Michigan fan at Penn State
Just wanted to hear from others that travelled out to State College. This was 7th consecutive trip / tailgate for this game, and yes it is true that PSU fans hate the fact that for more than a decade they never beat Michigan. However, this year we upgraded to a lot next to the stadium where the "adults" far outnumber the students and I was surprised by how gracious the fans were. Very easy conversations with passers by and neighboring tailgaters. Nearly everyone offer welcome to State College and/or good luck greetings. Met some great people from all over the country ... even a PAC12 group of 9 guys that picked this game as their guy get-away for 2019.
Yeah - there was "THAT PSU GUY" in the Michigan section during the game ... but even 4 trumpet players from their band came to the Michigan section in the 3rd quarter and played The Victors for us to sing the fight song ... and in the correct tempo !!!
So if you were there please tell others how your day went. I'll be going back in 2021.
Go Blue!
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:52 PM ^
Joe pa knew.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
Joe Pa Cnew
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:00 PM ^
Joe Pa - Cognizant
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:46 PM ^
So did warriner
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:53 PM ^
I went to the 2017 game with a group of guys. It was a blast, except for the play of the field. But the campus was great, RV lot was fun, tailgates etc. Great environment.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:07 PM ^
I was at that game as well. Very nice environment, liked how their baseball diamond is right next to the football stadium, and it is open throughout the day. Fans were great overall, we were even invited to a tailgate for some of the day. Had fun telling PSU fans that yelled at us that their stadium looked small. Then we had Mike McCray cover Saquon Barkley on wheel routes.
October 23rd, 2019 at 12:02 AM ^
Weird. I went in '17 and got called a f****t more times than I did in middle school. And that was different times.
Even after the game, I was going to pick up a pizza, and tough guy students got in my face and used their favorite homophobic slur
October 23rd, 2019 at 8:03 AM ^
F****t = Fascist ??
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
I went in 2015. Michigan fans were more annoying than PSU fans.
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:56 PM ^
My bucket list is to get a win at every B1G stadium.
Haven’t yet been to a road game. I think Northwestern or Rutger will be the first one we’ll do.
Have heard very mixed things about PSU.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:00 PM ^
I hope your Northwestern-Michigan game is more enjoyable than my first game at Northwestern.
#M00N
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
You deserve 1 trillion MGoPoints for this. That game was so difficult to watch on TV, can't imagine it in person.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
People talk about 2008 like it was Fan Endurance. I was at both. m00n was worse. Infinitely worse.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:53 PM ^
The quality of play was worse in M00N, but the weather was absolutely miserable for Northwestern 2008 (second only to Purdue '95) - and that team was like 3-7 at the time.
October 23rd, 2019 at 12:48 AM ^
The difference with 2008 was knowing that was precisely what we were in for heading into the gate. m00n became stupidly miserable, across the board, from every angle.
October 23rd, 2019 at 8:26 AM ^
For those unfamiliar with the M00N game ... . A recap ... Nov 2014 game between M and NW ...
https://www.michigandaily.com/section/football/film-breakdown-daily-remembers-m00n-game
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^
My first Michigan@Northwestern game was 2000. That game sucked at the end.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
We had the first down. Why couldn't AT have just dropped to the ground with both hands securely on the ball?
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
I found that 2000 game on a VHS, yes, VHS tape. My kids found an old tv with a VHS player and were watching some old games. This VHS tape found the dumpster and the journey was over.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^
VHS was awesome. You tape something, and you can bring that tape anywhere you want, and play it in any VHS player. You don't lose the recording when you cancel your cable service, or move to a new home.
DVR has all the bells and whistles, but we've lost a lot of practicality.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
Because he was about to score the easiest TD of his life...until he didn't
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^
Mine is to attend games at every B1G stadium. I completed the initial phase @Illinois recently, as that was the last of the pre-expansion venues I hadn't until then visited. Next is phase II: traveling to the newbies--- Penn St, Nebraska, Maryland, and Rutgers.
