How many White Outs is too many White Outs at Penn State?

After his team’s 56-0 win over Kent State in Week 4, James Franklin’s attention immediately turned to Penn State’s Big Ten opener against No. 19 Illinois on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium. The official White Out game is scheduled for November 9, against Washington, but in the postgame press conference, Franklin called for “White Out… energy.” 

Penn State can’t officially call for a second White Out, but with the Washington Huskies off to an unimpressive 3-1 start as a new member of the Big Ten and Illinois emerging as a threat after an overtime win against Nebraska last week, Franklin is hoping to manufacture a de-facto White Out for the homecoming game. 

It’s obvious that Franklin is hoping to produce the most difficult atmosphere for his team’s most difficult opponents, and the only reason that Ohio State wasn’t selected for the White Out game is that the TV networks complicated the process and made it unclear if that game would be played in primetime. 

Now, Penn State is hoping to have two White Outs, with “White Out… energy” in Beaver Stadium for the Illinois game. That’s too many White Outs. An event like the White Out is so special because it happens once a year, but if every time a ranked opponent comes to Beaver Stadium, Franklin calls for another White Out, it’ll start to lose its luster. 

James Franklin has never been very successful in big games, but if he needs a White Out to beat Bret Bielema’s upstart Illinois team in Week 5, then the program has a big problem. It’s clear that Penn State made the wrong selection for the White Out game, picking a Washington team that was gutted after a trip to the national championship game last season, but it wouldn’t be the first time the Nittany Lions hosted an unimpressive opponent for the White Out. 

Last season, Penn State clobbered No. 24 Iowa 31-0, in 2022 the Nittany Lions rolled 45-17 against an unranked Minnesota team, and in 2021 Penn State took care of No. 22 Auburn 28-20. Prior to that stretch, the White Out was reserved for either Ohio State or Michigan in nine of the previous 10 seasons, with the lone exception being 2011 with No. 3 Alabama in town. 

Now, Franklin needs “White Out energy” to beat Illinois? The White Out is special, it’s the best home environment in college sports, but it won’t stay that way if the team calls of a White Out every time a decent opponent comes to town.