The tradition rose to national prominence during Penn State's 2005 season, when coach Joe Paterno silenced his critics (he was coming off back-to-back losing seasons at the time) by leading the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten championship and Orange Bowl win over Florida State. With interest in Penn State football at an all-time high, students began camping out outside Beaver Stadium in larger numbers than ever before in order to assure themselves the best possible seats on Saturday.
Such extreme measures are necessary because, at Penn State, students are seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The tent city exploded in size during the week leading up to Nittany Lions' crucial clash with Ohio State that year; some students set up their tents a full six days before the actual game. That was also the week the tent city got its name, as a freshman by the name of Dan Clark hung a large banner reading "Paternoville" for all to see.
By the time ESPN's "Cold Pizza" went live on the air outside Beaver Stadium later that week, the name "Paternoville" had stuck. The tent city is now a staple of Penn State football weeks.
