(WHTM)– On September 17, 1966, legendary Penn State head coach Joe Paterno won his first game at Beaver Stadium.
The Nittany Lions faced off in their season opener against Maryland at Beaver Stadium before a crowd of 40,911 fans. Paterno, who had been a former assistant coach for the Penn State program since 1950, had big shoes to fill in his first game as head coach.
The outcome of Paterno’s first game as head coach would perfectly sum up his career moving forward: A win. The Nittany Lions defeated Maryland 15-7. Paterno would serve as the program’s head coach for 45 years following the victory, and later became known as the most victorious coach in NCAA Football history.
Paterno was gifted the game ball for the second time in his coaching career.
The matchup against Maryland wasn’t just Paterno’s day. Sophomore guard Mike Reid’s standout performance not only earned him a place in the school record books but also helped lead the Nittany Lions to victory.
Reid is credited with scoring three safeties in the game, which remains the school record today.
The Altoona native would go on to have an extremely successful collegiate career at Penn State, winning the Outland Trophy, Maxwell Trophy as the nation’s outstanding player in college football, and leading the team in tackles his senior season, according to the Football Foundation.
Reid was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals and played with them for five years before he retired to focus on his musical career.
Similar to his football career, Reid would go on to win multiple awards. The Football Foundation said he received a Grammy Award in 1983 for his composition “Stranger In My House, was named “Songwriter of the Year” by multiple accredited publications.
Reid may be the first American to be in the College Football Hall of Fame and the Music Hall of Fame.
Penn State Football fans will get closer than ever to the team this fall with Nittany Nation & Nittany Insiders. Tune in to Nittany Nation every Saturday at 11:30 a.m. for a breakdown of Penn State’s matchup and players looking to make an impact on and off the field. Check your local listings or watch on NittanyNationTV.com during the football season.
You can also get the latest updates from Nittany Nation on X and Instagram.
Here’s a look at Penn State’s regular season schedule for 2025 as they seek a return to the College Football Playoffs
- August 30 – WIN vs. Nevada (46-11)
- September 6 – WIN vs. FIU (34-0)
- September 13 – vs. Villanova (52-6)
- September 27 – vs. Oregon, 7:30 p.m. (White Out)
- October 4 – at UCLA, TBA
- October 11 – vs. Northwestern, TBA (Stripe Out/Homecoming)
- October 18 – at Iowa, TBA
- November 1 – at Ohio State, TBA
- November 8 – vs. Indiana, TBA (Helmet Stripe)
- November 15 – at Michigan State, TBA
- November 22 – vs Nebraska, TBA
- November 29 – at Rutgers, TBA
Penn State fans are also getting a look at changes inside Beaver Stadium amid a $700 million renovation.
During the 2025 season, fans will see 7,900 temporary bleacher seats installed on top of the suite level, along with temporary concession and restroom amenities for the season. The football program has said it will maintain one of the largest stadium capacities in the country.
Fans got their first look at the construction during the Blue-White Game earlier this year. Here’s what the construction looked like for the spring game.
The Beaver Stadium renovation project is scheduled to be completed before the 2027 football season.