A unique fashion element is being added to Penn State’s first-ever College Football Playoff berth.
The Generations of Greatness uniforms that the Nittany Lions will don have aspects that pay homage to previous Penn State football eras. The jersey numbers are in block font, the helmets are numbered, the stockings are striped, the facemasks are gray, the cleats are white, and the white pants have a blue stripe.
Although Penn State posted a picture of the helmet on social media on Friday to hint to the Generations of Greatness jerseys, sources have told PennLive that the Lions will actually don the entire outfit when they play SMU on Saturday.
Although these different outfits have just recently been used for Homecoming games, the selection was influenced by the game’s historical significance on Saturday. In addition to being Penn State’s first CFP game, a victory would mark James Franklin’s 100th season as head coach of the Lions.
Most significantly, when Penn State’s “We Are” slogan first appeared in 1948, SMU was the rival. Teams were forced to meet when they played SMU in the Cotton Bowl in 1948 because Penn State’s Black players were not allowed to play. We are Penn State, thus there won’t be any meetings, as Lions captain Steve Suhey memorably stated. The first two Black players to participate in the Cotton Bowl were star running back Wally Tripplett and teammate Dennie Hoggard. Tripplet is inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame because of his role in dismantling color boundaries, even though he scored the game-winning touchdown in a 13–13 draw with SMU.
Although Penn State cheerleaders didn’t utilize the actual “We Are” chant until 1976, the slogan’s meaning is deeply ingrained in State College culture.
Earlier this season, Penn State defeated Illinois 21–7 while sporting the Generations of Greatness uniforms. When the Nittany Lions defeated Indiana 45–14 in 2017, the alternates made their debut.
Penn State has a 1-0-1 record against SMU throughout their program’s history, including the 1948 Cotton Bowl. In 1978, Penn State defeated the Mustangs 26–21.
The CFP clash on Saturday will begin at noon on TNT.
Stories by
Max Ralph
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!