Sept. 5, 2016
| PENN STATE at PITT | |
| Saturday, Sept. 10 - 12 p.m. ET | |
| Heinz Field| Pittsburgh, Pa. | |
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| Game Notes: Penn State | Pitt |
| Statistics: Penn State | Pitt |
| INSIDE THE NUMBERS | ||
| PSU | PITT | |
| 33.0 | Scoring* | 28.0 |
| 19.0 | 1st Downs* | 17.0 |
| 145.0 | Rushing* | 86.0 |
| 209.0 | Passing* | 175.0 |
| 354.0 | Total Offense* | 261.0 |
| 2/1 | Fumbles/Lost | 1/1 |
| 5/55 | Penalties/Yards | 3/40 |
| 6/47.0 | Punts/Avg. | 6/40.0 |
| 36% | 3rd Down % | 40% |
| 0% | 4th Down % | 0% |
| 7 | Sacks | 6 |
| 2 | Interceptions | 1 |
| 4-5 | Red Zone | 3-4 |
| 29:30 | Time of Possession | 29:43 |
* - Per Game Statistics
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - A historic matchup is renewed as intrastate foes Penn State and Pitt meet for the first time since 2000 in the Keystone Classic presented by Peoples Natural Gas Saturday in front of a sold out crowd in Heinz Field on ESPN. The 97th all-time meeting will be the first of a four-game, home-and-home series over the next four years.
Penn State enters the game after a solid performance in the season opener against Kent State. The Nittany Lions carried a three-point lead at halftime against the Golden Flashes, but locked down defensively in the second half, not only preventing Kent State from adding to its score, but scoring on defense when Amani Oruwariye intercepted a pass on the third play of the second half and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown.
Additionally, the loss of three starters on the defensive line to the NFL did not hinder Penn State's ability to pressure the quarterback, as seven different Nittany Lions contributed to seven sacks - the most by Penn State in a single game since 2011.
The Lions' up-tempo offense made its debut, finding the end zone three times. First-time starting quarterback Trace McSorley totaled 209 yards passing and two touchdowns while adding 47 yards on the ground. Saquon Barkley broke 100 yards rushing for the sixth time in his career and scored one touchdown. Despite the strong debut, the group will look to fine tune its efforts to put even more points on the board.
Pitt is led on offense by 2014 All-American running back James Conner, who returned to the gridiron this season after overcoming a knee injury suffered in last season's opener and Hodgkins lymphoma. He scored two touchdowns Pitt's season-opening win over Villanova. The Panthers were also strong defensively, not allowing any Villanova points while they were on the field.
The game also be the first of two for Penn State against in-state opposition, as Penn State will return to Beaver Stadium to host Temple.
HEAD COACH PAT NARDUZZI
• In his debut campaign at Pitt in 2015, Pat Narduzzi led the Panthers to an 8-4 regular-season record, their best 12-game mark since 2009, and a Military Bowl invitation. Pitt finished as the runner-up in the ACC Coastal Division with a 6-2 mark, its best conference record ever.
• Narduzzi arrived at Pitt following eight years as the defensive coordinator at Michigan State. Under his direction, the Spartans were the only team to rank in the nation's top 10 in total defense and rushing defense each season from 2011-14.
• In 2013, Narduzzi was named the recipient of the prestigious Broyles Award, annually presented to the country's top assistant coach.
• Prior to Michigan State, notable stops for Narduzzi included three years (2004-06) as defensive coordinator under Mike Dantonio at Cincinnati and ne year as the defensive coordinator at Miami (Ohio).
• Narduzzi was a starting linebacker under his father, the late Bill Narduzzi, as a freshman at Youngstown State University in 1985 before transferring to Rhode Island, where he became a three-year starter for the Rams from 1987-89.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
• Pitt beat Villanova in its opener, 28-7. The lone Nova score was a fumble return. Pitt's Quadree Henderson returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.
• The Panthers' offensive front has produced a 1,000-yard rusher each of the past two seasons. James Conner rushed for 1,765 yards in 2014 but suffered a knee injury in the 2015 opener and was then diagnosed with cancer. Qadree Ollison filled in admirably rushing for 1,121 yards to earn ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
• Conner recovered from the knee injury and beat the cancer. He returned to action last week and scored a pair of touchdowns and totaling 69 all-purpose yards.
