Want to attend Penn State’s first-ever playoff game? Hotel prices might change your mind

Despite falling short of capturing a conference championship, Penn State football is rolling into the new-look College Football Playoff for the first time this month.

The No. 6-seeded Nittany Lions will host No. 11 Southern Methodist University at noon Saturday, Dec. 21. The game at Beaver Stadium, already announced as a White Out, will bring postseason football to Happy Valley in the first-ever year of the current playoff format.

That weekend — set right before Christmas and the start of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, among other winter holidays — also plays host to Penn State’s fall 2024 commencement, which the university moved back a week to presumably accommodate postseason football at Beaver Stadium. Most commencement ceremonies are scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 22, at Bryce Jordan Center.

Although some lodges are already booked solid, a few hotel options remain available for football fans or families of graduates heading Penn State’s way around Dec. 21.

Last-minute College Football Playoff hotel prices in State College

The Centre Daily Times has rounded up a list of last-minute places to stay ahead of the Nittany Lions’ matchup with SMU Dec. 21. As of Dec. 9, these on-average, per-night rates reflect two-day stays with guests checking in Friday, Dec. 20 and checking out Dec. 22. Taxes and fees are not included in the following estimates.

• SpringHill Suites by Marriott: Starting at $1,503 per night
• Fairfield Inn & Suites State College: Starting at $1,198 per night
• Wyndham Garden State College: Starting at $939 per night
• The Penn Stater Hotel: Starting at $1,399 per night

Hotel prices are more modest out in Harrisburg, for example, where per-night rates between Dec. 20 and 22 start at around $119 for several Hampton Inn and Hilton hotels as of Dec. 9. Staying near the state capital would require a roughly 90-minute drive to State College for the big game, though the route would all but certainly take longer with day-of-game traffic and commencement congestion.

Prices are a bit more expensive in Altoona, where per-night rates start at around $300 or $400 for Quality Inn, Hampton Inn and other hotel chains, according to travel site Booking.com. A drive from Altoona to State College takes roughly 50 minutes on paper.

How much will tickets cost?

Penn State season ticketholders were able to reserve parking spots and tickets for the Nittany Lions’ first College Football Playoff game earlier this fall. Students were eligible to enter a lottery for the chance to purchase $28 tickets to the game.

Football season ticketholders and other select fans were able to purchase tickets through a Ticketmaster presale starting at 10 a.m. Monday. Ticket sales directly through Penn State and Ticketmaster open to the general public at 2:30 p.m. Monday with prices starting at roughly $100 per ticket.

The CDT also rounded up a rough list of ticket options for Penn State’s face-off against SMU available on the secondary market. As of Dec. 9, these price ranges reflect face-value tickets available with taxes and fees excluded:

• StubHub: Single tickets ranging from roughly $98 to $550
• SeatGeek: Single tickets ranging from about $112 to $698
• Vivid Seats: Single tickets ranging from approximately $103 to $931
• TickPick: Single tickets ranging from about $134 to $891
• Gametime: Single tickets ranging from about $99 to $578

Penn State-SMU game information

TNT and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service will broadcast Penn State’s clash with SMU at noon Saturday, Dec. 21. The game will mark the Nittany Lions’ first-ever appearance in a College Football Playoff game.

The two teams will meet for the first time since 1978, when the Nittany Lions beat the Mustangs 26-21 in State College. Penn State and SMU also produced a 13-13 tie in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day in 1948.

Penn State’s College Football Playoff berth comes on the heels of a 45-37 loss to No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. The Nittany Lions are 11-2 overall on the season, while SMU is also 11-2 following a stunning loss in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game at the hands of a walk-off Clemson field goal.

Leading up to the 2024 college football season, Penn State worked to winterize Beaver Stadium in anticipation of a potential postseason game in Happy Valley. Crews helped insulate pipes and perform stadium maintenance, in addition to other renovations at Penn State’s stadium.

This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 2:29 PM.

Matt DiSanto

Centre Daily Times

814-231-4616

Matt is a 2022 Penn State graduate. Before arriving at the Centre Daily Times, he served as Onward State’s managing editor and a general assignment reporter at StateCollege.com. Support my work with a digital subscription