Fact Check: No, Bret Bielema Did Not Say Nebraska is ‘A Tougher Place to Play’ Than Penn State

Originally posted on Nittany Sports Now | By Joe Smeltzer | Last updated Sep 24, 2024 11:19 PM ET

Illinois coach Bret Bielema has generated plenty of talk amongst Penn State fans this week.

At his Monday presser, Bielema talked a good bit about his opponent, and most of it was positive.

He spoke highly of Penn State’s current team. He remembered an amusing anecdote about his first time coaching in Beaver Stadium in 1994 and told a heartwarming story of seeing Franco Harris on a Nike Coach’s Trip in Hawaii seeing Sue Paterno after her husband’s passing.

But whether it’s fair or not, Penn State fans aren’t talking about any of that.

They’re talking about five words Bielema said in referencing Penn State’s call for “White Out energy.”

“Whatever the hell that means,” Bielema said.

#Illinois Football HC Bret Bielema in his Monday Press Conference.

"They're calling for White Out energy, whatever the hell that means."

https://t.co/70wtgCZ77l pic.twitter.com/Kh2Rg0QXC6

— Penn State Nittany Lions | Happy Valley Insider (@PennStateRivals) September 24, 2024

It’s pretty clear at this point that Penn State football’s game Saturday night against will be an unofficial White Out.

That became clear after the team’s win over Kent State Saturday, when coach James Franklin called for“White Out energy.”

Since then, assistant coaches, players and letterman have joined in on the fun, and Franklin brought the point home even further by wearing a white sweatshirt to his Monday presser.

The day after Bielema’s quip, Barstool Sports published an article titled “Bret Bielema Has Doubled Down On Calling Out Penn State Fans By Saying Nebraska Is A Tougher Place To Play.”

Bret Bielema Has Doubled Down On Calling Out Penn State Fans By Saying Nebraska Is A Tougher Place To Play https://t.co/aiDXzZKMA9 pic.twitter.com/RCLyLrcosw

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 24, 2024

The article was inspired by a post from an account claiming Bielema said this on the “Mully and Haugh Show,” which airs on 670 The Score in Chicago.

But Barstool’s article didn’t contain a clip of Bielema saying this, so Nittany Sports Now decided to do some digging.

Upon further review, Bielema did not say this.

One of the hosts said that he didn’t think Penn State would be “any worse than that” in terms of environment.

The account that posted the initial information issued a correction.

Bielema has coached at Beaver Stadium seven times between his stints at Iowa (assistant from 1994-2001), Wisconsin (assistant from 2004-05, HC from 2006-12) and Illinois (2021-) His teams have gone 3-4.

Penn State-Illinois is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 Saturday night on NBC.

This article first appeared on Nittany Sports Now and was syndicated with permission.

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