaver Stadium at night is the most eerie. #PennState #OhioState
— Sean Gallagher (@GallagherRadio) October 31, 2020
In front of a mostly empty stadium, Ohio State took the opening kickoff and marched downfield quickly, opening up a 7-0 lead on Master Teague’s short touchdown run.
Crowd or not, Penn State has its work cut out for itself tonight. The Buckeyes are No. 3 in the country and the overwhelming favorites in the Big Ten.
The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, are trying to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2012. Penn State lost a heartbreaker in overtime at Indiana in Week 1.
You can catch tonight’s primetime showdown on ABC.
