Penn State on Opening Northwestern's New Ryan Field: 'It's Going to Be Sick'

Northwestern’s New Ryan Field holds 35,000 fans, and the athletic department says every seat is premium. The visiting team’s locker room is an exception, though. Penn State will be the first team to enjoy high school lockers and folding chairs when it helps Northwestern open Ryan Field on Friday night.

Regardless, the Nittany Lions are still eager to play in the brand new stadium, which celebrates its grand opening at 8 p.m. ET Friday for the Penn State-Northwestern game. New Ryan Field cost more than $870 million to construct, making it the most expensive college football stadium ever built.

“It's going to be sick playing in a brand new stadium,” quarterback Rocco Becht said. It's going to be hopefully a good environment for them, and I'm excited to go in there.”

The opposing locker room, by contrast: https://t.co/542WNR7dIl pic.twitter.com/EkNXC1w8QX
— Kamran Nia (@kamran_nia) September 29, 2026

Northwestern says New Ryan Field is sold out for its debut, though secondary-market tickets are widely available. Northwestern bills the venue as the “best place in America to watch a football game.” Every seat in the stadium is closer to the field than in a typical stadium design, and Northwestern says the venue’s highlight is the “death of the nosebleed seat.”

The first level of seating is 48 feet from the field, while the fourth level is only 136 feet away, as the stadium stacks on itself rather than spreading out. For reference, Old Ryan Field’s third level was 206 feet from the field.

That will make New Ryan Field feel like a basketball arena, and the shape of its stands is comparable to the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Arena. A canopy roof covers all the seats in the stadium, allowing for sound to echo back into the venue.

“[We’re] going to try to use that energy to get going,” Penn State offensive lineman Trevor Buhr said. “I think it'll be a great environment. New stadium, I don't know too much about it, but I just know that environment is going to be good, and we’ve just got to stay focused on our jobs and assignments, and we’ve just got to get things going.”

Finishing touches 🎨 pic.twitter.com/JjYOm9XI4W
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) September 29, 2026

Additionally, the student section of Ryan Field is positioned right behind one of the end zones and features no bleachers or seats. It will be the “heartbeat of that stadium,” Northwestern coach David Braun said on Big Ten Network at Big Ten media day in July.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an entire football program and athletic department to open up a facility that I would say is the best football stadium in the world,” Braun told Northwestern's official site.

Ryan Field says that every fan gets a premium experience while at the stadium. Besides the student section, every seat in the stadium has an individual chair with a cupholder and armrest. All fans have access to “premium concessions, top-tier food and real bars” with hospitality spaces having a modern look.

“I haven't even really seen the pictures, so I'm actually really excited to see what it looks like in person for the first time,” Penn State defensive tackle Keanu Williams said. “But we're really just embracing the fact of opening a new stadium. We're going out there to compete. We're going out there to send a message as always.”

Penn State (3-1) is looking to bounce back from a 24-20 loss to Wisconsin in Week 4. The Nittany Lions have a shorter turnaround with the Northwestern game Friday, but they have the chance to spoil the Wildcats’ opening of new Ryan Field.

“It is exciting for us to be their opener,” Ezeogu said. “I'm excited for that, and we're just gonna go out there and just do our thing for real.”

New setting, same standard 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/swQBgPTfMA
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) September 28, 2026

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