• On defense, Pitt returns defensive end Ejuan Price, who was named All-ACC last year after totaling 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. Price led the ACC and ranked eighth nationally in sacks per game (0.88 avg.).
• Pitt went 8-5 last season, and went 8-4 during the regular season after going 6-6 each of the prior four years (2011-14).
LIONS & PANTHERS MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2000
• It is the first game of a four-game home-and-home series dubbed the Keystone Classic presented by Peoples Natural Gas.
• The Nittany Lions have met the Panthers more than any other opponent -- 96 times -- with Penn State owning a 50-42-4 series advantage.
• The teams first met in 1893 and played every season from 1900-31 and 1935-92, often in a compelling final game of the regular season.
• The teams did not meet from 1993-96, when Penn State began play in the Big Ten Conference, and then played a four-game series from 1997-2000, with the Nittany Lions winning the 1997-99 contests.
• The Panthers won the last meeting, 12-0, in Three Rivers Stadium in 2000.
• Penn State owns a 17-6 record against Pitt in State College, while the Panthers have a 35-28-4 advantage in games played on their home field.
• Penn State leads, 5-1, in neutral site games, the majority of which were played in Pittsburgh.
VERSUS PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS
• Against the two other current FBS schools, Pitt (50-42-4) and Temple (39-4-1), Penn State owns a combined 89-46-5 record.
• The 89 wins account for 10.4 percent of Penn State's 857 all-time wins.
• Penn State owns a 166-95-12 record all-time against current NCAA Division I teams in Pennsylvania.
• That figure includes current FCS teams Bucknell (28-10-0), Lafayette (10-5-1), Lehigh (16-6-1), Penn (18-25-4) and Villanova (5-3-1). However, Penn State has not played any of those teams since last playing Penn in 1958.
NITTANY LIONS FROM METRO PITTSBURGH
Penn State has eight Nittany Lions from the Pittsburgh area on its roster. Gregg Garrity is the only one in the group in his senior year of eligibility.
• S Troy Apke -- Mt. Lebanon/Mount Lebanon
• TE/H Nick Bowers -- Kittanning/Kittanning Senior
• WR Gregg Garrity -- Pittsburgh/North Allegheny
• T Sterling Jenkins -- Pittsburgh/Baldwin
• S John Petrishen -- Lower Burrell/Pittsburgh Central Catholic
• RB Miles Sanders -- Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills
• DT Brenon Thrift -- Monroeville/Gateway
• K/P Jordan Wombacker -- Hermitage/Hickory
• OL coach Matt Limegrover - Pittsburgh
• Off. coord./QB coach Joe Moorhead - Pittsburgh
• Asst. head coach/CB coach Terry Smith - Aliquippa
PENN STATE-PITT CONNECTIONS
• Penn State senior WR Greg Garrity and Pitt sophomore LB Elijah Zeise played together at North Allegheny.
• Penn State sophomore S John Petrishen and Pitt freshman DB Daman Hamilton, freshman DB Bricen Garner, senior LS Pat Quirin and freshman DL Rashad Wheeler all played together at Pittsburgh Central Catholic.
• Penn State freshman RB Miles Sanders and Pitt senior DL Ejuan Price both attended Woodland Hills.
• Penn State junior DT Brenon Thrift and Pitt senior TE Jaymar Parrish played together at Gateway High School. Both played for Penn State assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, who was the head coach at Gateway from 2002-12.
• Penn State freshman QB Jake Zembiec and Pitt freshman LS Conrad Brake played together at Aquinas Institute (N.Y.).
• Penn State junior CB Grant Haley's parents met attending Pittsburgh's School of Medicine. Haley's mother, Carla Neal-Haley, attended Penn State and was a member of the track and field team.
COACHING STAFF CONNECTIONS
• Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is from Pittsburgh and was a graduate assistant for the Panthers from 1998-99.
• Penn State co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Tim Banks and Pitt tight ends coach Tim Salem were on the same staff at Illinois from 2012-14.
• Banks and Pitt head strength and conditioning coach Dave Andrews were on the same staff at Cincinnati from 2010-11 and Illinois from 2012-13.
• Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi faced Penn State as Michigan State's defensive coordinator from 2007-14.
• Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Canada followed Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover in the same role at Northern Illinois (2011) after Limegrover departed for the same position at Minnesota.
• Canada is also familiar with the Big Ten serving as the offensive coordinator for Wisconsin in 2012 and as Indiana's quarterbacks coach from 2004-10.
• Pitt cornerbacks coach Renaldo Hill faced the Nittany Lions as a three-year starter at corner back for Michigan State (1998-2000).
• Pitt offensive line coach John Peterson is familiar with the Big Ten after spending the 2004-11 seasons as Ohio State's tight ends coach.
NITTANY LIONS IN NFL VENUES
• When Penn State takes the field against Pitt at Heinz Field, it will mark the second time in last three games that Penn State has played in an NFL stadium. The Nittany Lions concluded the 2015 season in the Jacksonville Jaguars' home, EverBank Field.
• It will be Penn State's first game in the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 10th current NFL venue that Penn State has played in.
• The Nittany Lions have also played in current homes of the Miami Dolphins (Sun Life Stadium), New Orleans Saints (Mercedes-Benz Superdome), New York Giants/New York Jets (MetLife Stadium), San Diego Chargers (Qualcomm Stadium), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Raymond James Stadium) and Washington Redskins (FedEx Field).
• The Lions have played 19 bowl games in nine different venues that housed NFL teams at the time, posting a 12-7 record. The Lions have also played 38 regular season games in 13 different stadiums with permanent NFL tenants.
DEEP THREAT DEPTH
• Wide receivers Chris Godwin (101) and DaeSean Hamilton (129) are just the second Penn State group to total 100 or more career receptions at the same time.
• Godwin's seven receptions in the season opener against Kent State pushed him over the century mark.
• The only other group in program history to do it was Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood (all played 2005-08).
PENN STATE VS. ACC
• Penn State is 150-86-10 all-time against the schools who are current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, having played every ACC school except Duke and Virginia Tech.
• The Nittany Lions last played an ACC foe in the 2014 New Era Pinstripe Bowl, defeating Boston College in overtime, 31-30.
• The most recent regular season meeting with an ACC team was the Nittany Lions' win over Syracuse in the 2013 season opener at MetLife Stadium.
• Pitt is the lone ACC opponent on Penn State's schedule through 2019. Virginia Tech is on the Lions' schedule in 2020 (away) and 2025 (home).
KEEPING KENT OUT OF THE END ZONE
• Penn State has now held Kent State without an offensive touchdown in at least the last four times that they have met (box score from 1965 is unavailable, but PSU won 21-6).
• In 2003, Kent State scored a touchdown on a defensive fumble recovery in the end zone. In 2010 and 2013, Penn State shut out the Golden Flashes.
• The Nittany Lions held Kent State scoreless in the second half in the most recent game, grabbing two interceptions (1 for TD) and recording six sacks.
• On the Golden Flashes' seven second half possessions, Penn State forced three 3-and-outs and grabbed two interceptions.
STEPPING ON TO THE FIELD
• The following six players were first time-starters against Kent State: OG Ryan Bates, QB Trace McSorley, DE Evan Schwan, DT Kevin Givens, DT Parker Cothren, P Blake Gillikin.
• The following 19 players made their first career appearances for Penn State against Kent State: DT Tyrell Chavis, G Ryan Bates, DE Ryan Buchholz, WR Irvin Charles, DT Kevin Givens, G/C Steven Gonzalez, TE/H Jonathan Holland, T Sterling Jenkins, WR Juwan Johnson, S Jarvis Miller, DE Shareef Miller, DT Ryan Monk, RB Andre Robinson, QB Tommy Stevens, CB Garrett Taylor, DT Robert Windsor, P Blake Gillikin, C/G Connor McGovern, RB Miles Sanders.
• Of the 19 players making their debut, 15 were redshirt freshmen and three were true freshman (Gillikin, McGovern, Sanders).
BARKLEY OFF AND RUNNING
• Sophomore running back Saquon Barkley did not miss a beat entering 2016, as he totaled 105 yards rushing in the season opener against Kent State.
