Penn State Football: National poll says (almost) no other school has better fan experience

Joel Shannon
York Daily Record
The Nittany Lion crowd-surfs through the student section during the second half of an NCAA Division I football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Nebraska 56-44 in its final home game of the 2017 season.

Penn State is the second best college for sports fans, according to new rankings published by USA TODAY's 10Best.

"It's hard to find a more loyal fan base than the students and alumni at Penn State. Beaver Stadium has the second-highest seating capacity of any stadium in the U.S., with more than 100,000 fans showing up to root for the Nittany Lions during football season. The men's and women's volleyball programs excel as well," the awards say.

More:Beaver Stadium best in college football, says national poll

Penn State was bested by the University of Texas at Austin in the rankings, where USA TODAY readers voted on the 10 best schools out of a list of 20 nominated by experts and editors.

The awards asked readers to weigh in on what schools offered the best fan experience: mascots, marching bands, traditions and more. 

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Check out these photos from November's Penn State vs. Maryland football game: