Former Michigan tight end Jake Butt has played in some of college football’s most electric atmospheres, but one venue stands out in his mind.
The two-time All-American and Big Ten Tight End of the Year has no qualms about naming the stadium that impacted him the most due to its fans and intensity.
Jake Butt Talks About the Deafening Roar of Happy Valley
When asked about the most intense stadium he ever played in, Butt didn’t hesitate to pinpoint Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, known as Happy Valley.
“It’s the same answer for me,” Butt said while playing golf with former Nebraska wide receiver Kenny Bell on the Big Ten Network. “Anytime I get asked this question, Penn State comes. Happy Valley. Night game. My first ever start was at Penn State. It was a sunset kickoff. They went to a night game, triple overtime. They beat us. But that stadium is the loudest. Even in the NFL, it’s the loudest. And it’s just fun to play in. So fun.”
Butt recalled that game, which was played on October 12, 2013. On that night, Penn State knocked off then-18th-ranked Michigan 43-40 in a nail-biting four-overtime game.
In front of 107,884 fans, Butt took part in the longest game in Michigan football history.
A study done by Penn State graduate student Andrew Barnard provides evidence for Butt’s claim that Beaver Stadium rocks with noise. Crowd noises of 110 decibels were captured when opposing teams were on the field, while 75 decibels were recorded when Penn State was on the field.
For example, 110 decibels equals being close to a loudspeaker at a music concert. Tests indicated that peak noise levels at Beaver Stadium have reached 122 decibels, making it one of the noisiest stadiums in college football.
At Michigan, Butt set a record for catches as a tight end with 136 for 1,646 yards. He was also voted as the Tight End of the Year by the Big Ten for two straight years.
Injuries shortened his NFL career with the Denver Broncos, where Butt only played eight games. Butt then transitioned to broadcasting, joining the Big Ten Network as an analyst in 2022.
The “White Out” games at Penn State have been a topic of conversation across the sports world due to its electric atmosphere. The stadium’s layout and the Penn State faithful’s noise are big reasons for its position as a tough place for an opposing team to play.
