Beaver Stadium capacity: The 5 biggest crowds in Penn State football history

1. No. 9 Penn State 26 vs. No. 4 Ohio State 27

Penn State’s last chance to make a run at a national championship during the Trace McSorley era ended before the calendar turned to October. Without Saquon Barkley next to him in the backfield, McSorley couldn’t do enough to beat No. 4 Ohio State and Dwayne Haskins in front of the largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history. 

Penn State started the season 4-0 averaging 55.5 points a game, so the anticipation was palpable for the matchup with Ryan Day’s Buckeyes. McSorley threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 175 yards on 25 carries, but Miles Sanders, who finished the game with 43 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, was stuffed on 4th and 5 with 1:16 remaining and Penn State down one. 

The 110,889 fans in attendance were stunned that Franklin kept the ball on the ground on the game-deciding play and took it out of McSorley’s hands. 

Penn State lost the very next weekend against Michigan State in front of 106,685 fans at Beaver Stadium and went on to finish the year 9-4 with a Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky.