The Nittany Lions first game against Akron on Saturday was a great start to the season with the Lions winning 31-7. Everyone in attendance was loud, hype, and energetic...as usual. Although, there was something that was a little off about the first game.
I noticed that the student section wasn't completely full. This was odd considering it was the first game of the season. Many factors could have contributed to this absence of students.
Could it have been too hot outside for students to endure?
Was tailgating too intense?
Was it the fact that Akron wasn't such a big match-up?
Frank Augustine (Junior-Marketing) said that he was there for the entire game. "From pregame to watching the Lions run off the field, I was there for it all!" He went on to say that he didn't understand why someone who had student section seating wouldn't want to be at the game.
Other students agreed with Augustine on the matter.
As I was walking around before I went into the stadium, it seemed as though people (students and others) were more worried about drinking and having fun at their tailgates than making it inside in time for kick-off.
I asked a "passerby" why he thought this was and he replied, "No one really cares about these first few games. It won't really get exciting until we play teams like Iowa. Until then, why not party it up?"
I wasn't sure if I agreed with that statement. I mean, sure, games further into the season with match-upa against the likes of Iowa and Ohio State will be extremely exciting, but why wouldn't a true fan be interested in the other games as well?
This brings me to ask, is tailgating more important than the game itself?
Out of curiosity, I asked a few students around campus this question and the reactions were surprising.
Richard Jopeck (Senior-Public Relations) said, "I mean, it wouldn't be football without the tailgate! I go to every game and I always tailgate before. I don't think I'd miss a whole game for a tailgate, but I would miss some if it depending on who we played." He also said, "Tailgating is fun and all, but you can continue to have that fun after the game ends."
Cassandra J (Sophmore-Journalism) says, "Football isn't football without the tailgate. It's like the butter to the bread!"
With this, I have to agree. I don't think that game day would be as good without a tailgate—but I wouldn't miss a game to attend the tailgate (obviously unless I didn't have tickets).
Un-attending Students: Put the beer down, remove the homemade BBQ ham sandwich from your mouth, and enter the stadium. The tailgate will be there after the game too!
Hopefully the student section will be jam packed for the Syracuse game on the 12th.
Let's keep that Penn State spirit going!
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