My W-L record at each is above .500 with just two exceptions: Michigan is 0-1 in games I've attended @Wisconsin and @Iowa. And the only other road venue where I've seen Michigan lose is @Purdue, where we're 7-1 in games I've attended.
Here's how Michigan has fared in B1G road games I've attended:
@Illinois 1-0
@IU 2-0
@Iowa 0-1
@msu 1-0
@Minnesota 2-0
@Northwestern: 9-0
@osu 1-0
@Purdue 7-1
@Wisconsin 0-1
...so while we're 23-3 in conference road games I've attended, I will have to look at planning my own "revenge tour" to both Iowa and Wisconsin on our next visits to each.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:45 PM ^
Impressive record! Out of curiosity, which year were you at OSU?
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:03 PM ^
We went to the horseshoe in 1990. That was the 16-13 Michigan victory on a JD Carlson 37 yd FG, after Cooper tried and failed on a QB sneak on 4th-and-2 in OSU territory in the final couple minutes.
October 23rd, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
I saw that game in Saudi Arabia on a satelite feed while preparing for Operation Desert Storm. My happiest moment of a long year deoyment. Go Blue
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:10 PM ^
I want to play...
@Illinois: 2-0
@Indiana: 1-0
@Iowa: 1-0
@MSU: 3-1
@Minnesota: 1-0
@Northwestern: 2-1
@OSU: 0-2
@Penn State: 0-1
@Purdue: 0-1
@Wisconsin: 1-0
Venues still to visit: Nebraska, Rutgers, Maryland, & Minnesota (@TCF Bank Stadium)
..Other away games
@Boston College: 1-0
@Notre Dame: 1-1
@Syracuse: 1-0
@UCLA: 0-1
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:14 PM ^
Other away games for me:
@ ND 2-1
Looking at future schedules, here are my tentative road trips being planned:
2020: @ Washington and @ Rutgers, also maybe @ Minnesota
2021: @Nebraska, but also considering a week-long road trip out east to see Penn State and Maryland on back-to-back Saturdays. Also maybe @Wisconsin
2022: return trips to Iowa and to msu (my only trip to spartie stadium was waaaaay back in '81, when Butch Woolfolk ran for about a gazillion yards)
2023: @UCLA. Unless I first get there for the actual Rose Bowl game first. Otherwise, @penn St and/or @Maryland if I don't make either in 2021.
October 23rd, 2019 at 2:25 PM ^
I want to play too! My record isn't as strong or extensive:
- MSU: 0-2 ('13 and '14)
- ND: 0-2 ('14 and '18)
- OSU: 0-2 ('14 and '16)
- Penn State: 1-0 ('15)
- Wisconsin: 0-2 ('17 and '19)
- Maryland: 1-0 ('15)
- Rutgers: 1-0 ('16)
- Florida: 2-0 (neutral sites, '17 and '15)
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:41 PM ^
Northwestern has more of a high school stadium feel, town is beautiful!
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:05 PM ^
One of my Spartan buds (yes, I have one) has gone to Happy Valley a few times. Way back when, he said that he got the whole "hallowed ground" treatment & they were very gracious. As soon as MSU became a threat, he said the whole tone changed. I think it just depends on who you meet.
October 23rd, 2019 at 7:30 AM ^
This is absolutely true. I saw Michigan play in Happy Valley in 1995, when Penn State was in the midst of a 3 game winning streak over Michigan and the idea that Michigan was about to go on a decade long streak of their own was unthinkable. Michigan played well, but PSU edged out the win that day and the fans were pretty gracious. I haven't been back, but friends of mine who have been reported that feelings amongst the Nittany Lions fans were a little different by the early 2000's.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
I went in 2006, and it was easily the best away trip I've made yet. I'd go again in a second.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^
HEY! See the below. Did you sit in our section??? The one by the speakers with all the Michigan fans?
