Rutgers President Robert Barchi joined Athletic Director Julie Hermann  in apologizing "for the regrettable actions of a handful of Rutgers fans" during Saturday night's game, in which fans invoked Penn State's recent pedophile scandal on signs in the stands.

High Point Solutions Stadium
High Point Solutions Stadium during the Penn State game (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images).
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Rutgers lost to Penn State on Saturday night at a sold-out High Point Solutions Stadium in a close game that was also their first match-up as members of the Big Ten. Townsquare Media's Kevin Williams, a Penn State fan who attended the game with his family, took note of the signs which referred to the scandal and set a tone of "nastiness that is not often associated with Big Ten football."

Hermann said that two pictures that were part of a 200-picture gallery of pictures on the school's Facebook have also been taken down. Pictures of fans wearing "Ped State" T-shirts were also posted on Twitter according to Philadelphia magazine.

"I have spoken with and apologized to the Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour and I would like to apologize equally to the Penn State University fans," wrote Hermann, "as well as Rutgers fans that were subjected to this classless display that does not represent the ethos of our university, athletic department or fan base."

NJ.com reports Barchi later issued a letter of apology to Penn State's President Eric Barron saying he "a great sense of embarrassment and outrage" over the behavior of "a very small handful of our fans whose behavior at the football game on Saturday night reflected neither the values nor the traditions of Rutgers University.''

Upon hearing of the apology, Williams said he gave Hermann credit for owning up to the signs and overall rowdy atmosphere of the game.

 

Julie Hermann's Full Statement

Julie Hermann
Rutgers Athletic Director Julie Hermann (Rich Schultz /Getty Images)
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On behalf of Rutgers University and the Athletic Department, we would like to apologize for the regrettable actions of a handful of Rutgers fans on Saturday that do not convey the message of good, competitive spirit that we look forward to having with our new Big Ten rival Penn State University.

Some of the signage and t-shirts that we have been made aware of were both inappropriate and offensive.

I have spoken with and apologized to the Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour and I would like to apologize equally to the Penn State University fans, as well as Rutgers fans that were subjected to this classless display that does not represent the ethos of our university, athletic department or fan base.

The two inappropriate pictures that appeared briefly on our Facebook page as part of a 200-picture montage were immediately removed when we were alerted to their content.

It is unfortunate that the actions of a few spoiled an otherwise historic and recording-setting night that Rutgers fans provided for our first Big Ten football game.

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