Penn State is gearing up for one of its biggest home games in years, as the Nittany Lions prepare to host the No. 6 ranked Oregon Ducks in a Week 5 primetime showdown. Many are calling this matchup the “Game of the Year” in the Big Ten and even the entire country. Adding to the hype, Beaver Stadium will host Penn State’s signature “White Out”, one of the most electric and intimidating environments in all of college football.
As On3 noted, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban couldn’t resist poking fun at the tradition.
During an appearance this morning on The Pat McAfee Show, Saban recalled his experience coaching against Penn State in a White Out back in 2011. The memory was a lighthearted one for the seven-time national champion:
“We played in a White Out here, and it didn’t help them much,” Saban joked.
That year, Alabama rolled into the hostile “White Out” environment in Happy Valley and left with a decisive 27-11 victory. Quarterback AJ McCarron threw for 163 yards and a touchdown, while running back Trent Richardson carried the Tide with 111 rushing yards and two scores.
Saban Explains What Oregon Must Do to Handle the Hostile Environment
14 years later, Penn State hopes for a different outcome against the Ducks, while Saban’s approach to handling environments like the White Out could be worth Oregon’s attention.
Saban broke down his philosophy on how to keep teams steady in difficult road environments:
“I do think the thing I always tried to emphasize with our team when we went on the road — whether it was a blackout, a whiteout, whatever it was — was that the fans don’t make any plays in the game,” Saban told McAfee. “Yes, there’s going to be noise, and we’ll have to handle the noise like we do in all road environments.”
He acknowledged that crowd noise can still create issues, especially for young teams.
“That can have an impact — especially on the offensive line, with false starts and those types of things that put you behind the sticks. But I really tried to emphasize to the players that those circumstances, those external factors like a whiteout, don’t actually impact the game.”
For Saban, execution always outweighed atmosphere.
“What matters is what you do inside the 53 yards wide and 100 yards deep. That’s what makes the difference in the game. You’ve got to make the opposing fans sit on their hands — you do that with good execution. That’s why I always took the opposite approach.”
Still, he warned that not every team is mature enough to handle it.
“Now, if you don’t handle it, if you’ve got a young team that’s not very mature, then it will have an impact. Because on the road, you have to earn your momentum. All that emotion, all that noise, is going against you. You earn your momentum through good execution. You’ve got to keep your players focused on that, and not what’s happening out here.”
Can Oregon’s Young Roster Hold Strong in a White Out
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks couldn’t have asked for a stronger start to the 2025 season. Through four games, they’ve outscored opponents 204-37.
First-year starting quarterback Dante Moore has been the spark behind the Ducks’ high-powered offense. Completing 75% of his passes for 962 yards and 11 touchdowns, Moore has looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.
However, this matchup marks Oregon’s first true road test of the season. The Ducks bring back only four starters from last year, leaving them with limited experience in hostile environments.
With so many new faces in key roles, Oregon enters Happy Valley as one of the youngest teams in the nation.Oregon coach Dan Lanning now faces the challenge of leading his young team into one of college football’s toughest atmospheres.
The White Out has produced unforgettable moments before, but as Nick Saban reminded, it’s execution on the field that ultimately decides the game.