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:40 PM ^
We were way up in an upper deck, in a weird spot on a railing. The usher had obviously brought in a ticketless friend, who reclined on a pool deck chair in the aisle below us watching the game through a very large monocular. It was weird.
Lost my voice by the second quarter. People couldn't have been nicer.
October 23rd, 2019 at 7:33 AM ^
Even with that drive? I don't know where you were coming from in 2006, but driving to Happy Valley from SE Michigan, for me, was a miserable experience.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
We went in 2006 when Michigan was really good.
Went with a family member. Treated like absolute shit from 95 percent of the fans.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:44 PM ^
I was blown away by how hospitable their fans were. Not one person "hated" us. There were no where near as many Michigan fans as I thought would be there, but literally every single PSU fan we met (a ton) were beyond nice.
We talked to a guy for 10 minutes at 'Jax Bar and Kitchen' on Friday evening, and he offered us his $125 parking pass right next to stadium, because we asked him where best place to tailgate was for people without parking passes. We thought he was bullshitting, but he exchanged his phone number, and he was the one to call us in the morning and tell us to come pick it up at his house. We did. amazing tailgate spot.
Anyone saying their fans are dicks must have never been there. I didnt see anyone but the nicest people
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:52 PM ^
They are good folks who just happen to have a blind spot when it comes to their beloved iconic coach covering up his friend and subordinate having anal sex with kids on university property.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:25 PM ^
Anyone who has had a different experience than your one-off moment must be wrong? Makes sense...
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:05 PM ^
Been to every venue except Nebraska, Rutgers, and Maryland. My take away is that opposing fans treatment of me has been directly tied to our decling prestige we had as a perennial power. As Michigan faded into mediocrity (and some years worse), the treatment has been less hostile.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:21 PM ^
eh. i have been going to one or two road games for over 20 years; almost every venue. every fan base has a few a-holes, but i've been treated ok everywhere, except illinois after our 2000 win and just about every time i go to EL. never been to osu. maybe never will.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^
Always had great experiences there
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:18 PM ^
actually, i had a similar experience way back in 97. but since then, i just can't get past sandusky. i probably won't ever go back.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
Been to PSU a couple times. I find the fans there are respectful.
But then again, they can't really afford to talk trash given their recent history
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
Was at the game a few rows from the top. Most of the fans were very nice, almost too nice. People going out of their way to "thank us for coming" and "welcome to Happy Valley." A drunk kid got in why wife's face a bit but that was really the only negative.
I was surprised by the lack of drunk students. I don't know if anyone else thought the same. Students piling into the stadium at least an hour before kickoff. Good atmosphere.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:42 PM ^
Just FYI. The students file in a single line so it takes a bit longer to fill, but the Student Section was packed before kickoff.
Go Blue!
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:23 PM ^
I was there and had a similar experience. I met the kid (a freshman) who created the “Tom Brady is a system QB” sign from gameday. He was gracious, intelligent and even played catch with my 8 year old son.
All but one or two fans were great. Maybe the fact that we were with several PSU fans helped, but couldn’t have enjoyed the environment, the fans and the setting more... well, could have enjoyed it more... if... we won.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:26 PM ^
I'm glad folks had a predominantly good experience. The adults and "regular" students are pretty cool (though yes, some are stricken with blindness re: Paterno), but the frat crews are just beyond hideous. It was also a beautiful day, and thus a beautiful day for tail-gating.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:47 PM ^
This was my third time traveling to State College for a game. I've been to most of the Big Ten stadiums and outside of Columbus, this was the worst.
There were many nice people who were very welcoming but way too many rude and obnoxious people. The students were the worst!
I traveled to Madison this year as well and they were great. State College, not so much.
October 23rd, 2019 at 12:57 AM ^
In general, if you are a dick at away games you will be treated like a dick. If you're not . . . you won't.