Penn State game 'crazy' for 2024 OL

Fletcher Westphal was at the white-out game last year when Penn State hosted Auburn.

Saturday, he was at a sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium to watch Auburn host Penn State in its orange-out game. As for which stadium was louder? Westphal could not give a definitive answer.

"Your ears are ringing on both of them," Westphal said. "When you hear the 'War Eagle' chants out there, I mean, it is loud."

This was Westphal's second trip to Auburn, after camping with the Tigers back in June. The impression Auburn made on him while on his first trip is what led to a return.

"I liked what I saw," Westphal said. "I like the coaches, I like what they’re building here and so I was like ‘Let me get back for a game visit and see what they’re about."

Auburn did not win the game, but the atmosphere was there.

"Crazy," Westphal said. "SEC home environment is something else."

When the contact period opened on Sept. 1, Auburn was one of the first schools to reach out to the Virginia native. Head coach Bryan Harsin reached out to Westphal personally, which meant a lot to the 4-star offensive lineman.

"To have a head coach of a football team, of a college, Division I, SEC football team to stay up and to text, to personally send a message to me," Westphal said. "You know, give me his number so that I have his contact, is something huge."

Auburn is one of several stops Westphal plans to make this fall. He'll be at Tennessee versus Florida next week, Michigan State versus Ohio State Oct. 8 and Virginia Tech versus Miami Oct. 15.

Any game Westphal attends this season is planned so that he'll see two teams that have offered or shown interest in him at once. As the season comes to an end, Westphal plans to have a top 10 schools on Nov. 30, his birthday.

"Right now, I’m still trying to narrow down to that 10," Westphal said. "That’s why I’m going to all these game visits."