• It was his sixth 100-yard game of his career, moving him into a tie with Bob Campbell (1966-68) and Rodney Kinlaw (2007) for the 17th-most in school history.
• Barkley last had a 100-yard game in the 2015 regular season finale at Michigan State.
• Barkley moves into 35th place in the Penn State record books with 1,181 yards rushing, trailing Leroy Thompson (1,215 yards) for the 34th spot.
GODWIN CONTINUES AS TOP TARGET
• Wide receiver Chris Godwin continued his consistent play, catching seven passes in the season opener against Kent State.
• He has now caught at least six passes in five of his last six games, and at least four passes in 13 of his last 15 games.
• Godwin's 67 yards receiving against Kent State give him 1,489 yards for his career, and move him into 15th place in the Penn State record books. He trails Freddie Scott (1,520 yards) for 14th place.
• He has at least one catch in 26 of 27 career games and nine career games with five or more grabs.
• Godwin is just the third player in school history to register 1,000 receiving yards in a season, joining Allen Robinson (2012, 2013) and Bobby Engram (1994, 1995) as the players to accomplish the feat. It was Penn State's fifth 1,000-yard performance in a season.
• Godwin is just the sixth player in program history to have 60 catches in a season, ranking fourth on the season receptions list with 69.
• Godwin finished second on Penn State's season receiving yards list with 1,101 in 2015.
• Godwin posted five 100-yard receiving games in 2015.
• Godwin finished the season ranked 25th in FBS and second in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (84.7) and finished 49th in FBS and fifth in the Big Ten in receptions per game (5.3).
• With 133 yards against Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl, Godwin became Penn State's career leader in bowl receiving yards with (273) in two games, passing Bobby Engram's 272 yards.
• Godwin owns the No. 2 (140 yards) and No. 3 (133 yards) bowl receiving yardage marks in Penn State single game bowl history.
NEW SIGNAL CALLER
• In his first career start in Penn State's season opener, sophomore quarterback Trace McSorley had career highs of 209 yards passing, 16 completions and 31 attempts. Previously, his highs were 142 passing yards, 14 completions and 27 attempts after entering in the second quarter against Georgia in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl.
• McSorley's 43-yard pass to WR DeAndre Thompkins in the third quarter was his career long. His previous career best heading into the Kent State game, was a 21-yard toss to Chris Godwin in the TaxSlayer Bowl last season.
• McSorley's 30-yard TD pass to Mike Gesicki was the longest TD pass of his career. He tossed a 20-yard scoring strike to DaeSean Hamilton vs. Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
• McSorley was named Penn State's starting quarterback during the final week of preseason camp.
• McSorley saw his first career extended action last season after Christian Hackenberg left the TaxSlayer Bowl in the second quarter due to injury. He completed 14-of-27 passes for 142 yards and two touchdown passes and was selected as Penn State's TaxSlayer Bowl MVP.
• With the departure of all-time passing leader Christian Hackenberg, Penn State was one of 10 teams that did not have an FBS start at quarterback on its roster.
• The other teams were Arizona State, Arkansas, North Carolina, NC State, Rice, USC, Utah, UMass and Big Ten foe Wisconsin.
• Hackenberg started every Penn State game the past three seasons. He did not miss multiple snaps due to injury until his final game (TaxSlayer Bowl).
ADDED DIMENSION
• Quarterback Trace McSorley rushed for 47 yards against Kent State, setting a career high. The total ranked second on the team only to Saquon Barkley.
• McSorley's rushing total was the most by a Penn State quarterback in a game since Kevin Newsome had 49 yards rushing against Eastern Illinois in 2009.
GESICKI GAINS IN NEW OFFENSE
• Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead had a lot of production from the tight end position when he was the head coach at Fordham, and Penn State junior tight end Mike Gesicki took notice.
• It did not take Gesicki long to find his groove in the new offense as he shined against Kent State. He matched his career high of three catches, set a career high of 49 yards and caught his second career touchdown pass.
HAMILTON MOVING UP RECORD BOOKS
• DaeSean Hamilton is moving up the career charts as a Nittany Lion.
• Hamilton ranks 16th in career receiving yardage (1,488) yards and needs just 33 more yards to equal Freddie Scott (1993-95) for 15th-place all-time.
