Nov. 20, 2016
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TEAM
- The Nittany Lions have won seven consecutive Big Ten games for the first time since 1994 when Penn State went 8-0 in league play.
- The 7-game winning streak is longest overall winning streak since clicking off seven consecutive victories in 2011.
- The Nittany Lions are 7-1 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2008.
- Penn State has improved its regular season win total each season under Head Coach James Franklin. The Nittany Lions went 6-6 in 2014, 7-5 in 2015 and is now 9-2 with two games remaining in 2016.
- Penn State has scored 30 or more points in eight games this year, the most in a season since the 2009 squad did it eight times.
- Penn State posts its first shutout since a 39-0 home victory over Illinois last season.
- The 39-point shutout win is the largest road shutout victory since joining the Big Ten in 1993.
- The Nittany Lions have scored in 17 consecutive quarters.
- G Steven Gonzalez made his first career start. He is the 18th Nittany Lion to make his first career start this season.
OFFENSE
- During its seven-game winning streak, the Nittany Lions have scored 278 points, an average of 39.7 points per game.
- Penn State has had four game with 500 or more yards of total offense, the most in a season since the 2009 team had four games with 500+ yards.
- The Nittany Lions have eight games with 400 or more yards of total offense, the most since the 2008 team had 10 games with 400+ yards.
- McSorley's fourth quarter touchdown pass to Mark Allen gives him a touchdown pass in 12 consecutive games.
- McSorley recorded his eighth 200-yard passing game of the season, which is tied for fourth in a season in Penn State annals with Daryll Clark (2009) for the spot. He ranked tied for 11th with Michael Robinson (2002-05) on the career 200-yard passing list.
- McSorley has 2,959 yards of total offense this season, jumping him up three positions to fourth on Penn State single season list. He has 2,600 passing yards and 359 rushing yards.
- McSorley is now seventh in the Penn State season passing charts with 2,600 yards, moving up five positions.
- McSorley moved into 13th place on Penn State's season pass completions list with 167. He is 12th in season pass attempts with 304.
- RB Saquon Barkley scored his 14th rushing touchdowns of the season, which is tied for seventh in program history with Charlie Pittman's 1968 performance.
- Barkley's 14 rushing scores are also the most by a Penn State player since Larry Johnson had 20 in 2002.
- Barkley broke the sophomore rushing touchdown record with his 14th rushing score of the season, surpassing the mark set by Bull McCleary (1907), Harry Robb (1917) and Curtis Enis (1996).
- Barkley has 16 overall touchdowns this season (14 rushing, 2 reception), which are the most for a Penn State player since Johnson had 23 in 2002.
- Barkley tied the Penn State sophomore season scoring record with 96 points on the season, equaling the mark set by Kevin Kelly in 2006.
- With 21 career rushing scores, Barkley moved into a tie for 15th place on Penn State's career list. He is tied with Blair Thomas (1985-89) and Zach Zwinak (2011-14) for the position.
- With 92 rushing yards against the Scarlet Knights, Barkley moved up to 13th place on the Penn State single season rushing list, passing John Cappelletti's 1972 effort (1,117) and Evan Royster's 2009 total (1,169). Barkley has 1,205 yards on the year.
- Barkley moved into 14th place on Penn State's career rushing yardage list with 2,281 yards. He passed Charlie Pittman (2,236; 1967-69).
- Barkley is ninth on Penn State's season all-purpose yards list with 1,538 markers. It is the highest total since Tony Hunt had 1,645 yards in 2006.
- Barkley had his streak of 14 consecutive games with at least one run of 20+ yards snapped. It was the second-longest streak in college football in the last 20 years (LaMichael James - 19) according to the Big Ten Network.
- WR Chris Godwin ranks fifth in Penn State history with 2,049 career receiving yards. He moved past Jordan Norwood (2,015; 2005-08) for fifth place.
- WR DaeSean Hamilton had three catches for 35 yards to move up two spots to 11th place on the Penn State career receiving yardage list with 1,851 career yards. He passes current assistant coach Terry Smith (1,825; 1988-91) and Jack Curry (1,837; 1965-67) for the position.
- TE Mike Gesicki broke the Penn State season receptions for a tight end with 42 catches on the season to break the mark set by Andrew Quarless (41) in 2009.
- Gesicki's 546 yards are 54 markers short of the season record for receiving yards by a tight end of 600 yards set by Mickey Shular in 1977.
- Gesicki tied his career mark with five receptions against Rutgers. He has had five receptions on three other occasions, all this season.
- RB Miles Sanders set career highs in rushing attempts (5), rushing yards (85) and longest rush (57).
- QB Tommy Stevens had a career-high six carries for 61 yards and his second career touchdown.
DEFENSE
- The Nittany Lions allowed just 87 yards of offense to the Scarlet Knights, the fewest given up in a Big Ten play by a Penn State team.
- The 87 yards allowed are the fewest in a game overall since giving up 74 yards versus Temple in 2006.
- Penn State gave up just five first downs to Rutgers, the fewest surrendered in a Big Ten game in program history.
- The five first downs allowed are the fewest in any game since giving up two first downs versus Temple in 2006.
- The Nittany Lions generated nine tackles for loss against Rutgers, marking the eighth time this season that Penn State has had at least 9.0 TFL in a game.
- Penn State posted its first first-half shutout of the season.
- Brandon Bell forced his sixth career fumble and second of the season. The Scarlet Knights recovered but were forced to punt on the drive.
- Evan Schwan had his first career forced fumble in the fourth quarter. The fumble was recovered by Rutgers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Kicker Tyler Davis had a career-high four field goals (32, 34, 40, 32). His previous high was three field goals set twice, most recently against Minnesota.
- Davis's four field goals moved him into a tie for sixth place on Penn State's season field goals list. He is tied with Travis Forney (1998), Kevin Kelly (2007, 2008) and Collin Wagner (2010) for the position.
- Davis also moved into 13th place on Penn State's all-time field goals made list with 28 career field goals.
- Davis tied his season long with a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter.
- Davis is 10th on Penn State's season scoring chart with 104 points, while Barkley is tied for 15th with 96 points.
- Juwan Johnson registered his first career blocked punt in the first series of the second half. Garrett Taylor recovered the block at the Rutgers 10 to set up a 1-yard Saquon Barkley touchdown run.
- Penn State has three blocked kicks this season (2 punt, 1 FG) for the first time since blocking three kicks in 2011.
OTHER
- Penn State host Michigan State at 3:30 p.m. for a Senior Day matchup with the Spartans. The game will air live on ESPN.