Nov. 13, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - No. 18 Penn State (8-2, 4-2) will host Indiana (4-6, 1-5) on Saturday in Beaver Stadium in its 2009 home finale.
Twenty Nittany Lions players will be honored in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony.
The game, which is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. ET kickoff, will be televised by the Big Ten Network and will also air on the Penn State Sports Network and www.GoPSUsports.com.
Among the 20 seniors are 10 players who have been starters for most of the season (five on defense, four on offense, one specialist).
The group includes four players that have earned All-Big Ten accolades (punter Jeremy Boone, quarterback Daryll Clark, linebacker Sean Lee and defensive tackle Jared Odrick) and two players who were 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans® (Hull and kick snapper Andrew Pitz).
The 2009 senior class has helped the Nittany Lions earn a 37-12 record since the start of the 2006 season, among the best marks in nation.
The Nittany Lions have won 18 of their 19 Senior Day games since 1990. The lone loss came to Michigan in 1999.
The Penn State defense has been superb all season and will face a formidable challenge In Indiana. Penn State is one of six teams in the nation that has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season.
Penn State leads the Big Ten in four of the six primary defensive statistical categories and is second in the other two, ranking in the top 15 nationally in all six major categories. The Nittany Lions lead the conference in: scoring defense (10.8 ppg), passing yards per game (166.1 avg), tackles for losses (87, 8.7 avg.) and sacks (32, 3.2 avg.) and are second in rushing yards per game (98.5 avg.) and total defense (264.6 ypg).
Senior linebacker Sean Lee had 14 tackles last week against Ohio State, becoming the fifth Nittany Lion with at least 300 career tackles, with 302, while senior linebacker Josh Hull recorded 13 stops, tying his career high. Hull has a team-high 95 stops this season, needing five to become the 20th Nittany Lion all-time to record 100 tackles in a season.
Clark continues to climb the Penn State season and career passing and total offense records lists. He enters the game with 390 career completions, needing 12 to pass Tony Sacca for third place in school history, amongst the many records list Clark are on.
Indiana is coming off a 31-28 defeat at the hands of No. 21 Wisconsin in Bloomington, the Hoosiers' third conference game they have lost by three points or less this year.
Indiana's "pistol" offense, which averages 357.2 yards per game, is fueled by its potent passing attack, led by junior quarterback Ben Chappell. He ranks second in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (237.7) and is fourth in total offense. Chappell is completing 63 percent of his passes (213-228), totaling 2,377 yards with 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Hoosiers boast four receivers with 20 or more receptions, led by Tandon Doss, who is third in the Big Ten with 65 catches (843 yds, 4 TD). A multiple threat, the sophomore wide receiver/kick returner tops the conference in all-purpose yardage, averaging 133.1 ypg. Redshirt freshman Darius Willis is IU's top ground gainer, rushing for 465 yards and six touchdowns touchdowns but left the Wisconsin game with an injury.
On defense, senior linebacker Matt Mayberry leads Indiana in total tackles (81) and solo tackles (53) to go along with nine tackles for loss (minus-32 yards), 3.5 sacks (minus-27 yards), two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Senior safety Austin Thomas headlines the IU defensive backfield, ranking third on the team in tackles (57) and first in interceptions (4) and pass break-ups (5). Defensive ends Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton are a formidable pass rushing tandem and standout playmakers. Kirlew tops IU in tackles for loss (13.5), sacks (5.5), forced fumbles (5), and fumble recoveries (3) while Middleton has contributed 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. The Hoosiers have proven to be stout within their own 20-yard line, ranking second in the Big Ten in red zone defense, trailing only Penn State.
While Penn State is undefeated in the all-time series with Indiana, possessing a 12-0 record, many of the games have been high scoring and produced several memorable offensive performances. The teams have combined to score 725 points, an average of 60.4 per contest. The Lions have posted 468 points (39.0 ppg) while the Hoosiers have scored 257 (21.4 ppg). The Nittany Lions won, 34-7, last year in Beaver Stadium. The squads next meet Nov. 20, 2010 at FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C.
Following the Indiana game, Penn State will travel to face Michigan State on Nov. 21 in the battle for the Land Grant Tropphy. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich. ABC will regionally televise the regular season finale and ESPN will air the game outside the ABC coverage area to the rest of the nation. The Spartans are 5-5 (3-3 in the Big Ten) on the season and visit Purdue on Saturday.