Sept. 17, 2017
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TEAM
- With 56 points tonight, Penn State became the fifth Big Ten team to score 30 or more points in 10 consecutive games. It is the third-longest active 30-plus point streak in FBS.
- The 85-yard pass from QB Trace McSorley to RB Saquon Barkley in the first quarter was the third-longest pass play in Penn State history, and the longest since an 86-yard pass play from Steve Joachim to Jim Scott in 1971 at Navy.
- The 85-yard pass play is the longest Penn State passing play ever at home. The previous long pass play in a home game was 82 yards on two occasions: Matt Knizner to Eric Hamilton vs. Pittsburgh in 1986 and Kerry Collins to Freddie Scott vs. Rutgers in 1994.
- Penn State has scored 14 points in the opening stanza of three consecutive games for the first time since 2008 (14 vs. Coastal Carolina; 14 vs. Oregon State; 21 at Syracuse).
- Penn State had eight different players score touchdowns for the first time since nine scored for the Nittany Lions in a 70-24 win over Akron in 1999. It is the first time that eight different Nittany Lions have scored an offensive touchdown since eight scored offensively in the same game against Akron.
- The 56-point margin of victory by Penn State is the largest for the Nittany Lions since they won by 56 (66-10) against Coastal Carolina in 2008. It is the largest shutout victory since a 59-0 win over FIU in 2007.
- Penn State's 360 total passing yards are the most by the Nittany Lions since notching 384 passing yards in last season's Big Ten Championship game vs. Wisconsin.
- Penn State has now recorded two shutouts in a single season for the first time since notching two in 2007 (59-0 over FIU; 31-0 vs. Indiana).
- The Nittany Lions have recorded two shutouts in the first three games for the first time since earning two shutout victories in the first three games of the 1981 season (52-0 vs. Cincinnati; 30-0 vs. Temple).
- The 14 points allowed by Penn State are the fewest in any three-game stretch since allowing 13 in a three-game stretch in the middle of the 2009 season (52-3 vs. Eastern Illinois; 20-0 vs. Minnesota; 35-10 at Michigan).
- The 14 points allowed by the Nittany Lions are the fewest in the first three games of the season since giving up 14 in the first three games of the 1996 season (24-7 vs. USC; 24-7 vs Louisville; 49-0 vs. Northern Illinois).
- Penn State recorded three interceptions in a game for the first time since grabbing three at Maryland in 2015.
- The five turnovers forced by Penn State tonight are the most forced by the Nittany Lions since forcing five turnovers (all fumbles) at Indiana last season.
- The 35 points off turnovers in a game by Penn State are the most since at least the 2009 season.
- Penn State will go on the road for the first time for its conference opener at Iowa next Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ABC.
- Juniors CB Desi Davis and OL Charlie Shuman, sophomore TE Joe Arcangelo and redshirt freshmen WR Dae'Lun Darien, QB Michael Shuster, RB Nick Eury and WR Isaac Lutz made their first appearances for Penn State. That brings the total to 23 Nittany Lions to make his first appearance this year, including three true freshmen, 14 redshirt freshmen, two sophomores and four juniors.
OFFENSE
- QB Trace McSorley's 258 yards passing in the first half was a Penn State record for a first half. The previous record was 254 by Daryll Clark vs. Akron in 2009.
- McSorley has thrown a touchdown pass in 18 consecutive games, dating to the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, extending his Penn State record. It is also tied for the second-longest active streak in FBS.
- McSorley's 85-yard pass in the first quarter was a career long. His previous long pass was an 80-yard pass to Irvin Charles vs. Minnesota last season.
- McSorley is the first quarterback with two 80-plus pass plays in school history.
- McSorley's 309 yards passing is his sixth career 300-yard passing game, tying him with Matt McGloin for second place in the Penn State annals. McSorley trails only Christian Hackenberg's nine 300-yard passing games.
- McSorley's four touchdown passes marks the fourth time he has had at least four touchdown passes in a game and the sixth time he has had at least three touchdown passes in his career.
- McSorley now has 40 touchdown passes in his career, which moves him into seventh place in the Penn State record books. He trails three players (Todd Blackledge, Tony Sacca, Zack Mills) for a tie for fourth place with 41 passing touchdowns.
- McSorley had his ninth career game with both a rushing and passing touchdown.
- McSorley had 333 yards of total offense (309 passing, 24 rushing) which moves him into 10th place at Penn State with 5,097 yards of total offense (4,552 passing, 545 rushing). He trails Anthony Morelli (5,275 passing, (-121) rushing) for ninth place.
- McSorley upped his career passing total to 4,552 yards, which ranks 10th in program history. He is chasing Todd Blackledge (4,812) for ninth place in the record books.
