SMU's Big Challenge: Weather and Crowds at Penn State

The SMU Mustangs are gearing up for their first College Football Playoff game against Penn State. They're not just worried about the Nittany Lions' talent, but also the intense environment at Beaver Stadium. With a capacity of over 106, 000, it's one of the toughest places to play in college football. Penn State is known for its famous "White Out" games, where the crowd dresses in white, creating an electrifying atmosphere. SMU has never faced anything like this before. The largest stadium they played in this season was Virginia's Scott Stadium, which seats just 61, 500. To prepare, SMU has been blasting the song "Mo Bamba" during practices to simulate the noise. They've also been practicing indoors with increased volume. But it's not just the crowd they're worried about. The weather is expected to be extremely cold, with temperatures dipping as low as 13 degrees Fahrenheit. SMU players are not used to this, as only eight of them grew up in cold climates. However, Penn State isn't used to playing home games this late in the season either. Despite the challenges, SMU's coach, Rhett Lashlee, believes they just need to get there, adjust, and compete.