Nov. 28, 2015
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PENN STATE POSTGAME NOTES
Penn State at Michigan State
Spartan Stadium; East Lansing, Mich.
November 28, 2015
TEAM
- Penn State played in Spartan Stadium for the first time since 2009.
- The Spartans lead the series, 15-14-1. The teams next meet Nov. 26, 2016 in Beaver Stadium.
- Michigan State (No. 5) was Penn State's fifth opponent of the season ranked in the Nov. 24 College Football Playoff Top 25, joining Ohio State (8), Michigan (10), Northwestern (16) and Temple (25).
- The Nittany Lions have faced three consecutive opponents ranked in the Nov. 24 CFP Top 25 (Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State).
- Penn State has allowed 35 first quarter points in 12 games, an average of 2.92 points per game.
- MSU's Demetrious Cox returned a fumble 77 yards for a score. The last time a Penn State opponent returned a fumble for a touchdown was Michigan's Frank Clark, 24 yards in 2013.
OFFENSE
- QB Christian Hackenberg's 8-yard TD pass to Chris Godwin in the second quarter was the 47th of his career to break the Penn State record he shared with Matt McGloin. His second TD pass to Godwin gave him 48 TD passes.
- Hackenberg owns the Penn State career records for passing yards, completions, attempts, touchdown passes and total offense.
- Hackenberg threw for his 21st career 200-yard game with 257 yards on 22-for-39 passing to add to his school record.
- Sophomore WR Chris Godwin grabbed multiple TD catches in a game for the first time in his career. - Godwin made a career-high (11) catches. His previous high was eight at Northwestern on Nov 7.
- Godwin had 109 yards receiving for his fourth 100-yard game of the season and fourth in the last six games. He has five career 100-yard performances.
- With 11 catches, Godwin moved into a tie for fourth on Penn State's single-season receptions lists with 63. He is tied with O.J. McDuffie (1992) and Bobby Engram (1995). His performance today vaulted him five spots.
- Godwin is just the sixth player in program history to have 60 catches in a season.
- With 109 receiving yards, Godwin moved into seventh place on Penn State's single-season yardage list with 968 yards. He moved up six positions today.
- Sophomore WR Saaed Blacknall's 77-yard catch in the third quarter was a career long and Penn State's longest completion of the season.
- Godwin also moved up to 18th on Penn State's career receiving yardage list, passing David Daniels (1,222; 1988-90) and Scott Fitzkee (1,263; 1975-78).
- Sophomore WR DaeSean Hamilton had 78 yards receiving today to move into 16th spot on Penn State's career receiving yards list, passing Ted Kwalick (1,343; 1966-68).
- With eight receptions, Hamilton moved into eighth place on the career receptions list with 122, passing Jack Curry (117; 1965-67).
- True freshman RB Saquon Barkley turned in his fifth 100-yard rushing performance of the season with 103 yards. He is tied with D.J. Dozier (1983) for the most 100-yard rushing performances by a true freshman.
- Barkley also broke Dozier's freshman season (true or redshirt) rushing record after bringing his season total to 1,007 yards.
- Redshirt freshman QB Trace McSorley was 5-for-8 for 39 yards, all career highs.
DEFENSE
- Safety Malik Golden made a career-high (9) tackles. His previous high was eight last week vs. Michigan.
- Anthony Zettel started at DE for the first time since the 2013 season.
- DT Tarow Barney made his first career start, becoming the 14th Nittany Lion to make his first career start this season.
- Freshman LB Manny Bowen forced his first career fumble in the fourth quarter and Barney had his first career fumble recovery on the same play.
- Bowen's forced fumble was the 19th of the season for the Nittany Lions.
- True freshman S John Reid tied his career high with five tackles. He also had five stops in the season opener at Temple.
- Sophomore S Troy Apke tied his career high with five tackles, He also had five tackles against Army this season.
- Junior DE Evan Schwan tied his career high with four tackles. He also had four stops against Buffalo earlier this season.
- The Nittany Lions were held without a sack for the first time since the UCF game in 2013.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Junior Gregg Garrity was Penn State's starting punt returner today, marking his first career start at the position.
- Sophomore K Tyler Davis made his only field goal attempt, a 19-yard try, to improve to 8-for-8 on the season in field goal attempts.
- Penn State's regular season is complete. The Nittany Lions are eligible to participate in their 46th bowl game. Penn State's 45 bowl appearances are No. 9 nationally.