EA Sports ranks Penn State, Beaver Stadium as No. 6 in Toughest Places to Play rankings

EA Sports College Football 25 officially releases next month, representing one of the most highly anticipated video game releases in recent history that gamers and college football fans alike are clamoring over.

Just like in real college football, homefield advantage will be an important element to the College Football 25. As gameplay will be made more challenging for the visiting team depending on a variety of factors, including what stadium is being played in.

With that in mind, EA Sports ranked the toughest places to play in college football on Tuesday, which will be reflected in College Football 25. And Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions, ranked No. 6 on the list.

Beaver Stadium is rich in history and one of the oldest stadiums in the country. Over the years renovating and evolving into one of the largest in the country that features one of the most ruckus crowds and toughest environments to play in for visiting opponents.

Penn State played its first game in Beaver Stadium in 1893 against Western University of Pittsburgh (now Pittsburgh) in a 500-seat venue. Which now has a capacity of 106,572 and represents the second-largest stadium in the nation. Recently achieving three of the program’s top six most attended games during the 2023 football season in matchups against West Virginia, Iowa, and Michigan.

In the last decade since head coach James Franklin has taken over the program, the Nittany Lions are an impressive 55-15 at home in Beaver Stadium. An important component in EA’s ranking that factored in historical stats such as home winning percentage, home game attendance, active home winning streaks, team prestige, and more.

Beaver Stadium’s history, size, and success are undeniable, but what separates the venue from others is its several iconic traditions. Many of which are expected to be featured in the College Football 25 game and have already been seen in the official College Football 25 trailer.

Penn State’s White Out games have become iconic in college football lore, as Beaver Stadium fills up to the brim with fans all sporting white creating a sea of white in the crowd. A tradition that started in a 17–10 home victory over Ohio State in 2005 and will be available as a feature in the College Football 25 game. Already seen in the official trailer along with ‘The Flip’, a tradition where the Blue Band’s Drum Major does a front flip on field before that game.

Legend has it that if the drum major lands the flip, the Nittany Lions will win that day. But gamers and college football fans alike will be able to take matters into their own hands and determine the outcome of games on July 19 when College Football 25 is officially released.