Penn State Preparing for Donald Trump Visit to Penn State-Ohio State Game

A "private citizen" has invited the former president to the Nittany Lions-Buckeyes game Nov. 2, the univeristy says.

A general view of Penn State's Beaver Stadium prior to a game during the 2023 college football season. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State University is preparing for former President Donald Trump to attend the Penn State-Ohio State game at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 2, three days before the presidential election. The university released a statement Thursday that a "private citizen" has invited Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, to attend the game, Penn State's biggest of the 2024 college football regular season.

"The University has been notified that a private citizen has invited former President Donald Trump to attend the Ohio State-Penn State football game as a guest in their suite," according to a statement from Penn State. "The U.S. Secret Service is working with University Police and Public Safety and other state and local law enforcement on safety and security measures that are put into place
around the presence of presidential candidates. With that in mind, we encourage fans, anyone visiting campus, and all those attending the game to arrive early to the game or to their intended destinations." 

If Trump attends the game, it would be mark his second consecutive Saturday visit to Penn State. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally at the Bryce Jordan Center on Oct. 26.

Trump recently attended an NFL game in Pittsburgh between the Steelers and New York Jets. According to the Associated Press, Trump did so as a "guest of an unidentified suite holder at Acrisure Stadium."

The Penn State-Ohio State game already is a huge date on the Nittany Lions' schedule. If both teams win Saturday (Penn State visits Wisconsin, Ohio State hosts Nebraska), it could mark the first matchup between top-5 teams at Beaver Stadium since 1999. Penn State currently is ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25; Ohio State is No. 4.

As a result, the game could test Penn State's Beaver Stadium attendance record of 110,889, set in 2018 for the Penn State-Ohio State game. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET, which prompted the travel recommendation from Penn State.

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