STATE COLLEGE | Penn State offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh has run out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel for games for three years. He's done it during the regular season, the postseason and for games with elevated tension between the team and fanbase.
The redshirt junior has been in almost every environment the stadium has offered. So on Saturday, when the Nittany Lions run through the South tunnel for the 2026 opener vs. Marshall, the experience won't be new for Donkoh.
But for many of his teammates - 62 to be exact - it'll be their first time taking in the "We Are chants" and sea of fans.They have scrimmaged twice in an empty Beaver Stadium, and practiced before a small, rain-soaked crowd in April, but haven't been part of the entire stadium experience.
"I told most of the guys, 'When you run out of the tunnel for the first time, embrace it,'" Donkoh said this week. "It's going to be electric."
Beaver Stadium's capacity is expected to reach 109,000 this season, which would make it the largest in the country. That'll make Saturday's game against Marshall even sweeter.
Wide receiver Chase Sowell , who is playing for his fourth team in five years , is one of Donkoh's teammates who will take in the Beaver Stadium atmosphere for the first time on Saturday. Sowell played for Colorado , East Carolina and Iowa State , all of which are home to stadiums whose capacities don't exceed 62,000.
Sowell said that he's been waiting for a "long, long time" to play in front of the Beaver Stadium crowd.
"I mean, since January, the second and third week of January, we've been preparing for this moment," Sowell said. "Not only for football, but staying together, making sure we're doing our assignments, making sure we're doing it the right way.
"... [It's] mostly just a full-circle moment. [I] played Marshall when I was over at East Carolina, been in that league, so I know how it is. ... It definitely feels surreal."
It isn't just the players counting down the days until Saturday. Head coach Matt Campbell also is eager to coach his first game at Beaver Stadium. Campbell said that he'll need to manage his emotions as someone who wears them on his sleeve. Campbell even apologized already for the emotions he's going to bring Saturday.
"Obviously, there's a great sense of gratitude to be here and be part of a great place like this, one of the cathedrals of college football," Campbell said. "To be a part of that is awesome.
"... The reality is when you love the sport and you love to watch your guys, you've seen how much they've sacrificed for these moments. I'm probably more excited for that, to be able to watch our football team grow forward starting on Saturday."
Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser , who will call plays in Beaver Stadium for the first time, said he "never in a million years" thought he would coach at Penn State.
"That's probably been one of the bigger stories with you guys [in the media], is that you don't understand how I got here. And sometimes neither do I," Mouser said. "But it's a dream come true to go out there on a stage like this, and it's a privilege to be able to put the logo on at a school like Penn State."
Donkoh added that he is also pumped to get into the stadium and enjoy the atmosphere again, while cornerback Audavion Collins said that the vibe around the locker room is that they're all ecstatic for the opportunity.
Defensive end Alexander McPherson, who played at Colorado last year, said that the locker room is "intensifying," and the players are ready to finally get on the field and show what the team is capable of. But Sowell wrapped it up with a more personal feel by discussing his Week 1 nerves.
"I've been at a new place every year, so it's been new for me every time," Sowell said. "But I think the nerves come from just not being prepared. That's something that we talked about. You'll have nerves normally, but then if you're prepared for the moment, those nerves basically go away."
Penn State hosts Marshall for the 2026 opener on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell jogs at the start of a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/pennstate as Penn State Football Begins New Chapter in a Growing Beaver Stadium .
