Joe Paterno Fired: Should Fans Boycott the Game to Show Support for the Victims?

At this time last week, Saturday’s showdown between Penn State and Nebraska was shaping up to be one of the best Big Ten matchups of the season. What's more, it was possibly even a preview of the conference’s first ever championship game.

Instead, the game has become a complete afterthought as the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal has rocked the State College campus and cost legendary head coach Joe Paterno his job.

The eye of America has turned to Happy Valley this week, and we’ve all been watching the dramatic events continue to unfold.

This has been one of the most fascinating and yet heartbreaking scandals in sports history. The last thing anyone around Penn State is thinking about at this point is this weekend’s football game.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that the game will still be played. Interim head coach Tom Bradley will lead the Nittany Lions on Senior Day in what should be one of the strangest atmospheres for a major college football game we’ve ever seen.

Some have openly wondered whether or not this game should even be played at all, given all that’s taken place this week. However, it doesn’t matter if people like it or not—the game will go on as scheduled.

This is only the second game that Penn State has sold out this year. That being said, it’s doubtful that all 107,000 seats at Beaver Stadium will be filled.

There have been calls to protest the game as a show of support for the victims, but it remains to be seen if fans will actually go through with it.

On one hand, that would punish the senior players, who are simply innocent bystanders in all of this, on their big day.

Having said that, it would also send a message. It would tell the school that the community is disgusted by what went on and how things were handled by those who had the power to control the Sandusky situation and yet did nothing.

However it all plays out on Saturday, it’s going to be very intriguing to see how the fans handle such an unprecedented situation. Hopefully, nothing gets too out of hand.