Penn State Would Like to Welcome SMU to December in Central PA

Winter, wind and white will be the pillars of the Nittany Lions' home-field advantage in their College Football Playoff game vs. the Mustangs.

Penn State Nittany Lions fans prior to the game against the Washington Huskies at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

SMU is booming some of Beaver Stadium's favorite songs, including the omnipresent "Mo Bamba," at practice this week as it prepares to visit Penn State for the College Football Playoff. But in trying to familiarize themselves with the scene, the Mustangs know they can't replicate it. Thus, SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said, the home-field advantage is stark.

"You do the best you can," Lashlee said this week. "We've not been in this environment. We've had some good environments — the ACC championship game a week ago, that was helpful — but there's really nothing you can do to prepare for it. You've got to get there, you've got to adjust to it and go compete. We're doing all the normal things you do to prepare, but obviously it's a huge home-field advantage, and that's why they earned the right to be at home."

The Nittany Lions want to extract every benefit from that home-field advantage Saturday, when they host SMU in a first-round playoff game. Campus games represent a highlight of the expanded playoff, and Penn State wants to welcome SMU with every intimidating element it can. The program declared this game a "Playoff White Out," leaning into a special occasion of its branded atmospheric that gets a midday start.

Though the College Football Playoff dictates certain gameday terms — both teams get an introductory video, for example — Penn State largely will operate a full home-game program with all of its "Mo Bamba" benefits. Add a frigid, blustery forecast, and the Nittany Lions feel as though they'll begin the game with three key advantages: winter, wind and white.

"We're in Beaver Stadium, so it's a different type of energy this week," Penn State linebacker Kobe King said. "And with it being the playoffs, it should be. But we're just taking advantage of the environment that should be Saturday with them coming here. It should be cold, should be loud, windy. Guys are taking advantage of it, looking toward this moment."

How fans respond still remains to be seen. Patrick Kraft, Penn State's athletic director, told the Centre Daily Times that he expects the game to sell out, though several thousand verified tickets remain available on Ticketmaster. In particular, several student sections have vacant rows.

Still, playoff attendance should top 100,000, and the environment will be loud. SMU football will bring a fervent fan base, but the program plays in a different capacity world. SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium has a capacity of 32,000, more than 70,000 seats smaller than Beaver Stadium. The Mustangs played in front of a total of 438,551 fans over 13 games this season, including 53,808 in the ACC title game. Penn State played in front of 758,652 fans in seven Beaver Stadium home games, including the venue's largest crowd ever (111,030 vs. Ohio State).

"Crowd noise plays a huge part, especially when you're talking about cadence and getting the snap off," Penn State defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas said. "That messes with teams a lot, and now they have to go on silent cadences, which they give away physical signals, like the center may nod his head or may move his hand, or the guard may tap the center. Those things matter and make a difference in the game, especially when you're looking at it on tape. And so I think that matters, coming into this week that they're going to have a tough time, especially in Beaver Stadium with the White Out going on, adjusting to that noise level."

Early playoff week White Out conditions at Beaver Stadium. pic.twitter.com/Z3bbUiLr6g

— Mark Brennan (@MarkXBrennan) December 16, 2024

The Nittany Lions also would like to welcome SMU to central Pennsylvania in December. The State College-based AccuWeather projects breezy conditions and a temperature real-feel of 15 degrees and suggests that fans "bundle up for the football game." When SMU played "Mo Bamba" at practice this week, the temperature in Dallas was 70 degrees.

"I'm disappointed we had a really nice day today," Lashlee said. "... They're playing in the same weather. I don't think they've played a game on Dec. 21 at home, either. The weather is going to be an issue only if we allow it to be an issue."

True, but Penn State already has played against some cold fronts this season, notably in November at Minnesota and at home against Maryland. Defensive tackle Zane Durant is from Lake Nona, Florida, but quickly learned how to brace for the cold.

"My first cold game, I was struggling out there," Durant said. "But I kind of got used to it. I know what to do and the little secrets you need to play in it. But yeah, it's a factor for sure."

Abdul Carter, Penn State's All-America defensive end, doesn't expect conditions to impact him significantly. SMU, on the other hand...

"For me personally, weather don't matter," Carter said. "It could be hot or cold. But obviously them coming to our environment that we pretty much have been used to, and they're pretty much not, it's going to be an advantage for us."

Penn State hosts SMU in a first-round College Football Playoff game Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on TNT.

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