Donald Trump has reneged on plans to attend Saturday’s blockbuster showdown between Penn State and Ohio State in Happy Valley.
It would have been Trump’s second appearance at a big-time college football game this season after watching Alabama’s victory over Georgia last month in Tuscaloosa. He also attended the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win against the New York Jets earlier this month.
Instead, the GOP nominee will attend a campaign rally in Salem, Virginia. The rally is due to begin at 4 p.m. ET, the same time as the clash between the No. 3 Nittany Lions and No. 4 Buckeyes. Trump was invited to watch the game in the suite of a Penn State fan and arrangements had been made by his campaign team for him to attend.
“The University has been notified that a private citizen has invited former President Donald Trump to attend the Ohio State-Penn State football game as a guest in their suite,” Penn State said in a statement last week.
“The U.S Secret Service is working with University Police and Public Safety and other state and local law enforcement on safety and security measures that are put into place around the presence of presidential candidates.”
Trump did make an appearance on the Penn State campus last week, speaking at Bryce Jordan Center to conclude a week of strong campaigning from both Republicans and Democrats in State College.
Prominent Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were among the speakers on campus, with the vote in Pennsylvania set to play a defining role in Tuesday’s election. Pennsylvania is one of seven crucial swing states ahead of polling day, alongside Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
Therefore, it made sense for former President Trump to make a high-profile visit to the state in a late push to galvanize voters, but he has decided to prioritize matters elsewhere. The Republicans will be represented in Happy Valley, though, with Senate candidate David McCormick set to host a tailgate before attending the game against Ohio State.
Penn State (7-0) is one of only eight remaining unbeaten teams in the FBS, and a victory over Big Ten rivals Ohio State would go a long way to securing the Nittany Lions’ place in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes (6-1) responded to a dramatic defeat at No. 1 Oregon with an unconvincing performance in the win over Nebraska last week.
But a victory at Beaver Stadium would get their season back on track, putting them in the frame for the Big Ten Championship.
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