Headed to Beaver Stadium Saturday? Leave early for the ‘Stripe Out’ game against Ohio State
Saturday’s Penn State football game is the popular “Stripe Out” theme. And the team’s most anticipated matchup of the season against No. 2 Ohio State. And a noon kickoff.
So on Saturday morning, you can expect some serious delays and should give yourself plenty of time to get to Beaver Stadium.
Penn State and Ohio State will have the first “Big Noon Kickoff” prior to their noon matchup. It’ll begin at 10 a.m. with a crew of Rob Stone, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn and Urban Meyer. Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft will be on the call. The set of “Big Noon Kickoff” will be located outside of Gate B at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Here are a number of other things to take note of before heading to the game on Saturday:
Early opening for tailgating lots
With the big matchup comes marked changes to tailgating. Penn State’s game day parking lots are set to open at 6 a.m., an hour earlier than normal during noon kickoffs, with one-way traffic patterns beginning at 8:30 a.m. Fans are to expect moderate traffic delays from 8:30-9:30 a.m. with heavy traffic delays expected from 9:30 a.m.-noon, according to Penn State Athletics.
Beaver Stadium Block Party
Penn State will host a block party outside of Beaver Stadium on Curtin Road from 8 a.m.-noon. The Beaver Stadium Block Party will include a marketing table, mini golf, food vendors, a fan photo booth, a caricature artist and face painters. Fans can also visit the All-Sports Museum, check out the Fox “Big Noon Kickoff” show from 10-11:30 a.m., a pep rally at 10 a.m. for the team’s arrival, a live radio show at 11 a.m. and the Blue Band march at 11 a.m.
Prepare for the ‘Stripe Out’
Fans are encouraged to wear either blue or white depending on where they sit. Penn State has a link to each section’s designated color.
Public transportation
Three of CATA’s services will operate on game day — the Blue Loop, White Loop and Red Link. Adjustments have been made to the service.
The Blue Loop will follow its route to Curtin Road, turning right on Bigler Road and right on Pollock Road, from which it’ll be back on its usual route from College Avenue and Allen Street. The White Loop bus stop at Beaver Avenue and Allen Street will use is usual routing to University Drive, which will be followed by a left turn on Hastings Road, a right on Bigler Road and a left on Curtin Road, from where it will resume its normal route.
The Red Link will run from West Campus to Innovation Park. It will begin on Curtin Road, turn right on Bigler Road, left on Hastings Road, right on University Drive, right via exit ramp to College Avenue, right on College Avenue, left onto 322 west, right via exit ramp to Park Avenue, where it will head to Mount Nittany Medical Center and return back to its usual route.
When the Red Link runs from Innovation Park back to West Campus, it will travel 322 east to College Avenue, turn right on College Avenue, right on University Drive, left on Hastings Road, right on Bigler Road, left on Curtin Road, before heading back to West Campus.
Student section entry and exit changes
Penn State also released a statement this week on changes to Beaver Stadium’s student section entry. Following safety concerns during the Minnesota game on Oct. 22, the program looks to improve upon the process of entering and exiting each section.
“Students will now receive a non-transferable wristband to validate their student section ticket,” Penn State Athletics wrote in a statement. “At each portal, students will be required to show their wristband each time they enter to ensure only students are in the student section. Students will also see an operational change in how the student section is filled, which will improve safety and ease entry.”
Students and other fans are encouraged to report issues by texting NITTANY to 69050.
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 8:30 AM.
