Are Iowa’s New Black Pants The White Out Antidote?
It is only week four of the NCAA College Football season, and this Saturday Iowa faces their first in-conference game. This will not only be their first time facing off against another BIG 10 team this year, but it is also the most challenging game on their entire regular season schedule. The Hawkeyes will square off with Pennsylvania State University (PSU), a stalwart in the BIG 10’s Eastern Conference, which historically is home to the higher-ranked BIG 10 teams. Leaving the Western Conference at times feeling irrelevant, or worse, left hanging from the bedroom doorknob by our underwear as the Eastern Conference continues to be the bullying big brother. Nonetheless, the Hawkeyes are undefeated and ranked 24th in the AP Top 25 college football poll, and second in the Western Conference behind Minnesota. Iowa is headed to Happy Valley with every intention to win and return home on the top of the Western Conference.
On the other sideline, Penn State is currently ranked 7th in the AP poll, and 2nd in the Eastern Conference behind Ohio State. The Nittany Lions have won their last three games, with last week’s win against Big 10 rival Illinois. Spirits are high, and PSU is going all out for their first BIG 10 home game. Beaver Stadium will host its first White Out of the year against the Iowa Hawkeyes this weekend.
If you don’t know what the notorious White Out is, it is when all PSU attendees wear solid white to the game. Beaver Stadium is already known for being one of the largest and loudest stadiums in college football, and the white out kicks everything up a notch resulting in a disorienting environment for visiting teams. While other schools have copied the idea (Iowa has a blackout scheduled against Michigan State next week), PSU is credited as the originator for college football white outs. If they weren’t first, they’re certainly the best at it.
Fun fact: The first White Out was in 2004, then firmly established in 2005 after Penn State’s upset win against Ohio State. I mention this just to flex because I was present for both of those games. Call me an OG White Out football fan from the long past days of JoePa RIP.
After last year’s QB debacle, the uncertainty of coach Kirk Ferentz’s judgment, and a mid-record, Iowa is back in a big way this year. We may even say….they are Back in Black.
The Hawkeyes' last visit to Happy Valley was in 2020, a game that ended in an Iowa victory. A win that was surprisingly earned by the formerly contended Hawkeye QB Sean Clifford. However, that year Penn State did start their season with a 0-5 record. Coach James Franklin has certainly changed the PSU football program since then, and the Nittany Lions will be hungry for revenge with a big home win. But the Hawkeyes are ready with a secret weapon . . .
Iowa revealed this week that players will be wearing a fresh look wearing black pants into a hostile Beaver Stadium on Saturday. Fans know the Hawkeye’s unofficial motto is “Black Heart Gold Pants,” and the gold pants are a staple of their uniforms both home and away. The Hawkeyes have sported the black pants before, but never on the road. Will the black pants be the secret antidote to take down the Penn State White Out? When the Hawkeyes unveiled the new look it created quite a stir on social media.
If these black pants don’t succeed in securing Iowa’s victory over the Nittany Lions, the Hawkeyes only gave one card left to play—the full Johnny Cash seldom-seen all-black uniforms. Regardless of the outcome this weekend, the Hawkeyes are sure to have the best game-day fit. Win or Lose, those black pants are going to pop against the all white background of the stadium. I-O-W-A!
Hawkeye fans let me know what you think, hit me up on Twitter and IG @emmiwitdahoops
