The official Penn State tailgate, hosted by the Penn State Alumni Association in a Rose Bowl-determined location on the grounds of a golf course adjacent to the stadium, was heralded by arches of blue and white above the many thousands who attended.

The Blue Band marched their way into the tailgate site, much to the delight of game-day attendees.

The colorful westside press box of the Rose Bowl, the only interior field-view section of the stadium, offered shade for many of Penn State's contigent, which began at about the 50-yard line and swung around to the northern end zone, with additional pockets of fans on the northeast side of the stadium, according to the white-clothed fans.

A veritable sea of white-clad Penn State fans made their presence known by their vocalizations of spirit as much as by their attire. The 12th man was loud and clear from the field, as chants of "We Are ... Penn State" resonated and seemed to ricochet inside the Rose Bowl.

The ABC on-field booth was right in the thick of Penn State territory. During the game, the roof of the stage descended to the desk's height by hand-operated cranks so fans' views of the game weren't obstructed.

One of the Nittany Lions' warm-up drills in Penn State's end zone, near the ABC broadcast stage, involved players jumping toward their "tacklers," who lifted the players in the air. It was an impressive display of physical strength.

Blue Sapphire P.J. Maierhofer performed a grand leap in front of the Blue Band as the Nittany Lions announced their presence on the Rose Bowl field in Pasadena.

Two fans with front-row seats seemed right at home in Pasadena, eager to kick off the game and see the gridiron action up close.

Wrapping up the pregame festivities, Penn State's cheerleaders ran across the field to their position in Penn State's end zone.

Several diehard fans with familiar "faces" came across the country to support the Nittany Lions, which made the West Coast setting feel a bit more like a sunny home game in September.