Turning Point USA to honor Charlie Kirk with T-shirt tribute at Penn State-Oregon game
Group plans 5,000 white 'Freedom' shirts and a voter registration tent ahead of the White Out matchup after Kirk's death was reported earlier this month.
Turning Point USA says it will stage a tribute to the late Charlie Kirk this weekend at Penn State's White Out game against Oregon, distributing 5,000 white T-shirts bearing the word 'Freedom' — the exact shirt Kirk wore before he was killed at a Utah Valley University event earlier this month. The plan comes as Kirk’s death has become a focal point in national political discourse and has sparked debates across supporters and critics alike. Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was described by organizers as a long-time advocate for conservative causes and a fan of the Oregon Ducks who had planned to attend Saturday's game at Beaver Stadium in Pennsylvania.
Penn State's White Out game is one of the program's marquee events, with more than 109,000 fans expected to fill Happy Valley. Turning Point USA will also set up a tent and a voter registration station outside the stadium. The weekend matchup features No. 3 Penn State against No. 6 Oregon, and it is the only top-10 meeting on the schedule this week. ESPN Analytics gives Penn State a 51.1% chance to win at home. Oregon enters the game undefeated at 4-0, with all wins by at least 20 points, while Penn State sits at 3-0 after a 46-point win over Villanova.
Last weekend, tens of thousands attended a memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium to honor Kirk. Organizers say the events surrounding Kirk’s death have intensified political expressions in campuses and communities nationwide as the college football season provides a public stage for political messages. The Penn State-Oregon game, set to be one of the season’s most-watched contests, also reflects broader debates about political advocacy on college campuses and the role of fan events in shaping public discourse.