Spring football crowd third-best in nation

Penn State's loyal and enthusiastic fans annually are among the nation's best in supporting the Nittany Lions and coach Joe Paterno during the season and this year the record-setting crowd at the Blue-White Game has earned a similar ranking.

A record crowd, estimated at 71,000 fans, converged on Beaver Stadium for the April 21 contest.

The attendance was the third-highest in the nation for a spring football game, according to figures compiled by the National Football Foundation.

Penn State surpassed 40,000 fans for the Blue-White Game for the ninth time in the past 12 years, with rainy conditions during the other three contests. The previous attendance mark was 62,000 in 1996.