You can’t beat the rent at Paternoville, the cluster of tents that began forming Thursday at the southeast corner of Beaver Stadium.
But if you’re seeking peace and quiet, you’d better try another address.
About 100 Penn State students were out in force Friday, more than 24 hours before the unranked Nittany Lions were set to play No. 4 Michigan.
Between chants of “We are . . . Penn State” and “Let’s Go, State!” they implored passing cars to honk their horns. When they did, the Lions lovers roared.
One of the tents was adorned with a tribute to the mayor himself, coach Joe Paterno. You know how the logo of the Orange Bowl looks, with a smiling Orange in the middle? This painting had Paterno’s face–glasses and all–in place of the Orange. Beneath the portrait was a handwritten note asking the “Best Coach in the History of College Football” to sign an accompanying banner.
The excitement is palpable here. Penn State has won 11 straight home games, and more than 109,000 fans are expected Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Forecasters are calling for a whiteout–not snow, but in sweatshirts.
The formula may be ripe for an upset, but I’m not a believer. Lloyd Carr has won seven straight against Penn State, and even without star receiver Mario Manningham, this is Carr’s best team since 1997.
Final score: Michigan 21, Penn State 10.
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tgreenstein@tribune.com
