Penn State no match for Northwestern in Ryan Field opener

Quote:Northwestern routed Penn State 34-13 on Friday night in the first game at the new Ryan Field.

Wildcats fans who eagerly awaited the facility's opening were rewarded with not only an easy win over a preseason Top 25 team, but a light show in the stands and waves of fireworks and flames before the opening kickoff. The $875 million stadium was built on the same site as the former Ryan Field, and it seats 35,000, down more than 12,000 from the school's previous home.

But you couldn't tell that amid the euphoria over the victory. Led by Komolafe and Joseph Himon II, Northwestern set season highs with 413 yards rushing and 506 yards overall. Himon finished with a career-high 162 yards and two TDs on 10 carries.

Hey, maybe downsizing HRS can help after all!

(10-03-2026 12:01 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Northwestern set season highs with 413 yards rushing and 506 yards overall.

Clearly we need to follow the NW model and deemphasize the passing.

Yall need to stop calling it HRS, you’ve got 7hrs 22min to adopt the new name in y’all’s posts.

K thx

FCCU sounds like we hate the University of Colorado (which I really don’t have such hardened feelings towards). Are there other abbreviations in consideration?

(10-03-2026 10:36 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Yall need to stop calling it HRS, you’ve got 7hrs 22min to adopt the new name in y’all’s posts.

K thx

Why? Collect the check, put up the signs, etc., but it will always be HRS for me.

And I can’t imagine what any of us calls the stadium will make a difference in the grand scheme.

(10-03-2026 10:45 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  FCCU sounds like we hate the University of Colorado (which I really don’t have such hardened feelings towards). Are there other abbreviations in consideration?

Growing up in Boulder County, I was a Buffs fan first.

Then came the scandals of the mid-90s and I angrily crossed them off my list of favored teams.

But with the arrival of the PrimeTime show… I’ve come back around on CU.

So: I <3 CU again.

(10-03-2026 11:13 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-03-2026 10:36 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Yall need to stop calling it HRS, you’ve got 7hrs 22min to adopt the new name in y’all’s posts.

K thx

Why? Collect the check, put up the signs, etc., but it will always be HRS for me.

And I can’t imagine what any of us calls the stadium will make a difference in the grand scheme.

Well said. I agree.

(10-03-2026 10:45 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  FCCU sounds like we hate the University of Colorado (which I really don’t have such hardened feelings towards). Are there other abbreviations in consideration?

F Coastal Carolina?

(10-03-2026 11:13 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  it will always be HRS for me.

I don't think it became "historic" until Sept. 12, 1962. Since then, maybe a Superbowl adds to its historicity. Really, not a lot of history there.

Quote:And I can’t imagine what any of us calls the stadium will make a difference in the grand scheme.

Some here call it a heap of trash. If it helps the Athletic Department, I will call it whatever they want.

(10-03-2026 02:36 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-03-2026 11:13 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  it will always be HRS for me.

I don't think it became "historic" until Sept. 12, 1962. Since then, maybe a Superbowl adds to its historicity. Really, not a lot of history there.

Quote:And I can’t imagine what any of us calls the stadium will make a difference in the grand scheme.

Some here call it a heap of trash. If it helps the Athletic Department, I will call it whatever they want.

Wellllll.......Rice Football History2005....Rice Football History1989....Rice Football History all-time....so, there's history.

(10-03-2026 10:36 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Yall need to stop calling it HRS, you’ve got 7hrs 22min to adopt the new name in y’all’s posts.

K thx

How 'bout shortening it to just FU Stadium?....

(10-03-2026 03:06 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(10-03-2026 02:36 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-03-2026 11:13 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  it will always be HRS for me.

I don't think it became "historic" until Sept. 12, 1962. Since then, maybe a Superbowl adds to its historicity. Really, not a lot of history there.

Quote:And I can’t imagine what any of us calls the stadium will make a difference in the grand scheme.

Some here call it a heap of trash. If it helps the Athletic Department, I will call it whatever they want.

Wellllll.......Rice Football History2005....Rice Football History1989....Rice Football History all-time....so, there's history.

Here's looking to break a streak today.

(10-03-2026 02:16 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-03-2026 10:45 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  FCCU sounds like we hate the University of Colorado (which I really don’t have such hardened feelings towards). Are there other abbreviations in consideration?

F Coastal Carolina?

Exactly!!!


I
Wanna swing
From the Chanticleers
The Chanticleers


1,2,3,1,2,3,punt…

This is what ESPN's online page for our game shows of our home venue.
They do have the updated name.

The only way I have to contact them directly is through Facebook Messenger, which they will likely never see.

I also wrote to Eric George and Chuck Pool to point out the dated image.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/ga...tulsa-rice

(10-17-2026 08:04 AM)Grungy Wrote:  This is what ESPN's online page for our game shows of our home venue.
They do have the updated name.

The only way I have to contact them directly is through Facebook Messenger, which they will likely never see.

I also wrote to Eric George and Chuck Pool to point out the dated image.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/ga...tulsa-rice

To their credit, they had the new stadium name for the “inaugural” game 2 weeks ago, just days after the new deal was announced.

I’ve seen that image multiple times on their page and I felt something was “off” but didn’t study in detail to realize what (obviously) was until you posted.

Something new - naming the ramp from the Patterson to the field in the north end zone.

