White Out Officially Trends in the Wrong Direction

© Dan Rainville/USA TODAY NETWORK

Penn State fans' fears have come to fruition as the Nittany Lions miss out again on the White Out opponent they wanted. After a long-drawn-out process, PSU has finally announced its theme games for the 2024 season.

No game had more anticipation than the annual White Out game, and we finally know the Nittany Lions will be welcoming in the Washington Huskies on Nov. 9.

Kyle Golik of College Football Dawgs has no problem with PSU scheduling the White Out for the weekend when last year's national runner-up comes to town. An alternative perspective is presented here.

Washington was not the team most fans were hoping for but it’s the team they got.

After two years of cakewalks in the White Out and what looks to be a third one, the White Out is starting to trend in the wrong direction. It's on the brink of losing its luster and appeal.

Theme Game Schedule

Here is Penn State's 2024 home schedule, noting the themes assigned to each game. (All kickoff times are EST.):

• Sept. 7: Bowling Green, THON Game, noon EST

• Sept. 21: Kent State, Military Appreciation Day, TBD

• Sept. 28: Illinois, Homecoming, 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. EST

• Oct. 5: UCLA, Stripe Out, TBD

• Nov. 2: Ohio State, Helmet Stripe, TBD

• Nov. 9: Washington, White Out, TBD

• Nov. 30: Maryland, Senior Day, TBD

White Out Should Be OSU

Many fans had Nov. 2 circled on the schedule as the game they were hoping to see as the White Out. Penn State hosts Ohio State on that day. As the No. 2 team in ESPN's preseason top 25, the Buckeyes will be Penn State's biggest challenge of the season. But instead of the White Out game, the Buckeyes will be treated to its little sister, the Helmet Stripe game. Penn State will instead host the White Out seven days later, making this the second time a White Out is played a week after the Ohio State game.  It happened in 2022 when Penn State beat Minnesota in the White Out, only to lose a week later to Ohio State.

Penn State received a favorable schedule this season. College Football Network rates PSU's strength of schedule No. 49 out of the 134 FBS teams. The Nittany Lions benefit from not having Oregon and Michigan on their docket. A win against Ohio State could put Penn State in a perfect spot to finally make it back to a Big Ten Championship game. Ohio State comes in as one of the favorites to win the Big Ten along with the national championship. The White Out is the biggest home-field advantage in college football, and for the third year in a row, Penn State won’t have it for their biggest game. That's disappointing.

Disappointing Matchup Again

In 2022, Minnesota received the White Out treatment, getting whipped by PSU 45-17. Then, in 2023, Penn State had Iowa in for the annual White Out, and fans were treated to a 31-0 shellacking of the Hawkeyes.

This year the Huskies come into town for the first time ever and will get to experience the White Out. Washington won the Pac-12 Conference and played for the national championship last season. However, the Huskies' offseason did them no favors, as they lost their head coach to Alabama and most of their key players to the NFL or transfer portal. Washington comes into the season with Caesars Sportsbook setting the over/under on their win total at 6.5 games. That’s not the ideal outlook for fans who want to see the White Out scheduled for the Nittany Lions' most influential game of the year.

Enough  Is Enough

 The White Out should be a game reserved every year only for the country's best. It’s a game that is one of the top five traditions in college football. It’s a game that should be must-see TV. It’s a game that should only be played at night under the lights to chants of “We are Penn State.”

Unfortunately, the game is losing some of its magic because it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. It's time for the Big Ten to push the television networks to start treating the White Out the way it ought to be treated—as one of college football's finest traditions. It's time for the networks to let Penn State not only pick the opponent but also pick the kickoff time.