James Franklin Addresses Beaver Stadium Fire Outburst: What Really Happened?STATE COLLEGE, PA — In what’s being dubbed the “Blaze at Beaver,” Saturday’s game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights took an unexpected turn — and not just because of the fumbled punt return. A small fire broke out in the northwest corner of Beaver Stadium during the second quarter, prompting mass confusion, a temporary evacuation of several sections, and more conspiracy theories on Twitter than a moon landing documentary.Head coach James Franklin held a press conference Sunday morning to address the situation.“First of all, I want to assure everyone that we’re all safe. No players were injured, no fans were harmed, and the fire was contained quickly thanks to our outstanding emergency personnel,” Franklin said, still wearing his headset — either out of habit or trauma. “Secondly, no, the fire was not caused by our offensive playbook spontaneously combusting.”The actual cause, as officials later confirmed, was a malfunctioning deep fryer at one of the concession stands. The fryer, which had been reportedly running since 6 a.m. to keep up with the demand for Penn State’s famous deep-fried cheesesteaks, overheated and ignited the surrounding insulation.However, Franklin’s explanation didn’t come without a dose of his characteristic deadpan humor. “It’s been a tough season, and I know tensions are high. But I didn’t think it’d get hot enough to literally set the stadium on fire. That’s on me,” he joked, cracking a rare smile.Fans on social media were less forgiving and far more creative. One tweet claimed the fire started when a disgruntled fan lit their ticket on fire. Another insisted it was divine retribution for punting on 4th and 1 from the Rutgers 38-yard line. A third popular theory blamed the mascot, the Nittany Lion, for knocking over a lantern during an overzealous backflip. That rumor gained traction after video footage surfaced showing the mascot suspiciously sprinting away from the scene seconds before smoke started billowing.“I want to make it clear — the Nittany Lion did not start the fire,” Franklin said firmly. “He was running because he was late for his halftime TikTok.”The game resumed after a 25-minute delay, and Penn State went on to win 24-17, though most fans were more invested in the flames than the football. One spectator even tried to roast marshmallows before security shut him down.When asked what the incident taught him, Franklin shrugged. “You prepare for fumbles, injuries, maybe the occasional rogue squirrel. But fire? That’s new. We’ll be adding ‘fire drill’ to our weekly practice schedule.”In the aftermath, university officials have promised a full investigation, improved fryer safety protocols, and free fire extinguishers for all concession stand employees. Meanwhile, t-shirts bearing the slogan “We Bring the Heat — Literally” have already appeared in downtown stores.As for Franklin? He ended the press conference with a nod to Billy Joel: “No, we didn’t start the fire. But we’re gonna finish the season strong.Only at Penn State.
