Latest news with #BeaverStadium
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Penn State could be elite on the road yet again
It's no secret that the Nittany Lions have found equal footing both at home and on the road. Last year, they were 7-1 at Beaver Stadium, with their only loss coming at the hands of the national champion Buckeyes. And yet, that record may not have been as impressive as what they were able to achieve on the road. Away from home, Penn State was a sterling 5-0, perhaps being the difference between participating in the Big Ten title game and missing out entirely. Not all wins were pretty, especially their overtime thriller at LA Memorial Coliseum against the Trojans, but needless to say, they were able to execute. Granted, they didn't have the toughest of road slates, but no game is a given in the Big Ten, and Penn State was able to hold firm. This year could be a completely different vibe. Unlike last year, Penn State won't avoid some of its biggest rivals in Big Ten play. Luckily, most of those games will come at home. The fourth week of the season sees the Oregon Ducks roll into town with a revamped squad looking to maintain the levels of success they reached last year. They also get the pesky Indiana Hoosiers at home in Week 10. It's the road games on their slate this year, though, where Penn State fans will truly get to see this squad's evolution. The reason for Penn State's gritty road mentality is its experience and understanding of the hostile Big Ten environments. So it should be no surprise when, in some of their toughest road matchups this year, they will find ways to excel. Their first road test of the season will be at Kinnick Stadium against a Hawkeyes team that will look much more rejuvenated with the addition of FCS superstar Mark Gronowski. If the Iowa offense catches up to their defense, this should be a physical test that Penn State will have to try and navigate. The advantage of Big Ten experience should help them in the end. Two weeks later is their game of the season against the Buckeyes. While psychologically, there may still be hurdles to overcome, on paper, Penn State has the superior roster. If that shows up on the field as well, this will be an electrifying battle. Overall, outside of those two games, Penn State's road slate is easy sledding. None of UCLA, Michigan State, or Rutgers should truly worry. And should they overcome the Ohio State demons and go toe to toe with one of the toughest defenses the Big Ten has to offer in Iowa, they could be looking at yet another unbeaten road record. This time around, it could mean even more than just a Big Ten title game appearance. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Why Penn State can excel away from home this year
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Penn State's Beaver Stadium ranked as No. 2 toughest place to play by EA Sports
Beaver Stadium can add another feather to its cap. Penn State's iconic home venue received another accolade on Tuesday, being ranked as the second toughest environment to play at in college football by EA Sports. The top 10 include No. 1 Tiger Stadium (LSU), No. 2 Beaver Stadium (Penn State), No. 3 Ohio Stadium (Ohio State), No. 4 Sanford Stadium (Georgia), No. 5 Bryant-Denny Stadium (Alabama), No. 6 Memorial Stadium (Clemson), No. 7 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Florida), No. 8 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Oklahoma), No. 9 Autzen Stadium (Oregon) and No. 10 Michigan Stadium (Michigan). The rankings will be used in the College Football 26 video game, which is set to release on July 10. The iconic video game ceased production after NCAA Football 14 but was brought back last year due to fan demand, with College Football 25 seeing major popularity. In last year's edition of the game, Beaver Stadium ranked as the No. 6 home-field environment, behind No. 1 Kyle Field (Texas A&M), No. 2 Bryant-Denny Stadium, No. 3 Tiger Stadium, No. 4 Ohio Stadium and No. 5 Sanford Stadium. It's clear the Nittany Lions earned more respect this time around, though there are likely still plenty of Penn State fans who think No. 2 is too low.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Construction, demolition happening across Penn State's campus. See the projects
Summer is typically a busy time for construction projects on Penn State's University Park campus, but this year, it seems you can't turn a corner without running into scaffolding or fencing. From high-profile projects like the $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation to new and improved classroom spaces, below is a recent look at various under-construction spots on campus. A new $96 million, three-story classroom building is going up near the intersection of Park Avenue and Bigler Road. The 90,000-square-foot building will have large lecture halls, general purpose classrooms with seminar-style and flexible seating, and will be available to any academic college, according to a news release from the university. It's anticipated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester. Major work continues at the Sackett