Many rise before the sun as they head over Seven Mountains. The stadium parking lots open hours before kickoff to give the Penn State faithful plenty of time to eat, drink and be merry.

So what are fans doing during all that time? And what should you be on the lookout for once the game kicks off?

Well, buckle up, because a few regulars give you some things you need to know about game days in Happy Valley.

Penn State tailgate

Photo courtesy of PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
Penn State fans are dressed in white to show their Nittany Lion spirit during a recent White Out Game at Beaver Stadium.

Few can deny that Penn State has one of the greatest tailgating traditions of any college team in the land. Period. Endstop.

The area surrounding the Beaver Stadium fills up with a hundred thousand fans on game day – and as the anticipation for kickoff mounts, so too does the delicious aroma of steaks, burgers and hot dogs.

“What helps make Penn State tailgating so awesome is the ample parking on site of the stadium,” said longtime Penn State die-hard Brian Heckert, of Reedsville.

Heckert and a clan of family and friends head to Happy for each home game and get ready to watch the Nittany Lions roar by tailgating.

“It helps make game days one big party,” Heckert added. “I have been to numerous other stadiums and not many have the parking like PSU.”

Photo courtesy of ESPIGH FAMILY
Garth Espith, of Milroy, poses for a family photo at the Nittany Lion shrine, along with daughters, Addison (left) and Emerson, in this 2020 photo.

Parking in the lots is a game day ritual for many, who set up elaborate tailgating smorgasbords of every food imaginable.

“It’s the best tailgate ever … even opposing fans comment about how great the tailgating is at Beaver Stadium,” said Penn State superfan Brian Rothrock, of Lewistown.

“Go to any Penn State fan page and you’ll see comments from the opposing fans saying about how great of a time they had,” Rothrock added.

At the Nittany Lions’ home opener on Saturday, Sept. 7, Rothrock said Bowling Green fans were leaving and drove past his tailgate. “Thanked us and said they had a great time,” he explained.

Visit Nittany Lion shrine

While walking around campus on Saturday, make sure to check out and stop by the Nittany Lion Shrine. Many consider this shrine to be the heart of campus, and a symbol worth protecting at all costs.

Legend has it that a group of rival fans once mapped out a plan to paint the shrine their color, which State fans responded to by camping out the night before the game and protecting it.

Who knows if there’s any truth to that story, so you’ll just have to check out this shrine for yourself during your next trip… and see if any tents have been pitched to guard against vandals.

Check out Nittanyville

Since 2005, Penn State students have camped outside of Beaver Stadium for the entire week leading up to a home game – all in an effort to get the best student section seats.

What started as a way to get the best seats, however, has turned into a campus institution – as students now take part in a slew of contests, pep rallies, activities and more as game day draws closer.

Catch the Blue Buses

Seeing the Blue Buses roll up to Beaver Stadium is one of the coolest pre-game traditions in college football, and a great way to get immersed in the hype before kickoffs.

As the buses come into sight, car horns sound, tailgaters go nuts and fans cheer as the Nittany Lions head into the stadium. A must-see tradition for fans of all ages.

Drum Major flip

In 1971, Penn State Blue Band drum major Jeff Robertson did away with the baton twirl and shocked fans in Beaver Stadium with a backflip. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now viewed as one of the most recognizable pregame traditions in college football, the drum major flip has delighted fans for half a century.

BONUS: While you’re watching the Blue Band, keep an eye out for the “Floating Lion” – a marching band spectacle in which the word “LION” is spelled out in one direction, before seamlessly being flipped the opposite direction for fans on both sidelines to enjoy.

Victory Bell

Started by Nittany Lions coach Rip Engle as a way to alert Penn State fans of away victories – back before smartphones, of course -ringing the bell now serves as a tradition following all home victories.

Though it is not the original bell purchased by Engle, the bell on the south side of Beaver Stadium has rung for decades.

White Out

Perhaps the most iconic of all the traditions at Penn State is the White Out game.

Once a year, often for the biggest home game on the schedule, fans flood Happy Valley dressed in white to create a visual that is all at once captivating – and intimidating – for everyone who gets to see it live.

While the S-Zone is an amazing sight in the student section, and the “Stripe Out” game has become another great yearly event, there’s no tradition at Penn State that connects fans to their team more.

“It’s hard to describe,” said Garth Espigh, of Milroy, who is a Penn State grad and fan. “I think just the sheer size and magnitude that it encompasses as it sprawls outward from the stadium to the surrounding lots.

“The thousands of fans coming together for a massive blue and white party,” Espigh added. “The beauty of the central PA mountains. I’ve tailgated at Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, Iowa state, Illinois, Virginia and East Carolina to name a few. They’re all nice in their own way, but nothing compares to a beautiful fall day in Happy Valley. We Are!”

Whether you’re in the parking lots and the stands, the reply is always, “Penn State.”