• He became the 13th Nittany Lion to reach the 100-reception milestone with two catches against Ohio State in 2015.
WILD DOGS RELOADING
• Penn State led the nation in sacks a year ago but lost three defensive linemen to the NFL. Ironically enough, the very first game without the missing pieces resulted in a feat not accomplished since 2011, as seven different Nittany Lions totaled seven sacks.
• The total ranks second in the nation after Week 1.
• Penn State last registered seven sacks in a game at Northwestern in 2011.
• Defensive end Shareef Miller led the backfield attack against Kent State with two sacks in his very first game. The Nittany Lions led the NCAA FBS in a trio of categories last season.
• Miller's second sack forced a 3rd-and-long and senior LB Brandon Bell grabbed the third interception of his career on the very next play.
• In addition to his sacks, Miller also had a career-high five tackles.
• Redshirt freshman DT Kevin Givens made his debut and had a career-high three tackles.
• Redshirt freshman DE Ryan Buchholz had the first sack of his career.
• Senior DE Evan Schwan tied a career high with four tackles in his first collegiate start. He had four last season vs. Buffalo.
• Sophomore DT Antoine White had a career-high five tackles. He previously had three tackles on two occasions, the last time vs. San Diego State last year.
• Penn State also paced FBS in sacks per game as a team with a 3.54 average. This marks the first team statistical title for the Nittany Lions since leading the country in scoring offense and total offense in 1994.
STOPS BEHIND THE LINE
• Penn State also picked up where it left off in the tackles for loss category, registering 10 against Kent State in the season opener.
• The 10 TFLs ranked 14th in the country and second in the Big Ten during Week 1.
• In addition to leading the nation in sacks per game with a 3.54 average in 2015, Penn State also ranked sixth in FBS and topped the Big Ten with 8.2 tackles for loss per game.
• The 106 total TFLs were the most since 2007 (120).
• Penn State led the nation in sack yardage (344) and was second in TFL yardage (502) last season.
PICK SIX
• Sophomore CB Amani Oruwariye notched the first interception and first touchdown of his career early in the third quarter against Kent State.
• Prior to Oruwariye's 30-yard return, the last Penn State interception return for a touchdown was in 2014, when Grant Haley returned an interception 30 yards for a score against Temple.
FUMBLE!
• Another category where Penn State picked up where it left off from last season was fumbles, as junior S Marcus Allen forced the third fumble of his career and recovered the second of his career in the second quarter against Kent State. It led to a touchdown.
• Last season, Penn State's 20 forced fumbles led the country and were the most by the Nittany Lions since 1985 (24).
• Penn State ranked 11th nationally and second in the Big Ten in fumble recoveries with 12.
KNOCK ON WOOD
• Junior PK Tyler Davis was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts in the season opener against Kent State, and is now 10-for-10 in his career.
• Davis took over starting place kicking duties late last season and went 8-for-8 on field goals.
• He is also perfect on point after attempts (14-for-14).
• That gives Davis a 24-for-24 start to his kicking career (field goals and extra points combined), which is the best in Nittany Lion history since at least 1970.
• Davis did not play a snap of football in high school, as the former high school soccer standout and two-year member of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy was a highly-touted recruit and even named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year as a junior. He went on to play at Bradley University, appearing in 12 contests as a freshman in 2013, scoring the game-winning, golden goal in his first career game.
GILLIKIN'S SKY
• True freshman punter Blake Gillikin earned starting punting duties and punted six times in the opener with an average of 47.0 yards per punt, including a long of 58 yards, which ranks as the fourth longest by a freshman punter at Penn State.
• His 47.0-yard punting average Week 1 ranked ninth in the nation and first in the Big Ten.
• He is the third true freshman starting punter for PSU since 1946, joining Ralph Giacomarro (1979) and Daniel Pasquariello (2014).
• His 47.0 game average is fourth among freshmen in Penn State history and best among true freshmen.
49.0 (2 punts) - Anthony Fera vs. Michigan, 2010
48.8 (5 punts) - Chris Gulla vs. Akron, 2014
48.7 (6 punts) - Jeremy Kapinos vs. BC, 2003
47.0 (6 punts) - Blake Gillikin vs. Kent State, 2016