‘Can’t imagine a better atmosphere.’ Penn State fans undeterred by White Out game weather

With Beaver Stadium coated in white, roars of “We Are” and hype song “Zombie Nation” echoed through Happy Valley Saturday night during the 15th annual White Out game.

Despite rain and windy conditions, 110,830 people — the second-biggest crowd of any Penn State home game — attended the matchup against Iowa. The fans came for what turned out to be an experience of a lifetime for many.

“You just have to witness it,” former Penn State defensive tackle Anthony “Spice” Adams said. “It’s crazy, it’s madness.”

The White Out attracted not only Penn State alumni like Adams, but also multiple celebrities, with appearances from Brooklyn Nets players Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, rapper Sexyy Red and others.

While Adams, who was there as part of a DIRECTV tailgate experience, is a former Nittany Lion himself, he never got the chance to be a part of an official White Out as a player. He was drafted in 2003 and the first student-section White Out was held the next year, kicking off a long tradition. Even with his experiences in the NFL, Adams said there was “nothing like it.”

Tropical Storm Ophelia was to blame for less-than-ideal conditions throughout Saturday, with rain and wind in the hours leading up to the game. But it didn’t stop Nittany Lion fans from tailgating — just with ponchos and sweatshirts (white ones, of course).

“We’re Penn State fans,” said Chris Stultz, who traveled to the game with a group of fellow alumni. “(The) team’s still got to play in the rain.”

Myles Dread, a recently graduated Penn State basketball player who now works with the athletics program, said that fans always come for the love of Penn State.

“The White Out is second to none,” Dread said. “The White Out is the best thing to happen in a college atmosphere.”

For students, it is a tough process to acquire tickets for such a highly-anticipated event, meaning not everyone will go. Junior Manny Winikur didn’t go inside Beaver Stadium this season, but he had been there for a prior White Out.

“White Out was my first Penn State game ever,” Winikur said. “Craziest game ever.”

Memories of the Nittany Lions’ stands disrupting the opposing team immediately come to mind for anyone who has watched a White Out before.

“It was bananas,” Adams said while reminiscing on the false start penalty Penn State forced in the 2019 game against Michigan.

Part of this is due to the songs that blare through the stadium’s speakers, with each having its own significance for Penn State.

Leading up to and as the contest commenced, fans sang songs like “Mo Bamba,” “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Dreams and Nightmares” in unison — giving the feel of one big concert, even through the rain.

At an alumni tailgate with Stultz before the game, Mark Gallick made clear that the weather conditions have no impact on the White Out experience.

“I can’t imagine a better atmosphere than Beaver Stadium on a White Out game,” Gallick said. “If there’s a better place, people are lying.”