In many ways, Saturday was a day of firsts in Beaver Stadium — no matter where or how you looked at it…or the game.
That’s why my Sunday Top 10 — new for the 2025 Penn State football season — this week focuses on what was stadium new, what was transfer portal borrowed, and what was Blue (Band).
(As for @PSUPoorman, that’s where you can find me on X/Twitter and, new this season, on Instagram.)
1. WEST SHORE HOME FIELD. After 65 seasons as simply Beaver Stadium, the venue’s official name is West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium — with the signage and field paint to prove it. Kudos to the Werzyn family, owners of West Shore Home, for purchasing the rights to name the field for 15 years for $50 million — which will have a major positive impact on the $700 million stadium renovation and Penn State athletics as a whole. In addition to signage outside the stadium, WSH also has its name and logo on the playing field.
2. 409. Prior to Saturday, Penn State had played 405 games in Beaver Stadium without a field name since 1960. PSU is now 324-82-0 (79.8%) in Beaver Stadium. The White Out vs. Oregon on Sept. 27 (7:30 p.m., NBC) will be game No. 409.
2a. Speaking of that White Out game, if Penn State beats both Florida International (next Saturday) and Villanova (Sept. 13) — not a big if — James Franklin will enter the Oregon game with 104 career victories at Penn State. That would tie Franklin for second all-time wins as a Penn State football head coach, with Rip Engle. A victory over the Ducks would give CJF 105, and the No. 2 spot behind Joe Paterno outright.
2Bb. Speaking of Rip: I’m privileged to be the only writer currently — or remaining, depending on how you look at it — on the Penn State football beat who has met and written stories about the past five Penn State football coaches — Engle, Paterno, Tom Bradley, Bill O’Brien and James Franklin.
3. HAVE A SEAT. I arrived at the stadium early on Saturday. The first thing I did after settling into the new press box (see No. 8) was to make a beeline to the new — but temporary — west side bleachers and climb to the top row. They were sturdy, accessible, with a terrific view. But, the stands were empty, the weather was warm with a slight breeze and it was not a raucous White Out. I’ll try to go back then.
4. NEW TOO, BUT NOT BALLYHOOED. When you take a look at the video in my above Tweet, take notice of the new small section of bleachers tucked away in the southeastern corner of the stadium, in a space that had previously been vacant.
5. FOE NO. 166. Penn State started playing football in 1887, and its game against Nevada was No. 1,398 (944-412-42) in its 136-year history. The Nittany Lions faced Nevada for the first time on Saturday. The Wolf Pack were Penn State’s 166th different opponent. Penn State has faced its opponent this coming Saturday, Florida International, once before — a 59-0 victory on Sept. 1, 2007. PSU linebacker coach Dan Connor was a Nittany Lion co-captain and All-American that season.
6. 46-11 SCORIGAMI. A scorigami is a final score that has never happened before in a sport or league’s history. The term was originated by sportswriter Jon Bois. According to my pal Greg Guise and College Football Scorigami, the final score of Saturday’s game — Penn State 46, Nevada 11 — never happened before in the history of college football, let alone Penn State football history.
7. FLIPPIN’ GREAT. Major Penn State Drum Major history was made on Saturday, when the Blue Band introduced its first-ever female drum major. From the Penn State Blue Band’s Official Facebook Post: “The Penn State Blue Band has named Ellie Sheehan as Drum Major for the 2025-26 season, marking a historic milestone as she is the first woman to hold the position in the band’s more than 125-year history. A fifth-year student majoring in marketing with a minor in digital media trends and analytics, Sheehan is from Hollidaysburg, Pa. She enters her fifth year at Penn State and served as a respected leader in the piccolo section through her dedication and passion for the Blue Band.”
7a. Ellie nailed her first flip in the Blue Band’s pre-game performance on West Shore Home Field on Saturday.
8. A PRESSING MOVE. As long as I have been covering Penn State football — since a 24-3 Homecoming win over Army on Oct. 13, 1979 — and for almost two decades longer than that, the stadium’s press box has been located on the west side of the stadium. No more. Due to the renovations, the press box has been moved (permanently) to the east side, to the third floor of the suites. It’s in the section to the farthest north, adjacent to and opening onto the open-air seating deck. It was formerly home to the suites of the Penn State government relations staff and their legislative guests.
8b. The press box sight lines are very good, the seating is tighter and there are 70 fewer seats than what had been on the west side. But…I liked the old press box better. Here’s a mid-game view:
9. FIRST START. Saturday’s game was the first collegiate football start for four Nittany Lions: safety Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, cornerback Audavion Collins, cornerback Kenny Woseley Jr. and defensive end Jaylen Harvey. Harvey, a redshirt freshman, was the biggest surprise. Veteran DE Zuriah Fisher, slated to start opposite All-World Dani Dennis-Sutton, was a game-time scratch. And, with the offseason announcement that DE Max Granville would be out for an extended period of time, that left the Nittany Lions with a lot of youth and not much depth at edge.
10. FIRST START AT PSU. Four key transfers made their first start for Penn State on Saturday. All performed well, a credit to the acumen of Penn State football’s personnel department. The quartet: WR Kyron Hudson (6 catches, 89 yards), WR Trevor Pena (7-74), LB Amare Campbell (team-high 6 tackles) and DT Alonzo Ford Jr. (first start).
10A. Hudson scored his first touchdown for Penn State in the second quarter, on a nice 31-yard touch pass from quarterback Drew Allar and an excellent grab by the experienced former USC receiver. I can see a dozen more of where that came from.
IN MEMORIAM: In the press box on Saturday, Penn State athletics had a touching tribute to the late Lou Prato, a dear friend to all of Penn State football and its fans. Audrey Snyder of Inside the Lions, on Substack, captured it nicely in this X/Twitter post below.
