What Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Did at Practice to Prepare for Penn State White Out

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks will face off against the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, Sept. 27. Ahead of the game, Oregon coach Dan Lanning revealed how he is preparing for Penn State's hostile environment.

Oct 28, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning congratulates players after defeating the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks will face off against the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, Sept. 27, for a top-10 matchup. Not only will the game be a rematch of last season’s Big Ten championship, but it will be Penn State’s annual White Out.

The Penn State White Out is known to be one of the most hostile environments in college football with the stadium’s energy and noise making it a challenge for Nittany Lions' opponents. With that, Oregon coach Dan Lanning has come up with a plan to prepare his team for what is coming.

How Lanning Is Preparing Oregon For Penn State

Sep 6, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greets fans before a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

While speaking to the media ahead of the matchup, Lanning was asked about the environment the Ducks are heading into and if the team is playing “Mo Bamba” at practice. 

“It’ll play. It’ll play a couple times. We’ll do everything we can to be prepared for that environment for sure,” Lanning said. “I don’t love that song.”

One of the most memorable white out moments in recent years was in 2019, when Penn State hosted the No. 16 Michigan Wolverines. After the opening kickoff, the stadium blasted “Mo Bamba,” ahead of Michigan’s first offensive snap.

With the crowd roaring, Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh called a timeout to avoid a delay-of-game penalty on their first play of the game. The timeout fired up the crowd even more, creating a challenge for Michigan.

Sep 6, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks on the field prior to the game against the Florida International Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

This helped spark a tradition of the song blasting at home games, and with the expectation for the crowd to be electric during the song, Lanning is preparing his team to help when game time comes.

Lanning has prepared his team in similar ways in the past, previously playing “Jump Around” during practice to prepare the Ducks against the Wisconsin Badgers.

MORE: ESPN's College GameDay Reveals Week 5 Location

MORE: What Oregon State Coach Trent Bray Said After Loss to Oregon Ducks

MORE: Biggest Winners, Losers From Oregon Ducks' Rivalry Victory Over Oregon State

Oregon Must Be Prepared For Tough Atmosphere

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore warms up as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and the offense will have to prepare for one of the toughest atmospheres to play in. With how loud Beaver Stadium can get, the Ducks will have to be on time with their silent count and look to make a statement early in the game.

Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, Penn State coach James Franklin called for the Nittany Lions fan base to make sure they make it challenging for the Oregon Ducks.

“We need this place rocking. Need to have a distinct home-field advantage. I’m expecting this to be an environment like no one has ever seen,” Franklin said. “This is a four-quarter, one play at a time game that we need to be on our feet, screaming a collective battle cry in the stadium. So we’re going to need everybody’s help.”

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) following a 46-11 win against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This matchup is one of the most anticipated games of the season. Between it being a white out, a Big Ten championship rematch, and the meeting between two top-10 teams, this is shaping up to be a must-watch event. A win would put either team in strong contention to compete for another Big Ten title.

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks and the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions will kick off at 4:30 p.m. PT at Beaver Stadium.