Penn State’s week has been quieter on the field than it will be on the calendar, but there’s still plenty happening around the program. Between football’s trip to Washington, women’s basketball at Cincinnati, men’s basketball against Pitt at The Palestra, hockey, volleyball, and swimming and diving all on the move or at home, the real news has mostly come from outside the lines.
One of the biggest updates came Wednesday, when Penn State laid out the latest phase of the $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation. This stage centers on the west lower bowl, where bleachers are being replaced with chairback seats from end zone to end zone. The school also said every seat on the west side will gain 10 inches of legroom, moving from 24 inches to 34 inches.
The upgrade package also includes a 360-degree main concourse and a “fully open 85,000 sq. foot west main concourse with new restrooms, drink rails, and standing room for all fans to enjoy.”
The final phase brings some of the most noticeable upgrades yet in improving the game day experience for our fans:
• Upgrading from bleacher to chairback seats from endzone to endzone in the west lower bowl
• More leg room for every seat on the entire west side (increasing…
- Beaver Stadium (@beaver_stadium) November 4, 2026
The renovation has not exactly been met with universal approval from the fanbase, especially with ticket prices climbing, but Penn State says the work should be finished in under a year.
On Thursday, the athletic department also rolled out a new reward points system aimed at students. Under the plan, students will need 30,000 Penn State Rewards points to earn an extra entry into the 2027 football season ticket lottery. The deadline to hit that mark is May 31.
There are 10,000 extra entries available through the program, and students can also buy points. According to Onward State, 30,000 points cost $135.
That setup is clearly meant to push more students toward other events on campus, and it only really works if football demand stays where Penn State expects it to be.
Baseball also got a long-awaited calendar reveal on Thursday. Penn State’s 2027 schedule opens in the Bahamas with the Atlantis Collegiate Baseball Series, where the Nittany Lions will play a three-game set against Auburn at Andre Rodgers National Stadium in Nassau.
The season begins on February 19, but Penn State won’t play at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park until Wednesday, March 17, when Bucknell comes to town. The schedule includes 27 games at Medlar Field and 13 games against 2026 NCAA Regional teams.
Our 2027 schedule is here!!!
Includes 27 games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and 13 games against 2026 NCAA Regional teams!
➡️ https://t.co/9o88NWSslO #WeAre pic.twitter.com/3fKuyqJv7p
- Penn State Baseball (@PennStateBASE) November 5, 2026
Wrestling recruiting picked up another jolt as well. On Wednesday, MatScouts released updated pound-for-pound rankings for the 2027 class, and three Penn State commits landed in the top 10: No.
4 Grey Burnett, No. 6 Landon Sidun, and No.
8 Gavin Magnano. Magnano was the biggest mover, climbing from No. 12 after beating Dean Anderson, who is ranked No.
FloWrestling has Penn State’s class ranked No. 2 in the nation behind Virginia Tech, with Sidun listed as the No. 2 overall recruit. Penn State and Iowa are the only programs, according to FloWrestling, with four top-25 recruits: Sidun, Burnett, Clinton Shepherd, and Magnano.
In Other News...
Penn State Wrestling Lineup Just Got A Huge Preseason Shakeup
Penn States wrestling lineup took a significant hit before the season even gets started, with Levi Haines no longer eligible for a fifth year after the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the NCAA on the question of extra eligibility for athletes in the 2022 class who did not redshirt. Haines leaves behind a decorated run in Happy Valley, where he finished four years with multiple titles and capped his recent international surge by winning a world championship at 79 KG.
For Penn State, the timing matters as much as the loss itself. Haines had been part of the conversation around how the lineup would settle in for the season opener against Bloomsburg, and his absence now forces the staff to adjust weight class plans sooner than expected. The ripple effect goes beyond one spot, because a wrestler of his caliber changes not just who fills the slot, but how the rest of the lineup is arranged around him. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Let This One Get Way Too Interesting Late
Penn State looked comfortably in control for most of the night in its second regular-season game, building a 54-31 halftime lead over Chattanooga behind sharp shooting and a parade to the free throw line. The Nittany Lions hit 50 percent from the field in the first half and went 21-for-22 at the stripe, with Josh Reed leading the way with 11 points as the home side seemed poised for a routine finish.
Instead, Chattanooga made the second half a lot more interesting than Penn State probably wanted. The visitors kept chipping away and forced the Nittany Lions to hold on late, but Penn State did just enough to escape with a 97-93 win and move to 2-0, a result that should come with a reminder that early leads can disappear quickly if the pace slips. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Surge Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Washington
Penn States recent surge has been built on the kind of balance that travels well in November, with a punishing rushing attack, a defense that has mostly controlled the line of scrimmage and enough stability in the kicking game to keep pressure on opponents. Washington brings a different profile into the matchup, and the contrast is part of what makes this one interesting for the Nittany Lions, who have looked increasingly complete as the season has gone on.
The Huskies have had trouble getting much going on the ground and have also been tested in pass protection, which puts extra weight on every possession against a Penn State defense that has been difficult to move. Special teams and coaching will matter too, especially in a game where field position and adjustments could tilt things quickly, and the prediction record around this matchup reflects how closely the two teams are being measured even as Penn State enters with the clearer edge. [Read more 🡒]