UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (WJAC) — Folks flocked to Happy Valley on Saturday to watch the annual Penn State Blue-White Game in Beaver Stadium.
It's been a few months since Nittany Nation has witnessed any football. So, it goes without saying that there was a ton of excitement in the air for the Blue-White Game. But the rain in the air is certainly did not tamping down on the gameday fun.
We asked one group of tailgaters how they felt going into the game, with one man replying, "Great. Weather could be a little bit better. But hey! We're still outside. We're having a great time. ... No rain on the parade."
"No, never. Never that," one of his friends, Samara Kornegay, added.
The Penn State University Athletics Department says an estimated 62,000 fans attended last year's Blue-White Game.
For many, this scrimmage serves as a reunion of sorts. Though, it's always somebody's first Blue-White, like Allison Angelo and Aubree Weaver.
"My expectations are for there to be some real contact here," Weaver said ahead of the game. "[I] wanna see some action, you know? Sucks that it's raining, but I expect it to be a good game."
Angelo added: "I was also expecting it to be a good game. And at least tailgating people are crazy."
But, they had to kill some time before the game started. Here's what some fans told us they do.
"Oh, you already know the answer to that," said Brandon Shibosh, as he was grilling some cheeseburgers in his tent. "We're out here tailgating. Just like a regular game, you know, having a good time."
Speaking of which, as for that one group of tailgaters, they were all in agreement: "Burgers and dogs!"
Kornegay also mentioned music and dancing.
However, some folks have different tastes, like Weaver, who brought up "watching some TikTok" and "reading some books."
The rain stopped pouring, luckily, by the start of the game. At the end of the day, Team Blue came out on top and absolutely trounced Team White 10-0.
Ultimately though, any event is always a great excuse to get out and hang with friends and family.
"Hey! It's a spring tailgate," tailgater Tyler Markley emphasized. "Nothing more to say."
All told, fans seem eager to see the Nittany Lions return to the field in the fall. Penn State's first 2023 regular season game is scheduled for Saturday, Sep. 2, when they will play at Beaver Stadium against West Virginia University.
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