UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State football team will turn back the clock for a special “Generations of Greatness” game against Indiana Sept. 30 in Beaver Stadium. Elements of the game against the Hoosiers will take fans back in time, while the Nittany Lions will don uniforms with designs elements from uniforms past.
(Photo: Penn State coach James Franklin. Photo by Paul Burdick. Check out more of Burdick’s work here)
“Penn State has such a great tradition and history and we wanted to find a way to honor and celebrate those “Generations of Greatness,’” Head Coach James Franklin said. “We are going to do so with a throwback game, where will have an old-school scoreboard and other game day activities and then again with the uniform and pulling elements from many different uniform design elements through the years.”
“Penn State football has a proud past that we are thrilled to honor as we continue to write the story of our bright future,” Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour said. “Nike was a great partner in helping bring our vision to a reality as we recognize so many generations of Nittany Lion student-athletes. We can’t wait to engage in the ultimate throwback game, featuring these uniforms at Beaver Stadium.”
Game Day Elements
— Videoboard – The Beaver Stadium scoreboards in the North and South end zone will be a flipboard display from the 1950s.
— Music – The in-game music will be a variety of hits from the 1950s to today.
— Cheer and Dance Teams – The Penn State cheerleaders and Lionettes will wear historic outfits.
— Honorary Captains – The coin toss is slated to have honorary captains to represent the 1950s to today.
— Blue Band – The Blue Band will perform music throughout the game from 1950s to today.
Uniform Elements
— Numbers on Helmets – The Nittany Lions had the number on the side of their helmet from 1959-61 and then again from 1967-74. A No. 42 also appeared on the side of every Penn State helmet in the season finale against Wisconsin in 2012 to honor injured senior Michael Mauti.
— Block Uniform Numbers – The block uniform numbers are similar to those uniform numbers that donned the Blue & White from mid-1950s-66.
— White Stripe on Sleeve – Penn State’s uniform had a white stripe on the sleeve several times, including 1957-66, 1982-89 and 1992-2011.
— Stripe on the Pants – The Nittany Lions had a blue stripe on their pants from 1952-68.
— Striped Socks – The striped sock pays tribute to those worn on game days from 1970-72.
— Gray Facemask – The gray facemask was donned by the Nittany Lions from 1959-86.
— White Cleats – The white cleats were worn by the Nittany Lions in the 1979 Sugar Bowl.
— Gloves – The gloves for the Indiana game will feature the Lion Shrine on the palm of the hands.
— Lion Shrine – The image of Lion Shrine appears on the “home plate” of the front of the jersey. It is an original element of the “Generations of Greatness” uniform to pay homage to the Lion Shrine that was a gift from the Class of 1940.
— Back Inside Collar – The back inside collar of the jersey reads “Penn State 1959” in recognition of the first Liberty Bowl game, played in Philadelphia. Penn State defeated Alabama, 7-0.
Select “Generations of Greatness” game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off after the Indiana game. Retail products, including replica jerseys, may also be available surrounding the game.
The Nittany Lions’ home schedule features a trio of non-conference games, including Pitt’s first visit to Beaver Stadium since 1999. The Nittany Lions open the season against Akron (Sept. 2; noon) and face Pitt (Sept. 9; 3:30 p.m.) and Georgia State (Sept. 16) to close out a three-game homestand to start the year. In Big Ten play, Penn State welcomes Indiana (Sept. 30), Michigan (Oct. 21), Rutgers (Nov. 11; noon — Homecoming) and Nebraska (Nov. 18) to Happy Valley.0
Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics
