Penn State closed out its 2007 season on Dec. 29 in San Antonio with a win at the Valero Alamo Bowl, where the Nittany Lions defeated Texas A&M's Aggies 24-17. Following are stories on Penn State's 40th bowl game appearance:
Valero Alamo Bowl Champs No. 25 in USA Today Coaches Poll
Victories in three of its last four games, including its third consecutive bowl win, has earned Penn State its 33rd Top 25 ranking under Coach Joe Paterno. The Nittany Lions were No. 25 in the final USA Today Coaches poll, which was released Jan. 8. Penn State was second among teams also receiving votes in the final Associated Press Top 25 survey. Penn State has won 31 of its last 40 games overall, dating to the final two games of the 2004 season. Over the past three seasons, the Nittany Lions are 29-9 (76.3), tied with Auburn for 13th nationally in winning percentage.
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Nittany Lions win Alamo Bowl
It was the perfect ending to the perfect day for Penn State Nittany Lion fans. After a day of pep rallies and pre-game festivities featuring Penn State cheerleaders, the Nittany Lion and the Blue Band, Penn State fans watched their Nittany Lions beat the Texas A&M Aggies 24-17 in the 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. For photos, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1522 online.
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Blue Band schedule packed with performances, practice
A main fixture at Penn State football games has to be the Blue Band, and bowl games are no exception. The Blue Band flew into San Antonio on Thursday, and got busy entertaining fans almost immediately. "The buses left the East Deck (on Penn State's University Park campus) at 7 a.m., and brought us straight onto the tarmac at the airport," said Andy Colwell, a freshman trombone player. "We flew in a 737 from University Park straight to Texas." Upon arrival, the band checked into the hotel, got some lunch, and then prepared for their first performance of the trip: the Alamo Bowl Pep Rally at the Arneson River Theatre on Thursday evening. From there, they had dinner and then made their way to the Alamodome for a nighttime practice. "The sound there was really cool," said Stephanie Shoffner, a freshman mellophone player. "It's going to be loud at the game on Saturday. They're still going to have sound reverberating there even after we leave." For photos, check http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1521 online.
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Penn Staters arrive in San Antonio
Like countless other Penn State fans, Marty and Kathy Andrejko got up early Thursday morning and made their way to the Harrisburg International Airport to catch a 10 a.m. Alumni Association charter flight to San Antonio, Texas. Several hours later after checking into their hotel and grabbing a bite to eat, they made their way to the Alamo Bowl Pep Rally at Arneson River Theatre, where they met up with an old friend and waited for the show. While this sounds typical of the day most bowl-bound Penn Staters had, the couple from Downingtown, Pa., are not quite like most of their traveling companions: neither one went to Penn State. "Our son, Paul, is a freshman in the Blue Band, so we're Penn Staters vicariously through him," said Kathy. For photos, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1520 online.
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Penn Staters can rally twice before the Alamo Bowl
The thousands of Penn Staters flocking to the Lone Star state to watch the Nittany Lions take on the Texas A&M Aggies in the Valero Alamo Bowl will have two chances to get revved up for the big game, at pep rallies on Thursday and Saturday. The Penn State Alumni Association will pump up the Nittany Lion faithful at the Penn State Alumni Association Pep Rally on the day of the game, Saturday, Dec. 29. The pep rally tent will be located in parking Lot 1, north of the Alamodome and south of Sunset Station. The program will begin at 3 p.m. The pep rally is free and open to all fans. Penn Staters also can attend the Valero Alamo Bowl Pep Rally at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, at the Arneson River Theatre. Hosted by the Alamo Bowl, this pep rally will feature both Penn State and Texas A&M. Each university's football team, head coach, band and cheerleaders will participate. Seating is limited for this free, first-come, first-served event, but Penn State fans can line the Riverwalk to cheer the Nittany Lion players as they arrive via boat at the Alamo Bowl Pep Rally.
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French student marching to a new beat with Penn State Blue Band
In France, marching bands are hard to find, let alone the spectacle of a major college football game. But for musician and engineering student Simon Bazin, a native of France's Normandy region, the spark of interest in the American college traditions was only a mouse click away."I discovered university marching bands on the Internet," Bazin said. "I knew it was part of American culture, but I didn't know it was so huge." With a new interest in marching bands and the opportunity to study abroad for a semester through Grenoble National Engineering School, Bazin explored a list of 30 possible schools in the United States. Few had major marching bands and even fewer could meet his timetable for auditions. "I came to the United States on Aug. 13," Bazin explained. "Most schools with marching bands held their auditions in April or May and there was one who had auditions in August. I knew Penn State had a really good marching band, so I was happy with how it turned out."
