Happy Valley Is Buzzing, and Spending, Ahead of Penn State-Ohio State Game

The game between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes could generate $15 million for the local economy, expert says.

Penn State students cheer during the fourth quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2022 at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew OHaren-Imagn Images

STATE COLLEGE | Happy Valley is buzzing ahead of a top-5 game between Penn State and Ohio State, one with massive College Football Playoff and regional economic implications. 

ESPN College GameDay and FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame shows have set up outside the Bryce Jordan Center, the first time Penn State officially has hosted both programs for the same game. FOX took to Penn State's HUB-Robeson Center this week to recruit fans for its show, setting up photo booths, poster boards and pie stations. ESPN is giving out free breakfast to the first 200 fans at its show Saturday and free T-shirts to the first 750.

College GameDay co-hosts Rece Davis and Desmond Howard both spoke highly of Penn State’s football environment and fan base on Friday. 

“I think anytime you have a top-five matchup, you’re really excited to come see it,” Davis said outside the GameDay set. “Bbut when you come to one of the great venues in all of college football, one of the great fan bases, it’s always exciting to come here.”

Discussion about this matchup started in the summer, with fans clamoring for a night White Out for one of Penn State’s biggest rivals. Instead, the game will kick off at noon, which Howard said won’t be as “special.” 

“It’s gonna be loud, it’s gonna be rough, it’s gonna be crazy because it’s Ohio State-Penn State,” Howard said. “But if you’ve been in this stadium for a White Out at nighttime, it’s just different.”

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Even with the early kickoff, the game will bring eyes on, and dollars to, Penn State. Fritz Smith, the president and CEO of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, expects Saturday’s game will have the highest economic impact on Centre County of any Penn State game this season.

Smith estimated that this weekend’s game will bring in as much as $15 million into the local economy, with the influx of visitors providing a significant boost for local businesses, restaurants and hotels. He said that would be about double the revenue generated by the Kent State game earlier this season. A 2022 Happy Valley Adventure Bureau study found that Penn State football has an $87.2 million annual economic on Centre County.

“The national attention to it is just so much higher than it typically would be, and the media value of that is practically incalculable,” Smith said. “In terms of the overall volume of people, it’s up there with any big game we’ve ever had.” 

Smith added that “marquee games” such as Penn State-Ohio State expose the university and region to a much wider audience, which brings further national attention to Centre County and its community.

“This game in general is just going to be great for the economy here. That national exposure … it will help not just with drawing visitors here, but I think it helps with recruiting students, too,” Fritz said. “They see the atmosphere and the fun, especially from ESPN GameDay, that tends to have a spillover effect in helping recruit students.”

Chris Buchignani, the co-host of The Obligatory PSU Podcast, said the atmosphere in town was “already awesome” early in the week. As gameday approaches, the anticipation only rises.

“With each passing day, it's tangible in the air," Buchignani said. "You can feel the energy level peaking up. And by the time [the weekend] comes around, and I go get my coffee at the Cheese Shop and all the Happy Valley regulars are moving in and out, it is just going to be the best place on Earth to be.”

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Sam Woloson has covered Penn State Athletics for the past three years and is currently the managing editor of The Daily Collegian. His work has also appeared in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Huntingdon Daily News and Rivals. Follow him on X @sam_woloson