Each week, we’ll tell you what to expect, what to keep an eye, and where and when you can catch the Nittany Lions this football season.

Game details: Blue-White game, 2 p.m. kickoff, broadcast on Big Ten Network.

Venue: Beaver Stadium, the second-largest stadium in the country (third-largest in the world), and where the Nittany Lions boast an all-time record of 304-79. Beaver Stadium opened in 1960 and features a capacity of 106,572.

Weather forecast (via Accuweather): High of 67 degrees and partly sunny. In other words, ideal weather for tailgating. Let’s hope that forecast holds up.

The lead: For the first time in three years, the Blue-White game will be open to fans. And with it, comes everything else that transforms game day in Happy Valley into something other-worldly. As long as I can remember, there’s been chatter — perhaps from people with too much time on their hands — about what can be done to make the Blue-White game more interesting for fans. The most recent example I saw posited was that maybe the Nittany Lions could play an FCS opponent in the spring, an option that’s been thrown out for other FBS program, too.

For what it’s worth, here’s what I believe should change with the Blue-White game: nothing.  

Yes, it’s a practice. What’s wrong with that? An open practice with tailgating lots open all day, giving alumni and fans a reason to celebrate the exiting winter weather while seeing new faces and returning starters for the first time. Previous years have seen unexpected excitement in the form of a walk-on player receiving a scholarship mid-game (Dan Chisena), and local Special Olympic athletes scoring a touchdown in front of a roaring crowd.

Is seeing a certain offensive scheme or defensive formation really going to be more memorable than either of those examples? Is playing an FCS opponent going to make the day better? I don’t think so.

Other programs may have to resort to gimmicks to generate interest for their spring game. Penn State, however, isn’t in that category.

All-time series: Similar to other universities, Penn State’s annual spring scrimmage was a result of post-World War II life in the U.S. We recently came across this 2010 article from Penn State football historian Lou Prato, which details the history of the game and how it’s evolved over the years. One interesting nugget is the Daily Collegian dubbed the game “The Bucket Bowl” for a few years in the early 1950s, since an old fashioned water bucket was presented to the winning team as a trophy.

Count on: plenty of Penn State lettermen returning for the game. Breakout NFL star tight end Pat Freiermuth shared a video saying he’s returning to Happy Valley, and if history is a good indicator, expect a few dozen former players to join him.

Keep an eye on: all the new Nittany Lions. It’ll be harder than you think. True freshmen Drew Allar (#15, quarterback), Beau Pribula (#9, quarterback), and Nick Singleton (#10, running back) will appear in front of fans for the first time, as will senior transfer Mitchell Tinsley (#5, receiver). You also have fan favorites Jonathan Sutherland (switching to a new position at linebacker from safety) and defensive tackle PJ Mustipher back from an injury that forced him to miss most of last season.

It’s also worth adding redshirt freshman quarterback Christian Veilleux to the mix. He starred in last season’s win over Rutgers as a starter. And how many snaps will Sean Clifford see Saturday?

We could go on for a while. Point being: there’s a lot that should have fans intrigued this weekend.

Trivia tidbit: Per Penn State football: In 2019, an estimated 61,000 fans were in attendance for the Blue-White game. That’s typical, as the Blue-White game has drawn more than 60,000 fans in seven of the last eight years, which included crowds of 70,000 or more in four of the last six years.

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