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Penn State football calls for a White Out at Beaver Stadium for CFP clash with SMU

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•12/08/24•

GregPickel

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(Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State will have a second White Out after all in 2024. The program is asking fans to come to Beaver Stadium clad in white clothing from head to toe for its first round College Football Playoff matchup with No. 11 SMU. The No. 6 Nittany Lions are an early 7.5-point favorite at Fanduel. Kickoff is set for Noon ET on TNT on Sat., Dec. 21.

“Playoff White Out: UNLOCKED” the program wrote on social media while announcing the news.

The Nittany Lions also had White Out conditions in effect in November when they knocked out Washington 35-6. That took place in front of a sold out crowd. This game is expected to be at capacity, as well. It will be the final game at Beaver Stadium before a $700 million renovation project begins. It is expected to be completed before the start of the 2027 season.

Earlier this year, Penn State coach James Franklin was non-committal when asked if the Lions would hold a second White Out if they hosted a Round 1 game. But, it was always a guarantee. And, frankly, fans were going to show up in white clothing whether the program asked them to or not.

More: First Impressions from Penn State’s Big Ten title loss to Oregon

“It may be a White Out and we had nothing to do with it being a white out; it may be a weather white out,” Lions coach James Franklin said at Big Ten Media Days. “I will say this: Something that me and Pat really haven’t talked about up to this point, but, we feel very strongly that there should be one White Out a year. We’re able to create some really cool environments with a Stripe Out. A helmet strip, which is very close to a White Out, we’re able to create some really good environments.”

“I think it’s up for discussion with myself, Pat, and others to say, ‘hey, we only do one White Out a year, but if we would have a home Playoff game, is that something to discuss? That, this is a different model in college football. And, we want to do everything we possibly can to put us in the best position to be successful. And if that gives us a little bit extra juice in between Pat Kraft and mother nature, we may have one of the biggest White Outs we’ve ever had.”

He’s certainly right about that last part.

The winner of Penn State-SMU will face No. 4 Boise State. That game is set for primetime on Dec. 31. It will take place at the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Ariz.

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