- RB Saquon Barkley's 85-yard pass play was a career-long. His previous long was a 46-yard reception last week vs. Pittsburgh. It was also the third-longest pass play in the history of Penn State.
- Barkley is the first player in program history to have at least one rush of 80 or more yards and one reception of 80 or more yards in his career.
- Barkley had a career-high 142 receiving yards. Prior to tonight, his best mark for receiving yards was 77 last season at Michigan.
- Barkley's 142 receiving yards are the second-most by a running back in Penn State history. Len Krouse had 155 yards receiving out of the backfield at Syracuse in 1940.
- Barkley's 100-yard receiving game is the first 100-yard receiving game by a running back since Tony Hunt had 110 yards receiving at Minnesota in 2004.
- Barkley had a career-long 37-yard kickoff return on the opening kick of the evening, bettering a 33-yard return against USC in the 2017 Rose Bowl.
- Barkley recorded 226 yards of total offense tonight (47 rushing, 142 receiving, 37 return) to give him 3,864 (2,879 rushing, 804 receiving, 181 return) for his career, which is good for 11th place at Penn State. He trails D.J. Dozier's 3,895 yards (3,227 rushing, 613 receiving, 55 return) for 10th place.
- Barkley recorded 226 yards of total offense tonight (47 rushing, 142 receiving, 37 return) to give him 3,864 (2,879 rushing, 804 receiving, 181 return) for his career, which is good for 11th place at Penn State. He trails D.J. Dozier's 3,895 yards (3,227 rushing, 613 receiving, 55 return) for 10th place.
- Barkley improved his career receiving total to 804 yards, which breaks the Penn State career record for a running back set by Tony Hunt (799; 2003-06).
- WR DaeSean Hamilton had three catches tonight, giving him 170 for his career and moving him into sole possession of third place at Penn State. He trails Allen Robinson (177 catches) for second place.
- QB Tommy Stevens caught his first career touchdown in the first quarter, while lined up as a RB.
- Stevens also threw his first career touchdown pass in the third quarter, a 35-yard pass to Saeed Blacknall in the third quarter.
- Stevens is the first Nittany Lion to have a touchdown pass and reception in the same game since Christian Hackenberg did it against Illinois in 2015.
- Stevens' two receptions is a career best.
- QB Billy Fessler threw his first pass and competed his first pass in the fourth quarter.
- TE Jonathan Holland had his first career catch in the fourth quarter.
- RB Andre Robinson's 41-yard touchdown rush in the fourth quarter was the longest of his career. His previous long was a 19-yard dash in 2016.
- RB Nick Eury had his first career rush in the fourth quarter.
- OL Will Fries made his first career start.
- WR Saeed Blacknall made his first catch of the season on a 21-yard pass from Trace McSorley in the third quarter.
- Blacknall made his 6th career touchdown catch on a 35-yard pass from Tommy Stevens in the third quarter.
DEFENSE
- CB Grant Haley's interception in the second quarter was his second of the season and fifth of his career.
- S Marcus Allen's interception in the second quarter was the first of his career.
- DT Kevin Givens recovered the first fumble of his career in the third quarter.
- CB Tariq Castro-Fields had his first career interception in the third quarter.
- S Ayron Monroe notched his first tackle-for-loss in the third quarter.
- DE Daniel Joseph recorded his first career tackle, tackle-for-loss, sack and forced fumble tonight. He finished the game with four tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL and one force fumble.
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos recovered the first fumble of his career tonight.
- CB Lamont Wade had a career-best five tackles. His previous high was two last week vs. Pittsburgh.
- DE Shaka Toney had a career-high three tackles, career-best 1.5 tackles-for-loss and his first career sack. His previous high for tackles was two vs. Akron and he had one TFL vs. the Zips.
- DT Ellison Jordan had a career-high three tackles. His previous best was one vs. Akron in the season opener.
- CB Zech McPhearson had a career-high two tackles. Prior to tonight, his best was one vs. Akron earlier this season.
- S John Petrishen had two tackles this evening, which was a career high. His previous best was one in the opener against Akron. He also recorded the first tackle-for-loss of his career.
- DT Antonio Shelton recorded the first two tackles, first tackle-for-loss and first 0.5 sacks of his career.
- DT Immanuel Iyke had the first tackle-for-loss of his career.
Desi Davis, Jason Vranic, Frank DiLeo, Johnathan Thomas
- CB Desi Davis, LB Jason Vranic, LB Frank DiLeo and RB Johnathan Thomas all recorded the first tackles of their careers this evening.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- P Blake Gillikn recorded his 10th career punt inside the 10 in the third quarter. He had seven in 2016 and three this season.