Penn State Fans at White Out – Barry Reeger/AP Photo
The 2024 Penn State football themes have officially been announced. From homecoming to the famous White Out, the Nittany Lions go all out at Beaver Stadium. Here is a look at what themes will take place when, and a short preview of the game.
2024 Penn State Themes
Seven different themes will occur at Beaver Stadium this year. Some of these themes are meant to honor people such as the military, seniors, and alumni. Many of these themes involve the fans in the stadium dressing in certain colors. The goal is to energize the crowd, ultimately giving the Nittany Lions a true home-field advantage.
107K Family Reunion & Thon – 9/7
Staring off on the simpler, but meaningful side is Thon. This theme will take place on September 7th against Bowling Green. This will be their home opener for the 2024 season. Thon is meaningful to Penn State and something the University prides itself on. The University donates millions each year to help fight childhood cancer. To start the season they will be celebrating their famous charity.
As for the game, this is a should-be win against Bowling Green. It should be a way to get the offense rolling and to play around with the game plan a bit. It’s football and anything can happen, but it should be a strong way to start the season.
Military Appreciation – 9/21
Next up is the Military Appreciation game which will take place on September 21st. This is self-explanatory in the title, but this game will be dedicated to those serving, or those who have served in the military. There will be special events and programs benefiting military personnel from Penn State.
This week’s game will be against Kent State. This is another out-of-conference game that Penn State should be dominant in. This will be the last team before the Nittany Lions shift their focus to Big Ten opponents. Penn State will want to use this game to get their momentum going before they face conference opponents.
Homecoming – 9/28
The final game of September will be the University’s homecoming game. This theme will be held on September 28th. This is a game for alumni to gather and the energy will be high. Expect former players to be present and help set the tone for the game.
This game will be against the Illinois Fighting Illini. It will be their first game against a conference opponent. While Illinois in theory is the lesser opponent, they have kept Penn State on their toes recently and should not be underestimated. Luckily for the Nittany Lions, this is a home game, and not played at 11 a.m. as it was in 2023.
Stripe Out – 10/5
The first of the big games that fans can take part in is the Stripe Out. This game will take place on October 5th. While it may not be as famous and extraordinary as the White Out, it is still a big event. Fans will dress in either blue or white based on where they are sitting. They will form stripes around the stadium and heighten the energy for the game.
This game will be against UCLA, a newly added Big Ten team. It will be a home game for Penn State of course, but it will be interesting to see how UCLA does playing on the East Coast. The temperature should not be an issue, but the effect of traveling will be something to watch.
Helmet Stripe – 11/2
This year’s helmet stripe game will take place on November 2nd. This is essentially a mini White Out. It is not as famous, but it does get the energy up, helping the Nittany Lions. It is, as explained, meant to resemble the stripe on the Penn State football helmet.
This game will be against Ohio State. This will be the first home game in a while for Penn State and will be tough. Penn State has not been able to beat Ohio State since 2015 and it will be a big game once again. With TV deals, Ohio State vs. Penn State is likely not a night game, which is why it is not the 2024 Penn State White Out. The helmet stripe is the closest the school could do, which could help the Nittany Lions finally get the win this year.
2024 Penn State White Out – 11/9
The Penn State White Out is a sporting event that is on most sports fans’ bucket list. The White Out will take place on November 9th. It is just the second White Out in November that the school has had. The last one was in 2015 against Michigan. One reason it is this late is that the school is looking for a night game for the White Out. With the Fox network deal, they usually air the bigger opponents for its Big Noon kickoff. It is a historic event that is held every year. One of the most famous moments in recent history was when Michigan had to take a timeout on the first play of the game to avoid a penalty. The Penn State White Out is loud and the energy will be high.
This game will be against Washington. While Washington did make the National Championship last season, many of their players have now moved on to the NFL Draft. It will be an essentially new team. They will also have a new head coach. This has the potential to be a fun game to watch, but the state of Washinton’s team is yet to be seen. Still, it is the Penn State White Out, which in itself is exciting.
Senior Day – 11/30
The final home game of the season will be none other than the Penn State senior day. This game will be held at the very end of the season on November 30th. It will be the last regular season game for the Nittany Lions. Before the game begins, the school will be honoring this year’s senior class on the team.
The final game of the season will be held against Maryland. Maryland lost a couple of their top players, but are still competitive. This is an opponent that should allow Penn State to end on a high note ahead of the new College Football Playoffs format.
