It is a daunting task any time a team or band travels to an away game to face a tough opponent on its field, so the Penn State Blue Band prepared for a tough game on the road this week.

At about 12:30 p.m. Friday, the Blue Band left for the University of Michigan. Usually, a small pep band accompanies the football team to the away games. But this weekend, the more than 250-member Blue Band took the six-hour trip to lend their support.

"We came in with low expectations," Emily McCathran (freshman-astronomy and astrophysics) said of the treatment of the Blue Band in Michigan. This was McCathran's first away game as a band member.

Following their 10-minute parade to the Big House, the band marched into the stadium and took their seats on bleachers on the southeast side of the sideline, with the Penn State sideline to their right.

"We felt more connected," McCathran said, referring to their seats. "I could feel the intensity of the game."

Right behind the band was the Michigan fans' seating area. After seeing how the fans treated the Ohio State band while it visited Penn State, the Blue Band wondered if they would be treated similarly at Michigan.

"They were fantastic!" McCathran said. "Those fans were so great. We joked back and forth. 'You're great kids,' they said. I heard very few negative comments. I felt so welcome."

Seth Smith (senior-mechanical engineer) said he had the same experience.

"Wonderful, wonderful," Smith said. "We had conversations with the people right behind us. They weren't harassing us. They shook our hands."

Smith added that he believed the band played an important role in team morale and keeping the crowd interested.

For him, it was absolutely worth making the trip to Michigan. "I think by keeping the fans into the game, it helped out our defense," he said. "It was definitely worth it; it helps you stay grounded. When we're at Beaver Stadium, you don't have to do too much to get respect. You have to work a little bit harder ... to know you're respected."

Kate Barron (senior-history and geosciences) said that since it was such a close game, she was excited to be able to show her support.

"When we were playing "Rock and Roll," like three Penn State fans were there, and we could get them to join in," she said. "I think they had a good time."

When the Blue Band performed its pregame and halftime shows, it didn't receive much attention, negative or positive, from the fans, Andy Blessing (senior-electrical engineer) said, but the crowd applauded for the postgame show.

"Everyone was really polite," Krissy Zeiser (senior-sociology) said. "It was absolutely better than Ohio."

Their postgame songs included "Nittany Lion Special" and "Penn State Victory," the same as they normally perform at home.

Even after the game, Michigan continued to be a welcoming host to the Blue Band.

"After the game, we marched to Michigan's band building, and they had a reception for us," Blessing said.

The band was treated to snacks, soda and water while getting a chance to socialize with Michigan's band members.

"After the game, we talked with some clarinet and mellophone players," Kate Barron (senior-history and geosciences) said. "They thought it was a good game, too. We talked about how well each other did."

Now that this year's away game is over, the Blue Band will prepare for next year's away game, which will take them to Notre Dame.