Could Auburn Visit Penn State for the Whiteout's Return?

Penn State has announced its first kickoff time for the 2021 football season. The Lions will host Auburn in prime time.

Penn State will host Auburn in prime time on ABC, certainly suggesting that the visit could mark the return of the Whiteout.

Kickoff for the first Auburn's first visit to Beaver Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 on ABC, Penn State announced Tuesday. The teams will be playing for the third time and first outside bowl season. They split the first two meetings: Penn State won the 1996 Outback Bowl 43-14, and Auburn won the 2003 Captial One Bowl 13-9.

Penn State hosted an alternate form of its annual Whiteout game last season against Ohio State, bringing some familiar sounds and songs to a mostly empty Beaver Stadium. The Buckeyes won that game 38-25.

Auburn's visit would provide Penn State with the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the Whiteout. It is one of the team's top home games of the 2021 schedule and likely will be conducted in a sold-out Beaver Stadium. Penn State officials have said they are planning to host a full stadium for games this season.

Auburn will be the first SEC opponent to visit Beaver Stadium since Alabama in 2011.

2021 Penn State Schedule

• Sept. 4: at Wisconsin

• Sept. 11: Ball State

• Sept. 18: Auburn: 7:30 p.m., ABC

• Sept. 25: Villanova

• Oct. 2: Indiana

• Oct. 9: at Iowa

• Oct. 23: Illinois

• Oct. 30: at Ohio State

• Nov. 6: at Maryland

• Nov. 13: Michigan

• Nov. 20: Rutgers

• Nov. 27: at Michigan State