Known as the greatest show in sports, the white out at Penn State is a dizzying display of school spirit. Typically, invites are reserved for traditional powerhouses such as Michigan or Ohio State. On this night, Minnesota would be making its first trip into the lion’s den for the famed white out. As it often has in the past, the decibels reached such deafening digits in Beaver Stadium that the Gophers were unable to get the snap off on their first offensive possession. Being forced to function with a backup quarterback set the Gophers with an additional disadvantage.
The enthusiasm that filled the arena ebbed and flowed as Penn State’s somewhat predictable and indifferent offense approached the line of scrimmage. Veteran (yet embattled) quarterback Sean Clifford received some home crowd boos early on, but executed dazzling offensive feats that extended Penn State’s 7-point halftime lead to a 42-17 domination of Minnesota. While the Gophers had some success on the ground led by runningback Mohamed Ibrahim, the white out atmosphere swallowed them whole and kept the advantage on Penn State’s sideline.
In an expansive sea of pregame tailgating, the 409 Tailgating Club became our oasis. The smoke from the BBQ off the grill mingled with the sounds of “We Are Penn State” in the air. The perimeter of Beaver Stadium flowed with waves of white clad fans that would eventually become the sea of insanity inside the walls of the 100,000-seat behemoth. Minnesota was doomed from the moment the famed blue buses released the Nittany Lions for the pregame team walk. For visiting teams, the white out is a challenging scene from which to emerge victorious.
