BleedGopher
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per Spencer:
Penn State’s 2022 White Out opponent is up in the air, and signs are pointing to it being either Ohio State with a noon kickoff or Minnesota under the lights.
In 2021, the Nittany Lions picked SEC opponent Auburn for the White Out, moving away from its eight-year tradition of having the White Out be either Michigan or Ohio State.
There should be no problem having Minnesota be the opponent, as Penn State already mixed it up by throwing Auburn into the mix.
The 2021 Michigan kickoff was at noon, so Penn State decided to have the SEC-Big Ten bout be Penn State’s biggest game because there’s no better time for the coined “Greatest Show in College Sports” than prime time.
Penn State’s White Out this year should remain in prime time, setting it up for a matchup of East and West with the Nittany Lions taking on the Golden Gophers on Oct. 22.
In previous years, Penn State had a history with Ohio State thanks to the 2016 White Out win, bringing the blue and white back into the spotlight.
However, there’s some more recent history between the Nittany Lions and the Golden Gophers.
In 2019, Penn State was marching through the Big Ten, heading into a road matchup with Minnesota at 8-0 with a No. 4 ranking next to its name.
The Nittany Lions were in the Top 4 and just had four more opponents in the way of their first College Football Playoff bid.
Minnesota didn’t care if Penn State was rolling because the Golden Gophers came out swinging, upsetting the Nittany Lions 31-26.
After the loss, Penn State lost to Ohio State in Columbus, which knocked the Nittany Lions out of playoff contention.
If the blue and white avoided the upset then, a one-loss Penn State team had a really good shot at making the playoff.
The 2019 showdown was also the first and only meeting between quarterbacks Tanner Morgan and Sean Clifford, and now in 2022, both quarterbacks are back for their final season.
This time it will be different, with Penn State and Clifford looking for revenge and a home-field advantage, and there’s no way to have more of a home-field advantage than attaching a White Out to it.
The Nittany Lions added Auburn to its list of teams it has beaten during the White Out in 2022. Minnesota has never faced Penn State during a White Out, so the Golden Gophers could be another victim added to the five it already has in tow.
The Golden Gophers have six opponents before the Nittany Lions with their biggest challenger being Michigan State on the road, so there could be a chance Minnesota heads to Happy Valley undefeated, adding more juice to the game.
From the opponent's point of view, there are about the same amount of storylines for Penn State-Minnesota as for Penn State-Ohio State.
Other than the history between the two teams, a White Out during the day is not a true White Out.
The white shirts of the fans contrast the best under the night sky, and the fans are more amped up for a night game than a noon kickoff. Not to mention the White Out’s fireworks wouldn’t work quite the same under the sun.
For a noon kickoff, fans have to wake up early in the morning to get down to Beaver Stadium, leaving less time to tailgate and get ready for the game, too.
A night game allows for the fans to have the whole day to tailgate and get pumped for the White Out.
Penn State’s three least-attended home games in 2021 were during the day in Ball State, Villanova and Illinois.
The Nittany Lions want as many fans there as possible, so the best way to do that is to have the kickoff later in the day.
Ohio State and Penn State may have bigger history, but there’s also history with Clifford and Morgan going at it again.
A noon kickoff is not what the White Out was built for. It was made to have the most eyes on it as possible, and the only way to do so is under the lights in prime time.
www.collegian.psu.edu
Go Gophers!!
A White Out during the day isn’t a White Out
By Spencer RipchikPenn State’s 2022 White Out opponent is up in the air, and signs are pointing to it being either Ohio State with a noon kickoff or Minnesota under the lights.
In 2021, the Nittany Lions picked SEC opponent Auburn for the White Out, moving away from its eight-year tradition of having the White Out be either Michigan or Ohio State.
There should be no problem having Minnesota be the opponent, as Penn State already mixed it up by throwing Auburn into the mix.
The 2021 Michigan kickoff was at noon, so Penn State decided to have the SEC-Big Ten bout be Penn State’s biggest game because there’s no better time for the coined “Greatest Show in College Sports” than prime time.
Penn State’s White Out this year should remain in prime time, setting it up for a matchup of East and West with the Nittany Lions taking on the Golden Gophers on Oct. 22.
In previous years, Penn State had a history with Ohio State thanks to the 2016 White Out win, bringing the blue and white back into the spotlight.
However, there’s some more recent history between the Nittany Lions and the Golden Gophers.
In 2019, Penn State was marching through the Big Ten, heading into a road matchup with Minnesota at 8-0 with a No. 4 ranking next to its name.
The Nittany Lions were in the Top 4 and just had four more opponents in the way of their first College Football Playoff bid.
Minnesota didn’t care if Penn State was rolling because the Golden Gophers came out swinging, upsetting the Nittany Lions 31-26.
After the loss, Penn State lost to Ohio State in Columbus, which knocked the Nittany Lions out of playoff contention.
If the blue and white avoided the upset then, a one-loss Penn State team had a really good shot at making the playoff.
The 2019 showdown was also the first and only meeting between quarterbacks Tanner Morgan and Sean Clifford, and now in 2022, both quarterbacks are back for their final season.
This time it will be different, with Penn State and Clifford looking for revenge and a home-field advantage, and there’s no way to have more of a home-field advantage than attaching a White Out to it.
The Nittany Lions added Auburn to its list of teams it has beaten during the White Out in 2022. Minnesota has never faced Penn State during a White Out, so the Golden Gophers could be another victim added to the five it already has in tow.
The Golden Gophers have six opponents before the Nittany Lions with their biggest challenger being Michigan State on the road, so there could be a chance Minnesota heads to Happy Valley undefeated, adding more juice to the game.
From the opponent's point of view, there are about the same amount of storylines for Penn State-Minnesota as for Penn State-Ohio State.
Other than the history between the two teams, a White Out during the day is not a true White Out.
The white shirts of the fans contrast the best under the night sky, and the fans are more amped up for a night game than a noon kickoff. Not to mention the White Out’s fireworks wouldn’t work quite the same under the sun.
For a noon kickoff, fans have to wake up early in the morning to get down to Beaver Stadium, leaving less time to tailgate and get ready for the game, too.
A night game allows for the fans to have the whole day to tailgate and get pumped for the White Out.
Penn State’s three least-attended home games in 2021 were during the day in Ball State, Villanova and Illinois.
The Nittany Lions want as many fans there as possible, so the best way to do that is to have the kickoff later in the day.
Ohio State and Penn State may have bigger history, but there’s also history with Clifford and Morgan going at it again.
A noon kickoff is not what the White Out was built for. It was made to have the most eyes on it as possible, and the only way to do so is under the lights in prime time.
Dueling columns | Should Penn State football have its White Out against Ohio State or Minnesota?
It should be Ohio State, regardless of time
Go Gophers!!
