Why isn't Penn State football vs Ohio State a White Out game? Here's what to know

Penn State football finds itself with its biggest home game of the 2024 college football regular season in Week 10.

The opponent is none other than the Nittany Lions Big Ten conference rival No. 4 Ohio State — a game that has significant implications surrounding the Big Ten championship game and College Football Playoffs.

It's a game where both teams are ranked in the top five of the US LBM Coaches Poll, and has all the makings of being Penn State's annual White Out game. In fact, Penn State has hosted Ohio State for its White Out game five times in the history of its overall White Outs.

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But that isn't the case in 2024, as the Nittany Lions look to keep their undefeated season alive as the Buckeyes travel to Happy Valley and Beaver Stadium.

Here's what you need to know on why Penn State-Ohio State is not a "White Out," including when the Nittany Lions will hold their "White Out" this season:

Is Penn State-Ohio State a White Out?

No, Penn State vs. Ohio State is not the Nittany Lions' White Out game for the 2024 college football season — even though Saturday's game will have the game atmosphere of one.

In fact, Penn State fans have not been afraid to throw their two cents in on the fact Saturday's game isn't a White Out or being played at night.

Why isn't Penn State-Ohio State a White Out?

The reason Saturday's Big Ten heavyweight showdown between Penn State and Ohio State isn't the Nittany Lions' White Out game seems to be due to TV rights.

Though it wasn't announced until last week, the Nittany Lions-Buckeyes game was the likely choice for Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" in Week 10, compared to the Big Ten's 3:30 p.m. ET game on CBS or 7:30 p.m. ET game on NBC. At this point of the college football regular season, start time and TV channel information are not released until the week before.

According to The Athletic's Audrey Snyder, Saturday's game was not selected within the top four picks from the networks in their quote on quote "Network College Football Draft."

"This game was on the board for us at No. 5 when we have three consecutive picks and there’s just no way that I can allow this game to fall to the eighth pick," Fox's president of insight and analytics Mike Mulvihill told The Athletic. "That would almost be malpractice on my part. … Given the draft played out the way it did, it was just obvious that we had to take it."

He added: "It’s our job to put the schools that we’re partners with in front of as many people as possible. If we can provide our schools as much exposure as possible, that should not just benefit Fox, but that should benefit those programs. What we’ve found over the last 6 years is that it’s very clear that putting our best game on at noon is what delivers the biggest audiences for these games."

What is a White Out?

Self-explanatory: Every fan inside the stadium wears white.

While games like "White Out" happen throughout all college football and college athletics, Penn State is famously known for this game on its schedule each year. Each year, the Nittany Lions pick the biggest home game of the season — traditionally against a top-ranked opponent — to make Beaver Stadium one of the toughest environments in college football.

"EA Sports College Football 25" had Beaver Stadium ranked No. 6 in its toughest places to play rankings.

1. Players of opposing teams shall wear jerseys of contrasting colors Players on the same team shall wear jerseys of the same color and design

2. The visiting team shall wear white jerseys; however, the home team may wear white jerseys if the teams have agreed in writing before the season

3. If the home team wears colored jerseys, the visiting team may also wear colored jerseys, if and only if the following two conditions have been satisfied:

   • The home team has agreed in writing prior to the game; and

   • The conference of the home team certifies that the jersey of the visiting team is of a contrasting color

4. If on the kickoff at the start of each half, if either team wears a colored jersey in violation of the conditions specified above, it is a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct

Penn State, however, has to wear its home uniforms for White Outs, compared to wearing their road whites. Section 4, Article 5, Paragraph 3 of the NCAA Football Rule Book stats:

When is Penn State football's White Out in 2024?

The Nittany Lions will hold their annual White Out game for the 2024 season next week against newly named Big Ten opponent Washington. A time for the game has not been determined, as well as which of the Big Ten broadcaster partners will carry the game.

Using last year's report from The York Daily Report, Penn State is 9-6 in full stadium White Out games and 11-8 overall (including student section-only White Outs).

Here's what last year's White Out for Penn State against then-No. 24 Iowa at Beaver Stadium looked like:

Next Saturday's meeting against the Huskies will be the first meeting between both programs since the 2017 Fiesta Bowl, when Penn State beat Washington 35-28. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series against the Huskies 3-0, according to Penn State's media guide.

Penn State announced its nationally known White Out Game for next week's game vs. Washington back in July when it announced game day themes for the entire 2024 football season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penn State-Ohio State: Why Nittany Lions vs Buckeyes isn't a White Out game