How Penn State's Biggest Fans Responded to a Month of Turmoil

STATE COLLEGE | The tents returned this week to Gate A at Penn State’s Beaver Stadium for the first time since James Franklin was fired. But a lot has changed at Nittanyville, the student-run tent city that gathers before every Nittany Lions home game.

Leading up to the White Out in late September, when Penn State was ranked No. 3 and ESPN’s College GameDay took over Old Main lawn, nearly 350 people camped out for a week before the Nittany Lions faced Oregon.

But the fan base of the now-unranked Nittany Lions is braving colder temperatures in smaller numbers ahead of Saturday’s noon kick against No. 2 Indiana. There were fewer than 10 tents outside Beaver Stadium on Thursday night.

“I’m not surprised with the amount of attendance we’ve had this week; it’s because there are a lot of unknowns,” Nittanyville President Aaron Klein. “I don’t want to say that people aren’t happy with what’s going on right now, but I mean, there’s a lot of displeasure, and you kind of have to expect that things aren’t going to be the same.”

Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said the team needs the momentum of the home crowd as it seeks to end a five-game losing streak. Penn State has not lost six straight games since 2004.

“It’s a family, we need that support to encourage our guys,” Smith said Wednesday after practice. “It’s home-field advantage, it’s Beaver Stadium, it’s where we should be cheered.”

Saturday will be the first time Smith leads the team out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel as interim head coach, but that’s not the only part of his pre-game routine that has changed.

"I just learned that I now have to stay at the [team] hotel Friday,” Smith said. “This whole thing is really surreal to me. I’m just humbled by it. I’m looking forward to having our home crowd behind us.”

A colder, quieter Nittanyville

Penn Sate students gather outside Beaver Stadium for the pre-game camp known as Nittanyville ahead of a Nittany Lions' game. — Penn Sate students gather outside Beaver Stadium for the pre-game camp known as Nittanyville ahead of the Nittany Lions' game vs. No. 2 Indiana. | Amanda Vogt/Penn State on SI

Nittanyville attendees arrived Thursday evening and are camping for only two nights. For the White Out on Sept. 27, campers pitched tents four days before the game. Penn State captain Dom DeLuca and the linebackers delivered pizza to the campers Thursday, and freshman Lavar Arrington II gave a quick speech thanking everyone for their support.

Beaver Stadium’s tone turned hostile in some corners during Penn State’s 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Oct. 11. Franklin was fired the next day, and the team hasn't played a home game since. Smith has encouraged his players to train themselves “to only hear the positive,” and playing in belligerent environments at Iowa and Ohio State the past two games has been good practice.

“People ask me, ‘Did you hear the Ohio State fans?’” Smith said. “I didn’t hear a word because I didn’t want to hear it, so I train myself not to hear it and I just know what I need to see, what I need to hear.”

Klein said he doesn’t expect a record-setting crowd Saturday, adding that there might be some more clusters of Indiana fans wearing red in the stands. But he also said there will be support for Penn State.

“No matter what kind of situation you’re in, you’re always eager to watch your team play,” Klein said. “This is Penn State football. I mean, people eat, sleep and breathe this community, and I can’t say I expect anything else than Penn State love and support.”

As the leader of Nittanyville, Klein has tried to bring everyone together despite the team’s record. The weather also made camping out difficult. It was 40 degrees Thursday but felt colder with the extra wind whipping around the stadium.

“I grew up a Maryland fan, so I’m not necessarily used to winning in the way Penn State does,” Klein said. “So I think growing up in that way and having optimism taken from me every single season has conditioned me to have faith and try and breathe that life into other people. I think it’s important, not only as the leader of an organization, but just as a fan and as a student, to be able to try and bring everyone back together to support the cause we all love.”

Rallying around the Nittany Lions

The handshakes feel different. This feels like a tailspin with no parachute to bailout.

The "Fire Franklin" chants are extremely loud in the tunnel. #PennState #NittanyLion #JamesFranklin pic.twitter.com/mdNk76WgdW
— Andrew Kalista (@KalistaAndrew) October 11, 2025

But is Beaver Stadium capable of being patient? With an interim head coach and a new starting quarterback, it might have to be. Regardless of the atmosphere, Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien said, “we’re going to play and stay on schedule and score points.”

“But you’d love to have this Penn State family rally around a team that’s in turmoil and trying to dig their way out of it,” O’Brien added. “These kids have done nothing but put their best foot forward every day.”

Saturday marks redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer’s first start at home and only the third of his career. Nittanyville is willing to give him a chance, but Klein can’t control the whole stadium.

“It would be unfair for us as a fan base to not give him that chance,” Klein said. “People are frustrated with our situation and how the season’s gone, but you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t support this team. It’s certainly not going to make his situation any better if people are going to be hostile and not give him a chance to succeed when we need him to step up in the biggest moment.”

A colder, quieter Nittanyville

Rallying around the Nittany Lions

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