(10-18-2026 12:13 AM)Grungy Wrote:  Something new - naming the ramp from the Patterson to the field in the north end zone.

I noticed that at the HCU game. I wonder how much he donated for that.

And c'mon Rice. Pick up those plastic bags and power wash that slime!

(10-22-2026 08:08 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 12:13 AM)Grungy Wrote:  Something new - naming the ramp from the Patterson to the field in the north end zone.

I noticed that at the HCU game. I wonder how much he donated for that.

And c'mon Rice. Pick up those plastic bags and power wash that slime!

It's not all that visible to most fans.

Those are mats, not trash bags.
Traction? Padding?
The entire last flat spot on the ramp used to be completely covered with them.

That ramp is easy enough for the players, although tedious, but it's a chore for the staff as they push all of the bench stuff up the hill.
The mats made it even harder, because the casters would bind on the rubber mat.

The walk is a more gradual incline than the tunnel, where everything had to go before the Patterson opened.
The Gateway Project plans show the addition of a staircase in the NW corner, so that the players can take a shortcut back to the locker room from the field.

As to the algae - they would have to power wash that every week - there is ground water seepage through the wall at the bottom of the embankment.
Watering the grass between the ramps adds to the ground water level.
Ideally the grass would be a verdant green and the wall wouldn't leak.

The long-term solution would be to seal the wall on the other side, or add a French drain with plumbing to the perimeter drains, or pump the water directly into the pump house that sends ground water into the buried Harris Gully.
Any of those methods requires major digging to get at the bottom of the other side of the wall, and might require shoring the excavation to prevent collapse.
Not an in-season solution.

There is similar seepage at Gate 4, where ground water oozes out from the concourse level to the bottom of the ramp behind the gate.
They have more important things to spend their money on.

(10-22-2026 09:44 AM)Grungy Wrote:  It's not all that visible to most fans.

Those are mats, not trash bags.
Traction? Padding?
The entire last flat spot on the ramp used to be completely covered with them.

That ramp is easy enough for the players, although tedious, but it's a chore for the staff as they push all of the bench stuff up the hill.
The mats made it even harder, because the casters would bind on the rubber mat.

The walk is a more gradual incline than the tunnel, where everything had to go before the Patterson opened.
The Gateway Project plans show the addition of a staircase in the NW corner, so that the players can take a shortcut back to the locker room from the field.

As to the algae - they would have to power wash that every week - there is ground water seepage through the wall at the bottom of the embankment.
Watering the grass between the ramps adds to the ground water level.
Ideally the grass would be a verdant green and the wall wouldn't leak.

The long-term solution would be to seal the wall on the other side, or add a French drain with plumbing to the perimeter drains, or pump the water directly into the pump house that sends ground water into the buried Harris Gully.
Any of those methods requires major digging to get at the bottom of the other side of the wall, and might require shoring the excavation to prevent collapse.
Not an in-season solution.

There is similar seepage at Gate 4, where ground water oozes out from the concourse level to the bottom of the ramp behind the gate.
They have more important things to spend their money on.

This

I WOULD say though that stained concrete would look good and cover not only the algae but also mask the mats. Perhaps a very dark grey? Or put one of those skimcoats on top of it? I know they can get slippery but there are additives that can prevent that. As for the greenery, there are some low maintenance 'xeriscape' plants that even a VERY light misting at night would support that would look VASTLY better than the dead grass. I'd love it if we could put trees there, but that may not be structurally possible. Heck... maybe create some platforms and put young 'potted' oaks there to grow before they are planted around the university in the future. Treat it like an oak tree farm.

Maybe add a dumbwaiter system for the carts and just put rubber mats all the way down the walk

There HAS been some talk of 'bricking' the walk with purchased bricks as a fundraiser.

(10-22-2026 09:44 AM)Grungy Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 08:08 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 12:13 AM)Grungy Wrote:  Something new - naming the ramp from the Patterson to the field in the north end zone.

I noticed that at the HCU game. I wonder how much he donated for that.

And c'mon Rice. Pick up those plastic bags and power wash that slime!

It's not all that visible to most fans.

Those are mats, not trash bags.
Traction? Padding?
The entire last flat spot on the ramp used to be completely covered with them.

That ramp is easy enough for the players, although tedious, but it's a chore for the staff as they push all of the bench stuff up the hill.
The mats made it even harder, because the casters would bind on the rubber mat.

The walk is a more gradual incline than the tunnel, where everything had to go before the Patterson opened.
The Gateway Project plans show the addition of a staircase in the NW corner, so that the players can take a shortcut back to the locker room from the field.

As to the algae - they would have to power wash that every week - there is ground water seepage through the wall at the bottom of the embankment.
Watering the grass between the ramps adds to the ground water level.
Ideally the grass would be a verdant green and the wall wouldn't leak.

The long-term solution would be to seal the wall on the other side, or add a French drain with plumbing to the perimeter drains, or pump the water directly into the pump house that sends ground water into the buried Harris Gully.
Any of those methods requires major digging to get at the bottom of the other side of the wall, and might require shoring the excavation to prevent collapse.
Not an in-season solution.

There is similar seepage at Gate 4, where ground water oozes out from the concourse level to the bottom of the ramp behind the gate.
They have more important things to spend their money on.

Wow Grungy. You should have been a contractor.