Best around coming to town

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paternoville.jpg

Paternoville is on the map again. Located feet from Gate A at Beaver Stadium, the tents are in place.

The kids are back at it, camping out in preparation for the biggest game on Penn State's schedule this season.

It appears Penn State will enjoy a record-setting night no matter the outcome of Friday's game.

The single-game record in Happy Valley should fall. Penn State has drawn 110,000 fans on three occasions, including 110,078 for a September victory against Notre Dame.

But this game is different.

It's not Michigan in 2006 (110,007). It's not Nebraska in 2002 (110,753).

Penn State will host the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time since top-ranked Notre Dame came to town in 1989.

Since then Beaver Stadium has undergone two upper deck additions. The school added 10,033 seats in 1991. And it added more than 12,000 seats in the south end zone in 2001.

"I hope we can have a crowd that's really into it every play and they come with the idea they can help us win the football game -- because I think they can," Joe Paterno said. "I think they can help us, particularly with a young team."

And unlike the old days, Penn State doesn't hesitate to pump music into the game day production to get the crowd roaring.

Remember those scary moments against Ohio State in 2005? Fans -- and members of the press -- could feel the stadium shake. It seemed scary. I mean, the old coach can remember when they moved the stadium. Is it really a good thing if the old stadium starts shaking?

Now game day shakes seem ordinary. When they turn up the music, the fans jump and the old place shakes. But that doesn't mean it isn't intimidating for the opposition.

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About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Jim Seip published on October 23, 2007 8:31 PM.

ESPN Radio seeks tailgate reporter was the previous entry in this blog.

Smiles and laughs for Quinn, Lady Lions is the next entry in this blog.

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