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San Antonio has plenty to offer before the game
The 243 Penn State alumni living in the San Antonio, Texas, area know that there's a lot more to see there than just the Alamo Bowl. Those who are traveling to the game a few days early have a variety of options for where to spend some of their free time in what has grown to become the eighth-largest city in the United States. Penn State alumnus Art Minguez, president-elect of the San Antonio chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, has several suggestions for those who want to check out the best of San Antonio
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Penn State-Texas A&M Alamo Bowl clash sold out
The 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl, featuring Penn State and Texas A&M, is a sellout as a crowd in excess of the Alamodome's 65,000-seat capacity will attend the Dec. 29 contest. Penn State's remaining tickets can be ordered via www.GoPSUsports.com, the official website of Penn State Athletics. Fans also can purchase tickets by calling (814) 865-5555 or (800) 863-3336. The contest will kick at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET and air on ESPN, the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com.
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Penn State-Texas A&M clash set for Alamo Bowl
Penn State and Texas A&M will collide in the 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl in the fourth meeting between the schools and second in a post-season contest. The Aggies today were selected to meet the Nittany Lions in the 15th Alamo Bowl, to be played in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday, Dec. 29. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT and the contest will air on ESPN, the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com, the official website of Penn State Athletics. The Valero Alamo Bowl will be Joe Paterno's 500th game as head coach of the Nittany Lions. The last Penn State-Texas A&M meeting came in the Nittany Lions' only other appearance in San Antonio, as they defeated the Aggies, 24-0, in the 1999 Alamo Bowl to finish 10-3. The game drew a standing room only crowd of 65,380, which remains second-largest in Alamo Bowl history.
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Penn State selected to play in Alamo Bowl
Penn State's 40th bowl game all-time will be the 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl, as the Nittany Lions Friday (Nov. 30) were selected as the Big Ten representative, Director of Athletics Tim Curley announced. The 15th Valero Alamo Bowl will be played in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday, Dec. 29. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT and the contest will air on ESPN, the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com, the official Web site of Penn State Athletics. The Nittany Lions will face a Big 12 Conference opponent -- likely Texas A&M or Texas Tech -- to be announced on Sunday evening. The Valero Alamo Bowl will be Joe Paterno's 500th game as head coach of the Nittany Lions.
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Alamo Bowl tickets on sale tonight; Public sale begins Monday
Nittany Lion Club members and 2007 season football tickets holders will be able to purchase tickets for Penn State's appearance in the Valero Alamo Bowl beginning today (Nov. 30) at 6 p.m. ET. The 15th Valero Alamo Bowl will be played in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday, December 29. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT and the contest will air on ESPN, the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com, the official website of Penn State Athletics. The Nittany Lions will face a Big 12 Conference opponent to be announced on Sunday. Nittany Lion Club members and 2007 season football tickets holders also can purchase tickets by phone starting Monday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. by calling (814) 865-5555 or (800) 863-3336. The general public can purchase Valero Alamo Bowl tickets over the phone beginning Monday, Dec. 3 at 10:00 a.m. ET by calling (814) 865-5555 or (800) 863-3336. There is a limit of ten (10) tickets per person. Tickets will be mailed the week of December 10. Student bowl tickets will be available via a walk-up sale from on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Beaver Stadium ticket office adjacent to Gate E. Student Nittany Lion Club members will receive priority for ticket purchase and location. SNLC members are encouraged to present their membership card to expedite the buying process. There will be a two (2) ticket limit per student ID and tickets can be purchased with cash only.
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Alumni Association sponsors official tour to Alamo Bowl
Now that the Nittany Lions have learned that they will be playing a Big 12 opponent in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29, Penn State alumni, students and fans can begin making plans to travel to San Antonio, Texas with the "Official Penn State Bowl Tour," sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association. Penn State's opponent will be announced Sunday night, Dec. 2. A number of airfare-inclusive and land-only tour packages are available as part of the "Official Penn State Bowl Tour." The "Official Penn State Bowl Tour" features four packages: a game day package, a student package, and two four-day packages available to alumni and other Penn State fans. These packages are available with airfare out of Harrisburg, Pa., or land-only, and with or without a game ticket.
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