Penn State Football: Classic Day, Classic Way

Penn State. We are…one of the first. We are…historically renowned. We are…a model and standard of timeless football. We are…the school of basic blues, black shoes, no names, all game. 

All these things attest to the fact that Penn State Football is classic. Penn State football is one of the most storied and tradition-oriented programs in the nation. That’s all the more reason that Guido D’Elia, Director of Communications and Branding, and his “Great Show Squad” put together the idea of Classic Day at Beaver Stadium.

On Football Eve I remember watching a video on the big screen in Beaver that warm Friday night before season opener.  The video was promotion for the season, something we hadn’t done in the season before that I’d been here. Each day would be themed.

It reminded me of  “Spirit Week” that most high schools had the week before Homecoming. The themes would include Classic Day, Favorite Jersey Day, Whitehouse, Champs Day, Homecoming Day, and Senior Day. Saturday’s matchup against the Syracuse Orangemen marked the beginning of the themed game day experience.

I usually arrive at the stadium bright and early at 8am for my internship. Time goes by and it’s a gloomy, cloudy Saturday morning in Happy Valley. As I walked down Park Avenue I was worried I wouldn’t be able to see the trucks and trailers lined up in the grass, smell the hot dogs and hamburgers or see the fans trickle into the parking lot.

A few hours went by and I see the students in their tie die shirts and headbands and peace signs of the 60’s. I felt the school spirit. As I walked on the field I hear the music from the decade

Classic day also brought along a few classic players from the past.

From my 50 yard-line seats I spot the PSU legend Lenny Moore-honorary captain for the day.  Moore’s high-stepping style of the 1960s held the Baltimore Colts offense together. At half time Moore was honored for being 1 of 5 Penn Staters in the professional football hall of fame.

Also in attendance were the 1959 Liberty Bowl Champions.

The Syracuse football rivalry goes back and PSU hasn’t hosted ‘Cuse since 1990. The Lions came on top with a 28-7 win over the Orangemen. 

When the Nittany Lions take on Temple Sept. 19^th the student section will be decked out in their Favorite Jersey for the themed game day.