Penn State University is located in what’s become known as the “Happy Valley.” The region earned its name due to its beautiful scenery, as it’s nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. However, the area is also home to some of the most fervent NCAA football fans around.

Whether you’re looking to become a football season ticket holder or if you’re new to the Penn State Nittany Lions and want to know what to expect from the football team come game day, you’re in the right place.

Read on to find out about this storied team and why now is the best time ever to grab Penn State football tickets for yourself..

College football has a long history in the United States, and Penn State has been an integral part of most of it. The Nittany Lions have been around for so long, in fact, that the first game they played might not even technically count as football.

The team first took to the field in 1881 in a matchup against current-day Bucknell University. Penn State won that game nine to zero, but the game would be largely unrecognizable by our current standards. Rather than playing a game of modern-day football, they instead played something closer to rugby. This game served as a precursor to the American football we know today.

Penn State then went on to play its first official season (of official football) in 1887. Impressively, the team competed without guidance from a head coach until 1891. At that point, George Hoskins was hired as coach.

For the first few years, the Penn State Nittany Lions were not affiliated with any conference. In 1891, they briefly joined what was known as the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Football Association (PIFA). The conference formally ended just one year later, in 1892.

After the PIFA fell apart, Penn State would remain independent for many years to come. The Nittany Lions were not part of a conference until almost 100 years later, in 1990, when they joined the Big Ten Conference.

Penn State has produced just one Heisman Trophy winner: John Cappelletti. However, it’s had a number of notable players pass through their athletics program and enter the NFL.

Joe Paterno served as head coach for the Nittany Lions for a remarkable 44 years, making him the winningest coach in college football history.

The Nittany Lions have five conference titles to their name.

During its over a century-long run, PSU has brought home two college football National Championships.

Penn State has had plenty of contentious rivalries over the years, as well as a number of rivalries that never fully got off the ground. For instance, the legitimacy of a true feud between Penn State and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is questionable. Meanwhile, historic rivalries with the likes of Syracuse and the Alabama Crimson Tide have largely fizzled out.

New potential rivalries are also starting to take shape for Penn State, such as ones with the Delaware Blue Hens, the Indiana Hoosiers, and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Penn State and the Pittsburgh Panthers faced off for the first time in 1893, and they have played 100 games since. The series record stands at Penn State with 53, Pittsburgh with 43, and four ties. 

There aren’t any games between the teams scheduled at the moment, but a rivalry this historic can be reignited at any time.

The Penn State and Michigan State Spartans rivalry kicked off in earnest in 1993, when they would fight over the so-called “ Land Grant Trophy.” The teams took a break from playing annually when they were both in different divisions, but their matchup is finally back on.

The rivalry between Penn State and the Columbus-based Ohio State Buckeyes has intensified dramatically since the Nittany Lion’s induction into the Big Ten. The two teams have played annually since 1993, with Ohio leading the series at 23 wins, as opposed to Penn State’s 14.

Penn State home games are played at the enormous Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania (not to be confused with the similarly named College Park, home to the SECU Stadium and the Maryland Terrapins). 

Beaver Stadium is so enormous, in fact, that it is the second-largest stadium in the entire United States. It’s second only to Michigan Stadium, home of the Michigan Wolverines. With a total seating capacity of 106,572 people, Beaver Stadium is also the fourth largest stadium in the entire world.

Fans of college football, history, or architecture are all in for a treat during a visit to Beaver Stadium. If you visit the venue to see a football game, you can expect a rousing time full of avid fans. However, the stadium also hosts a bevy of live events like concerts, shows, and more.

The stadium is named after James A. Beaver, who served as the governor of Pennsylvania from 1887 to 1891. Beaver was also the president of Penn State’s board of trustees, making him a beloved part of both the school’s culture and Pennsylvania’s history in general.

The Penn State Nittany Lions first started playing at this iteration of Beaver Stadium when construction was completed in 1960. Prior to 1960, the Nittany Lions had played on much smaller fields close to campus. The stadium has been expanded and renovated six times so far, but that’s about to change.

Currently, Beaver Stadium is planned to go under 700 million dollars worth of renovations. While the renovations are going to be significant, it’s important to Penn State and its fans to maintain the history that makes Beaver Stadium so unique. Fans, both old and new, can expect to see an improved version of the field they love.

This upcoming season is sure to be a historic one for the Nittany Lions, so now’s the best time to take advantage of TickPick’s Beaver Stadium interactive seating chart and low ticket prices.

Remember that TickPick has you covered when it’s time to get your Penn State football tickets. Our prices are 10% cheaper than other sites on the web, whether you’re cheering on the Nittany Lions or other fan-favorite teams like the Northwestern Wildcats, UMass Minutemen, and beyond. With the help of our BuyerTrust Guarantee and our BestPrice Guarantee, you don’t have to take us at face value.