Michigan section for Penn State game

Submitted by michgoblue on October 25th, 2023 at 6:00 PM

My family and I are making our first trip to a game at Penn State. Can anyone offer any recommendations on what sections are for the visiting fans or what sections are likely to have a large number of Michigan fans?

Thanks and Go Blue!

bluebyyou

October 25th, 2023 at 6:18 PM ^

I've spent a few game weekends at PSU.  Other than the occasional drunk student whose mouth moves faster than his brain, no issue.  At games I've seen some ugliness from some of the fans but most people are nice. I never felt anything approaching the concerns when attending a game at OSU.

I always sat with Penn Staters who were friends.  If there were a section for opposing fans, I don't remember it as being terribly large.

Biggest problem is finding your car in the endless cornfields and unless the roads have improved, getting out of State College.

Try the Penn State dairy bar for some good ice cream.  On one of my trips quite some time ago the flavor of the month was "Peachy Paterno."  I suspect that flavor has been officially retired.

MH20

October 25th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^

I've been to 4 games at PSU (all losses) with tickets purchased via the Michigan ticket office and have always been in the north/northwest end zone (looking at the seating chart, apparently Beaver Stadium is not oriented north/south). I think we were always in either NK (lower level bleachers) or NKU/NLU in the upper deck.

MH20

October 26th, 2023 at 8:40 AM ^

Haha, I won't.

To be fair, three of those years were RR and Hoke ('08, '10, and '13) and the one Harbaugh year was his worst non-COVID team ('17).

I'd like to finally see a win in that building but it probably won't be for a long time (maybe with my toddler son when he's older).

Bryan

October 25th, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^

I think I was in NKU in 2021. That was a seat from the Michigan AD. Basically the NW? upper deck corner. Weird the stadium is not orientated n/s e/w. 
 

Place was a let down overall. PA announcer is over the top, antiquated facilities, and the place looks like it is going to fall apart. It’s also literally next to a pasture. 

goblue2121

October 25th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^

I've been there several times. Sections WC and WD have always had some M fans. There will be Maize sprinkled around the stadium. Never had a hostile encounter and the white out night games are another level.

1989 UM GRAD

October 25th, 2023 at 6:50 PM ^

I went to the Michigan game there in 2015; it was a white-out...but was a day game.  Didn't have any issues with the fans.  Sat around midfield in the middle of what appeared to be mostly alumni.  

Michigan sections are in the upper corner, as a few have indicated above.  The section was pretty much all maize and blue...and was very loud as the game was ending.  

We got pretty lucky with parking. Found a random spot in the area where there are shops and restaurants.  Did take a while to get out and get back on the highway. 

Campus buildings seemed nice but was nothing special overall.  Stadium looks like it was built by a bunch of elementary school kids with an erector set.  

pinkfloyd2000

October 25th, 2023 at 9:47 PM ^

I’ve never seen a game at Penn State, but for what it’s worth, some of the best moments during the RichRod & Hoke years—even when we were destroyed on the field—was tailgating with visiting PSU fans. Those folks brought the party with them, and then some. 

Squad16

October 26th, 2023 at 1:16 AM ^

I went to PSU in 2015 and had no issues, fans were nice. 

 

The official visitor section is in the upper deck of the north end zone, likely to have the only high concentration of UM fans. 

 

We actually are going again this year too, we're willing to sit anywhere. PSU is remote and the sell out their season tickets, so you are going to be sitting mostly just by PSU people. 

MH20

October 26th, 2023 at 8:46 AM ^

PSU fans are pretty chill so it should be fine from an atmosphere standpoint. It does get a little crazy when it's a night game whiteout, which the 2017 game was. More drunk people and almost an eerie Children of the Corn feel since you're in the middle of nowhere podunk Pennsylvania.

No matter which way you come in, expect it to take approximately the remainder of your life to get out of whatever lot you're in and on to the highway (see comment about podunk middle of nowhere above).