Staff Picks: Which Penn State Football away games should fans attend?
Nick Kreiser (Editor/Football)
1. Auburn
It’s not every day that two of the more successful programs from both the Big Ten and SEC square off in the regular season, which already makes this a must-see game. Plus, this is the first time since 2010 – when the Nittany Lions traveled to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama – that the Penn State fanbase will get to show itself off, in the heart of SEC country, and it may be a while until it happens again. It would certainly be worth the trip to Auburn, AL, to White Out Jordan-Hare Stadium.
2. Michigan
As much as it pains me to say it, The Big House is one of the best stadiums, not just in college football, but in all of sports. Combine that with the fact that the Nittany Lions will be searching for their first win in Ann Arbor (with fans) since 2009, and also looking to knock off the defending Big Ten Champions in a great atmosphere, and this is a highly attractive game for Penn State Football fans to hit the road for.
3. Purdue
Being that Purdue is in the West, it’s not too often that Penn State fans get the opportunity to travel to West Lafayette for a game, with the last time being in 2016. Coming off a 9-4 season, Purdue is a contender in the West, and with Penn State coming to town to kick off the season, the atmosphere inside Ross-Ade Stadium should be great. Finally, if you love modern football with teams putting the ball in the air all game, this is the game for you. Purdue will certainly lean heavy on their passing attack, as will Penn State (especially if the running game hasn’t made significant improvements).
4. Rutgers
This SHOULD be a relatively comfortable win for the Nittany Lions, but under Greg Schiano, the Scarlet Knights are a much better team than they were a few years ago, so they can and will compete with many teams in the Big Ten. In this the second-to-last game of the regular season, Rutgers could still be fighting for bowl eligibility, which could add a little extra juice to an otherwise underwhelming crowd at SHI Stadium in Piscataway. Plus, Rutgers is one of the closest Big Ten schools to State College, so for many fans (especially in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, that may actually be closer to Piscataway than to State College), this is an easy little road trip to watch a Penn State road game.
5. Indiana
The Hoosiers could once again find themselves in the basement of the Big Ten East, and for a school that is known for basketball, don’t expect a very lively atmosphere for any of their home games. Although, they do typically play Penn State tough in Bloomington, even beating them in 2020 (not sure if you remember that game or not), so it could be a relatively competitive game – even though it shouldn’t be. Indiana is probably a pretty lengthy trip for most of the Penn State fanbase, so it probably isn’t worth it to travel out there this year to take in a game against a below average team in what figures to be a lifeless atmosphere.