UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Alumni Association will host Roar Tour stops at West Virginia (Aug. 31), USC (Oct. 12), and Wisconsin (Oct. 26); in addition, a fan trip organized by Sports and Entertainment Travel is set for USC from Oct. 11–13. Registration is now open for the fan trip to USC, which will be hosted by letterman Adam Taliaferro.
Free sign-ups will be available this summer for the three Roar Tour pep rallies. Penn Staters not traveling on the organized USC fan trip are also invited to attend the pep rally there.
Further details, along with much more information on how the Alumni Association will connect alumni and fans to Penn State football during the 2024 season, will be available on the Alumni Association's game day page, which will be updated throughout the season.
The USC tour package includes a two-night stay in downtown Los Angeles, at JW Marriott LA Live; a Friday night mixer, co-hosted by the Alumni Association and a local alumni chapter; and the Roar Tour Pep Rally. Also included will be a tour souvenir, event lanyard and credential, and more. The Roar Tour Pep Rally and Friday night mixer will feature performances from the Pep Band, Penn State Cheerleaders and the Nittany Lion.
Trip host Adam Taliaferro, a letterman cornerback for the football team, is one of the most inspiring student-athletes in the history of Penn State, defying the odds after suffering a paralyzing spinal cord injury as a freshman in 2000. Told he wouldn’t walk again, Taliaferro led Penn State football onto the field for the 2001 season opener at Beaver Stadium. Taliaferro walked that night, and even jogged, in front of a sold-out crowd. In 2020, BTN produced a short film that detailed Taliaferro’s recovery and return to Beaver Stadium. Taliaferro, who graduated from Penn State in 2005, currently serves as the director of state and community engagement for Johnson & Johnson.
For the first time since 2000, Penn State and USC will meet in the regular season, as the Trojans host the Nittany Lions during their inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference. The 2024 season is the first one with 18 teams in the conference, with UCLA, Oregon, and Washington also joining the Big Ten.
The Roar Tour is the premier pregame event at away football games, featuring the Penn State Cheerleaders, the Nittany Lion, and special guests, along with enhanced family-friendly games, Penn State Bakery cookies, and more. Alumni Association members who attend the Roar Tour at West Virginia, USC, or Wisconsin will receive a commemorative lanyard with this year’s football roster.
Additionally, the night before each away game, the Alumni Association partners with a local alumni chapter for a welcome event that features the Pep Band, Penn State Cheerleaders, and Nittany Lion. These events often benefit the chapter’s scholarship fund for local students attending Penn State.
While there won’t be a Roar Tour rally at either Purdue (Nov. 16) or Minnesota (Nov. 23), local Alumni Association chapters will still host welcome events for Penn Staters traveling to those games. Detailed information for all welcome events will be shared on our game day page closer to the season.
Alumni Association membership features access to its entire affiliate group network — including 125-plus chapters — meaning there’s always a group of Penn Staters ready to add you to their cheering squad. Many chapter listings include the group's website, social media pages, and contact info. Visit our website for a full list of alumni chapters.
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Sports and Entertainment Travel LLC, is the official athletic travel provider of the Penn State Alumni Association. Learn more about this partnership on the Alumni Association’s website.