Building, part of an overall $89.9 million project and part of the College of Engineering Master Plan. Kunkle Lounge, which connects to the Hammond Building, is also being demolished. Work is expected to continue throughout the year and be completed for fall 2027. Oswald Tower is being demolished following the spring semester opening of the new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building. Renovations to the Nursing Sciences Building include a 2,700-square-foot expansion on the building's northwest side for a 180-person active-learning, simulation-ready classroom and knowledge commons space. The project was not expected to exceed $28 million, with $10 million coming from philanthropic gifts. Work on the renovations and addition to Osmond Lab started last year. The $115 million project's 48,000-square-foot addition will be a 'high-bay research facility' that supports the physics department, according to a university release. A $21.25 million Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex project includes renovations to the soccer stadium and a new soccer operational facility. Construction began in 2024 and the university is targeting a late 2025 completion date. South of Jeffrey Field, an indoor practice air-supported structure is in the works. The estimated $10 million project will feature artificial turf, sports lighting and surface parking. The most high-profile — and expensive — of Penn State's ongoing construction projects is the Beaver Stadium revitalization. The site has been active since the end of the 2024 football season, with the demolition of the press box in January kicking off the start of more extensive work. Penn State's board of trustees approved up to $700 million in spending on the renovation project last May. In a May 15 video update on the Penn State Athletics website, Associate Director of Development Michael Mauti explained that micropiling, a deep foundation technique using small-diameter, drilled and grouted piles with steel reinforcement to support or stabilize structures, has started on the west side. Temporary seating will be installed there for this football season. A $3.9 million roofing project is underway at Thompson Hall. The project will replace the existing slate roof system. The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating after an employee working on the project was injured after a May 27 fall. Updates to Ritner and Wolf residence halls are first up in Penn State's plan to renovate all nine Pollock residence halls. The $92.1 million plan aims to completely renew the 1960 residence halls with new amenities such as air conditioning and private bathrooms.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Only 91k Season Ticket Holders Strong Until Penn State Football
The long-coveted number of Penn State football season ticket holders was finally revealed by Pat Kraft in 2022. At a random Coaches Show radio appearance at The Field, he let the number fly: 91,754. Perhaps this number has fluctuated since then (2022 was three years ago?), and it will certainly fluctuate with the upcoming Beaver Stadium renovations, but that's the most accurate figure we have. Kraft said, at the time, that it was the most in the country. I'll buy that. Advertisement Even with the renovations, Penn State plans to keep the stadium's seating arrangements pretty close to its official 106,572 capacity in 2025. Only 91 days until 100k+ fans pile into Happy Valley for Penn State's season opener against Nevada! More from
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Portion of Curtin Road on Penn State campus closed until early July
A portion of Curtin Road, near Penn State's Beaver Stadium, will remain closed until early July due to the nearby stadium construction. Curtin Road, between University Drive and Porter Road, has both lanes closed off to traffic until July 2, according to signs in the area and a spokesperson with Penn State Athletics. However, motorists discovered Friday that Curtin Road was shut down only between University Drive and Commuter Drive, about half the length of the intended closure. It wasn't immediately clear when the full closure would take effect. Regardless, construction on or around Curtin Road over the summer is nothing new for residents and Penn State students. Motorists are able to get around the closure by using Dauer Drive or East Park Avenue, and that section of Curtin Road will reopen in time for State College's Central PA 4th Fest, the annual July 4 celebration around Beaver Stadium and Medlar Field. A map for the celebration shows food vendors lined up along Curtin Road, between Commuter Drive and Porter Road, along with offerings of 'free hot dogs' and 'free cake.' The road closure is a product of the roughly $700 million renovation project on Beaver Stadium that began last year. Construction is expected to be finished before the 2027 season and will focus on transforming the west side of the stadium, adding new amenities, upgrading restrooms, increasing premium seating, etc. The stadium will remain operational during construction, with some temporary bleacher seats installed on the west side.
