Penn State finally has its 2026 White Out opponent, and the choice fits the moment: USC is headed to Beaver Stadium on Oct. 10 for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC’s Big Ten Saturday Night.
The Trojans had been the obvious target ever since Penn State’s 2026 schedule came out. Of the seven home games on the slate, USC brings the biggest mix of brand power and talent, which makes it an easy fit for the program’s most recognizable stage.
USC comes in with plenty of weight behind it. The Trojans went 9-4 last season and finished No. 20 in the final AP Top 25 after an overtime loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl.
They also bring back quarterback Jayden Maiava from an offense that paced the Big Ten in passing yards per game at 296, led the league in total offense at 465.5 yards per game and ranked third in scoring at 35.8 points. USC’s 2026 recruiting class also checked in at No. 1 nationally in the 247Sports Composite.
This will be Lincoln Riley’s first trip to Penn State as USC’s head coach, and it’s the Trojans’ first visit to Beaver Stadium since 1994. Penn State won that game 38-14. USC did make back-to-back trips to Beaver Stadium in 1993 and ’94, and the Nittany Lions are 2-0 at home against the Trojans after the 1993 win, a 21-20 result.
The series itself has swung back and forth over the years. USC owns a 6-5 edge, helped by three straight wins from 2000-16, including Rose Bowl victories in 2008 and 2016. Penn State got the latest word in 2024, pulling out a 31-30 overtime win at the Coliseum.
The White Out setting adds another layer to the matchup. This will be the 19th official White Out game at Beaver Stadium, a tradition that started in 2004 when Penn State asked students to wear white for a home game against Purdue. What began as a student-section push in 2004 and 2005 grew into a full-stadium event in 2007 against Notre Dame, a 31-10 Penn State win.
Penn State is 11-7 in full-stadium White Out games and lost to Oregon in double overtime last year. In 2024, the school officially announced two White Out games, including the College Football Playoff home game against SMU in December. Fans also staged their own White Out against Illinois in October 2024, while waiting for Washington’s November trip and with Illinois sitting at 4-0.
USC will be the 13th different program to take part in a White Out at Penn State. Michigan has made the most visits with six, and Ohio State has appeared in five.
In Other News...
Penn State Is Selling A New Kind Of Game Day Access
Penn State is opening up a different layer of the Beaver Stadium experience this fall, giving fans a chance to buy into a few game-day moments that used to be reserved for insiders. For each home game, the school is offering packages that range from a look inside the radio booth to a pregame walk through the locker room, along with access to the head coachs postgame press conference.
The price tag varies widely, from $698 to $5,153 depending on the experience and how many people are included, which makes these offerings feel less like souvenirs and more like premium access passes. For the Nittany Lions, it is another sign of how much demand there is around home Saturdays, and how creative schools are getting in turning that appetite into something fans can purchase. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Alumni Are Suddenly Making NFL Roster Headlines
Week 2 of the NFL preseason brought a familiar Penn State thread back into view, with several former Nittany Lions making news across the league. Drew Allar drew attention in Pittsburgh with a strong showing after his preseason debut, while Caedan Wallace remained part of the larger roster churn that has kept Penn State alums in the spotlight. For a program that routinely sends players to the next level, this was one of those late-summer stretches when the NFL calendar feels especially tied to Happy Valley.
The bigger movement came with Jaylen Reed, who was traded from the Houston Texans to the New England Patriots, adding another name to the growing list of former Penn State players changing uniforms. And as one chapter opened for some, another closed for Allen Robinson, who announced his retirement after an 11-year career. For Penn State fans, it was a reminder that the leagues roster battles are never far from home, even before the regular season has begun. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden James Just Gave Penn State A Tough Lineup Decision
Jayden James arrives in Happy Valley with the kind of rsum that usually makes the next step feel obvious. The highly decorated incoming freshman has already collected a silver medal at the U20 World Championships and finished high school unbeaten, which is why his addition immediately sharpens Penn States already crowded middleweights. Even for a program built around title contenders, James gives the lineup one more elite piece to sort through.
The problem is figuring out where he fits. Penn State has established wrestlers waiting at the weights in question, and the competition makes this less about talent than timing and opportunity. Some around the sport think 157 pounds may offer a clearer route into the lineup than 174, but the Lions still have to weigh the options carefully before the season settles the matter for them. [Read more 🡒]