UNIVERSITY PARK -- A wild night on the campus of Penn State University followed a historic day.
Nearly three years after the Jerry Sandusky scandal shocked this university, and sent it's football program reeling under the weight of NCAA sanctions, those sanctions were lifted Monday, and this place went wild.
Thousands converged in front of Old Main for an impromptu rally that students have been waiting for for nearly three years. The announcement that the NCAA is lifting the sanctions on Penn State's football program makes the Nittany Lions eligible for a bowl game this season. That sent the students into a wild celebration.
"I was sitting in class and I saw the notification pop up on my phone and said, 'Oh my God!' It was so weird. No one expected it," said Chris Colacito of Dallas.
Unexpected or not word spread quickly on campus. T-shirts reading "We're back" went on sale by mid afternoon.
"I think it means great things. Not only for the football program, but the university in general is really going to benefit as a whole. Spirits have been lifted only today just by hearing all this news," said Jason Vermeulen of Elk Lake.
The end of the sanctions just ups the excitement about this years Nittany Lions football team, which has won its first two games of the season. Now fans and students know they can look forward to a possible post season for the first time in three seasons.
