Is anyone surprised?

According to a recent survey conducted by Goodyear and The Players’ Tribune, Penn State’s Beaver Stadium is viewed as the most challenging road environment to play in.

Was there ever a doubt? #PennState is home to the toughest road environment in college football, according to this study conducted by @GoodyearBlimp and @PlayersTribune! pic.twitter.com/3MifUOJyDk

— Nittany Lions Wire (@NittanyLionWire) September 28, 2022

The survey included 68 former FBS college football players who played between 2001 and 2021, and multiple factors were cited as reasons for Beaver Stadium’s difficulty. 91% of respondents said the fanbase was the leading culprit, while other reasons included the climate, opponent quality, and geographical distance.

Penn State edged Big Ten foes Ohio State and Michigan for the top spot on the survey. Both schools received 5.8% of the No. 1 votes from respondents.

Happy Valley is widely regarded by many as one of college football’s most hostile environments to play in. Among those who think that is Kirk Herbstreit, an ESPN College GameDay analyst, Ohio State alum, and closet Penn State fan. Despite his Buckeye roots, Herbstreit’s love affair for Penn State and the White Out is well-documented.

Of course, Beaver Stadium’s decibel levels are no joke. According to PennLive, last season’s White Out against Auburn generated 107.7 decibels, which is “equivalent to a chainsaw, leaf blower, or a snowmobile.”

In 2019, the White Out crowd was so disruptive that Michigan called a timeout before the first play of the game.

Penn State fans will next have the chance to create college football’s toughest road environment once again when the team takes the field against Minnesota for this year’s White Out at 7:30 p.m. on October 22.

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