Penn State White Out shirts 'amazing' despite 2022 uncertainty

The Penn State football program hasn’t yet announced its White Out date for the 2022 season. That didn’t stop it from releasing its annual White Out shirt earlier this spring, though.

And it is sharp, according to one onlooker.

Posting to Twitter Wednesday morning, Penn State assistant AD for marketing and fan experience Chris Grosse offered an in-person look at the t-shirt. It is available on sale in the Penn State athletics online shop for $29.99. It is also available as a long-sleeve T for $34.99.

Penn State’s 2022 White Out shirt

The GREATEST show in college sports.

Introducing our 2022 t-shirt design available tomorrow in stores and online at 8 a.m.! #WeAre #PennState pic.twitter.com/LXxZokIKtB

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) April 23, 2022

Rolled out for the first time on the in-stadium video boards during the Blue-White Game on April 23, the shirts were available in the online shop the next day.

With the release, Penn State continued to build on a tradition that began at Beaver Stadium in 2004.

Penn State’s first White Out was held for the student-section only at Beaver Stadium during a 2004 game against Purdue. But its true popularity had everything to do with the Nittany Lions’ 17-10 win over No. 6-ranked Ohio State in 2005. Sparking a run that signaled a revitalization of a program that had gone through down seasons in four of the prior five years, the tradition was born.

Other significant White Out games in Penn State’s history include the 2007 stadium White Out against Notre Dame, the 2008 night edition against Illinois, the iconic four-overtime, 43-40 win over Michigan in 2013, and, of course, the 2016, Grant Haley field goal scoop-and-score, 24-21 win for the Nittany Lions over No. 2 Ohio State.

Whether or not Penn State can produce the same feel during the 2022 season remains an unanswered question, though.

2022 White Out possibilities

The natural choices on Penn State’s schedule for a White Out game are limited in 2022.

With the marquee nonconference game of the season occurring at Auburn in Week Three, the resumption of the Big Ten slate offers few possibilities. Conference opponents to visit Beaver Stadium will include Northwestern, Minnesota, and Ohio State in October. Maryland and Michigan State will visit in November.

Not that Penn State would be prohibited from trying a White Out against the Spartans the weekend after Thanksgiving. But, the program won’t. In the history of the game, with Michigan earning six White Out designations and Ohio State having five, opponents like Northwestern, Minnesota, and Maryland wouldn’t be first choices.

The season-opener will be under the lights in West Lafayette, Ind., against Purdue on Sept. 1. That game will be a FOX national broadcast.

ESPN released a slate of six marquee games for the season this week, and Penn State’s trip to Auburn isn’t on it. Reporter Matt Sarzyniak has that game slated for a 3:30 p.m. start on CBS, though.

The other game not on ABC’s marquee matchup page? Naturally, Penn State’s best and most obvious opponent for a White Out.

BWI’s understanding is that FOX is set to pick up the game. FOX has pegged its national, marquee matchups for noon kicks. And, with the World Series set to begin that weekend, the network is unlikely to have its national pregame college football show Saturday morning lead into a World Series game. It also isn’t likely to move that pregame show, allowing the World Series to spill over into a college football game.

The choice for Penn State then is this:

Pick a non-marquee opponent for its biggest showcase of the season, likely Northwestern or Minnesota. Or, give Ohio State the White Out treatment once again, but in the full light of day for a noon kick.

Every indication is that Penn State will opt for the latter, with an announcement still weeks away.