As expected in their first-round matchup, the Penn State Nittany Lions’ fans showed up in remarkable numbers, excited for the highly anticipated “White Out” game against the SMU Mustangs. SMU, an undeniably talented team, had the Penn State crowd at the top of their list of worries, and for good reason.
The energy of the 106,000+ fans that showed up for the game was simply different, drowning the stadium in a thick and intimidating ambiance that messed with the visiting team. And now, we know just how much, according to SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee.
Rhett Lashlee Admits the Crowd Was a Factor in the Penn State Loss
Lashlee admitted that his team had expected and prepared to deal with a tough crowd but failed to do so. The result? A devastating 38-10 loss for SMU.
Penn State’s iconic White Out games are almost mythical in college football, and their Dec. 21 playoff game vs. SMU will go down as one of the best.
Nittany Nation, you made history.#WeAre x #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/3oedBzGLR8
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 25, 2024
The roaring Penn State crowd had SMU off its game in the third quarter, making the Mustangs’ offense false start multiple times inside the 10-yard line. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee pointed out that the freezing cold weather did not affect the Mustangs, and how could it have? The rowdy Penn State crowd was clearly the bigger distraction.
“The crowd was definitely a factor there,” Lashlee said. “I think that’s when it affected us the most was that third quarter going into the end zone where the student section was. And that’s what college football’s all about.”
SMU had prepared for the crowd. They played Sheck Wes’ hit song “Mo Bamba” at practice but ultimately weren’t ready for what they encountered at Beaver Stadium.
“We prepared all week at practice,” SMU QB Kevin Jennings said. “The two weeks we had to practice and prepare for it, so we were really all right with the sound. But it was a big impact for sure, though, and they showed out and came out there and just kind of disturbed our offense a little bit.”
James Franklin Shares Surprise With SMU Playoff Game Turnout
While most would consider the turnout at Penn State’s Round 1 playoff game to be expected, head coach James Franklin found it “unbelievable.”
“The environment was phenomenal; the turnout was unbelievable,” Franklin said. “A lot of the other games had some built-in advantages in terms of the distance between the two teams, so the fact that we filled that thing up with 106,000 fans, predominantly all of ours, is significant. I don’t want that to come off the wrong way. I’ve got a ton of respect for SMU.”
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Coach Lashlee. But it was impactful today.”
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