Overview
- On Friday night Northwestern drew a sold‑out crowd to the new Ryan Field and beat Penn State 34‑13 in the stadium’s public debut.
- The Wildcats rushed for 413 yards and all four touchdowns on the ground, with Joseph Himon II and Caleb Komolafe leading the attack and Aidan Chiles contributing on key short runs.
- Penn State’s offense sputtered again as quarterback Rocco Becht threw two interceptions and the Nittany Lions fell to 3‑2 overall and 0‑2 in Big Ten play.
- Ryan Field cost about $875 million, seats 35,000 (making it the smallest Big Ten venue), features a steep, 2,000‑person standing 'Wildcat Wall' and a canopy designed to trap noise close to the field.
- The result gives Northwestern momentum in conference play and creates pressure on Penn State ahead of its White Out home game versus USC while also marking the end of Northwestern’s two‑year run of temporary lakefront and Wrigley Field homes.