As summer subsides into fall, pumpkin spice lattes and football indicate the change in seasons. Attending football games is a huge aspect of being a college student; however, that was before a global pandemic hit. Fall 2020 will not be the same as the previous years, or possibly like any future years. Remote learning, Zoom classes, masking up, and disappointment indicate the school year's start now. While the pumpkin spice latte hasn't been canceled, many traditional fall activities on campus have been.

However, today The Big Ten Conference has announced Penn State football is returning come October, after initially ruling over the summer that there would be no season this fall. Penn State football fans excitedly read this great news and expect to experience the game-related activities they know and love. Nevertheless, it is 2020, and we are unsure of what to expect. As a freshman going into the year with little normalcy expectations, I have ten questions about Penn State's 2020 football season.

1. How are students supposed to experience football games if we are not permitted inside Beaver Stadium?

In an email delivered to students today, the return of football was announced. The news that due to state guidance, fans are not welcomed into Beaver stadium just yet. Student-athletes' health and safety should undoubtedly be the forefront concern given the start of a new season. It is entirely logical to restrict fans from games at the moment due to COVID-19 concerns. However, how are these games going to be accessible for fans to view? The answer to this question has yet to be announced.

2. Could there be a potential correlation between football and spikes in local COVID-19 cases?

Currently, in all of Pennsylvania, Centre County has the most positive cases. Unsurprisingly, the county with the most cases is home to the state's largest university. However, local residents of State College who aren't students or employees are affected as well. Introducing people from outside the community carries the real possibility of spreading the virus even further.

3. Are there any travel concerns for other Big Ten schools in terms of spreading and transmitting the virus?

Centre County is not doing too well right now in terms of keeping Coronavirus at bay. Although the rest of Pennslyvania is coping slightly better, areas within the Big Ten Conference struggle with increasing cases. In returning to campus, the risk of Coronavirus accompanied students on move-in day. Traveling to and returning from other areas carries risk as well. There is just no way to know definitively anymore where the virus is lurking. Could other teams accidentally contribute to the spread despite rigorous testing? It is a real possibility.

4. How realistic is it to prohibit off-campus partying or tailgating?

Despite the fact tailgating and physical attendance to games is prohibited, off-campus students are still likely to party anyways. Penn State football is a massive aspect of student life but let's be real, so is drinking. As of September 14th, there are 1,445 positive cases within University Park. While there is no distinction of whether the positive cases are primarily coming from on-campus or off-campus residents, it's an issue. Football increases the likelihood that some people will take advantage of an opportunity to party, risking the community's safety.

5. Lastly, when will we know more about the logistics of the upcoming season?

So far, all we know is that football season is returning. There is so much uncertainty surrounding this topic just as there is with most things nowadays. Hopefully, some sense of normalcy will accompany the football season. Regardless, it will be interesting to find out how the season will play out!