Penn State attendance down in 2015

MARK WOGENRICH

(Allentown) Morning Call (TNS)

The plan to renovate Penn State's Beaver Stadium could cost more than $485 million.

Penn State's home attendance dropped slightly in 2015, likely as a result of weather and scheduling.

Penn State's announced attendance for seven home games this season was 698.590, about 2 percent lower than 2014. The Lions averaged 99,799 fans per game, down less than 2,000 from 2014.

The schedule, which included home games over five consecutive weeks, and a rainy September-October stretch muted crowds. Penn State announced one home sellout (against Army West Point in October) and topped 100,000 in three games.

Penn State currently ranks fifth nationally in average attendance behind Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas A&M and Tennessee. The Lions also finished fifth in average attendance last year.

Here's a look at the numbers.

TOTAL ATTENDANCE

2015: 698.590

2014: 711,358

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE

2015: 99,799

2014: 101,623

2015 HOME ATTENDANCE

BUFFALO: 93,065

RUTGERS: 103,323

SAN DIEGO STATE: 95,107

ARMY WEST POINT: 107,387

INDIANA: 97,873

ILLINOIS: 94,417

MICHIGAN: 107,418