Pat McAfee wasn’t so sure if State College, Pennsylvania, could successfully host a College Football Playoff game. Local journalists soon clarified that answer.
Currently, Penn State is slated to host a first-round matchup in the expanded tournament. McAfee surfaced a “rumor” on Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show that the town doesn’t have the hotel space or amenities to handle an opposing school, its fanbase, and the wider college football world.
“I did hear there’s a chance about the hotels in State College, about there being potential conversations [about the game being played elsewhere],” McAfee said. “Nobody of importance from Penn State said that, but that was a rumor bouncing around… and once you get up there, you kind of see it. It’s like, this is a very small town.”
Pat McAfee with an unsubstantiated rumor that Penn State might not be able to host a playoff game because of hotels.
To me, this feels like a thing some random guy told him. He also clarifies no one official from Penn State told him said rumor. pic.twitter.com/0HhhaVNu3Y
— Darian Somers (@StuffSomersSays) November 6, 2024
It was a harmless rumor, but many Penn State reporters dispelled it quickly.
Some acknowledged the town would be pretty full and the weather could pose an issue for the Northeastern city, but that it would not prohibit the school from hosting a game.
This is not true. Penn State can host and as the bracket aligns this week they would. https://t.co/jkCdVJ47En
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) November 6, 2024
Penn State will face logistical issues, particularly if weather happens, and hotels rates will be astronomical. But they’re all-in on hosting. https://t.co/nadIpJI4CA
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) November 6, 2024
At BroBible, writer Jacob Elsey collected comments from school and CFP officials about the situation.
In the first round, host schools can play their games wherever they choose. Most are expected to move to a nearby NFL stadium or play on their home turf. CFP executive director Rich Clark said earlier this year that weather, hotel space, and practice space would be key factors.
The university already moved its December graduation ceremonies so they would not overlap with the CFP games.
Also, Beaver Stadium seats more than 100,000 and fills for every home game, so it’s not as if a big crowd is unique in State College.
