How the White Out Vs. Oregon Could Make Penn State Recruiting History

The Penn State White Out is such an event that even Penn State coach James Franklin is turning down ticket requests. But he also wants to make sure that the nation’s top recruits and their families get into the building for the experience.

During the bye week, Franklin foreshadowed the breadth of the recruiting event, saying that he expects 250 prospects to attend the Penn State-Oregon game, including 50 of the nation’s top-ranked players. That’s a substantial increase over the first three games, when Penn State entertained between 60 and 100 recruits per game.

Frank, who has worked on Frankin's Penn State staff since 2014, said that his recruiting office began preparing for this game before the season even began. The staff sent out invitations ahead of the season-opener vs. Nevada and uses daily GroupMe updates to track players who are attending.

“Every day we’re putting together that list,” Frank said in an interview. “We have so many people that are in contact with recruits. We review [the list] each day to make sure that it’s the guys that we want to be coming, anybody that we targeted to come, making sure that they’re getting here if they can.”

Frank said that Penn State will seat the contingent of recruits across three sections of Beaver Stadium, an expansion the athletic administration approved. Franklin said that the athletic department also will provide more staff to help coordinate the logistics of moving so many players and family members through the stadium “so everybody has a good experience.”

“We’re very fortunate that the administration understands how important these games are for us in recruiting,” Frank said.

Further, Penn State got creative with its invitations. The recruiting staff designed two different formats, one digital and one to resemble a wedding invitation that was mailed to recruits. Frank said that one was “very well received.” Several recruits posted the personal invites to social media.

A talent-rich recruiting class heads to the White Out

According to the Rivals rankings (part of the On3 network), 50 of the nation's top-rated recruits are scheduled to attend the White Out. Among them is Immanuel Iheanacho, a 5-star offensive lineman from Maryland who committed to Oregon in July. Iheanacho, Rivals' sixth-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class, chose Oregon from a list of finalists that included Penn State.

Snyder said that about 50 4-star players from the 2027 class have confirmed they are attending. That’s about twice the number that have attended previous White Out games, Snyder said. Penn State wants to reach as many players as possible, as it has with past recruits who attended White Out games. For example, Franklin mentioned the large number of players on his first teams, including Saquon Barkley, who attended Penn State’s four-overtime White Out win over Michigan in 2013.

“If you’re a college sports fan in general, especially football, there’s nothing like the White Out,” Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said. “No matter if you’re a fan of Penn State or not, it’s something you need to go to, in my opinion. I went to it as a recruit and sat in the stands. It’s crazy sitting in the stands, but it’s even crazier being on the field for that.”

Has NIL Changed the White Out as a recruiting tool?

Recruiting has changed, as athletic departments now pay players, and players also can sign NIL deals. How has that impacted the White Out as a recruiting tool? Frank said he hopes money isn’t the sole determining factor in a player’s decision.

“At the end of the day, we’re still recruiting kids that we want to want everything,” Frank said. “We want them to be interested in playing football at the highest level, getting a great education, getting a great college experience, developing them for life. Obviously, NIL is a piece of that overall puzzle, but for us, we still want kids and families that understand it’s bigger than just what that paycheck is. We understand that [the money] matters, and it should matter. There’s no reason that it shouldn’t matter. But everything else should matter too.”

Snyder said that, though the financial aspect cannot be overlooked, the White Out experience remains an important recruiting tool.

“For the most part, for a lot of those top recruits who will be here on Saturday night, they’re going to have money as a top-three or so factor,” Snyder said. “From that perspective, I guess you could say it’s watered down the importance of things like this a little bit. But at the same time, I don’t want to underestimate what big games like this, especially if you can get a win, mean long-term for a program like Penn State.”

While White Out attendance doesn’t always lead directly to a commitment, it is a factor, Frank said.

“It’s a great tool for us in recruiting, because it showcases what Penn State is all about,” Frank said. “... I think players leave with that lasting impression. I would hope that it’s not the only reason that a kid comes to Penn State. I hope that they pick Penn State for a wide variety of reasons, the relationships and education and all those things, but this is something that in your mind is going to be everlasting.”

This year’s White Out has an ‘extra kick’

Penn State escaped a Big Noon Kickoff with the Oregon game being chosen for the White Out on NBC’s Big Ten Saturday Night broadcast. But that couldn't be said for previous top-10 matchups at Penn State.

Last season, when Ohio State visited Penn State for a top-5 game, the teams played at noon. Game time matters to recruits. Those who play Friday-night games face a bigger challenge getting to State College in time for a noon start.

Because this year’s White Out is in September, it also doesn’t conflict with any high school postseason schedules. And facing Oregon, the team that defeated Penn State in the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game, adds a layer of excitement.

“From a recruiting perspective, this one feels like it’s got a little bit of an extra kick to it,” Frank said. “... I think that a lot of the conversation leading into the season about our team, about their team, I think that helps.”

“We feel this is the No. 1 game, as far as atmosphere, that you’re going to see in the country,” Frank added. “... The White Out at night, it’s a spectacle that you can’t replicate somewhere else. We just feel like if kids can get here, and their families can get here and picture themselves playing on that field in that atmosphere, that’s a heck of a recruiting tool for us.”