TEAM
- Penn State improved to 26-3 against the current alignment of the MAC and is now 6-0 against Kent State.
- The Nittany Lions earned back-to-back 45-point wins for the first time since 1947, when Penn State defeated Bucknell, 54-0, and Fordham, 75-0.
- Penn State has scored 159 points this season, the program's third-most through three games in the last 100 years (166 in 2008 and 165 in 1926) (per @BTNStatsGuys).
- The Nittany Lions have scored in 13 consecutive quarters, including the overtime against Appalachian State, and have scored in 23 of its last 25 quarters dating back to the Nebraska game in 2017.
- Penn State's 63 points gave them at least one 60-point game in three consecutive seasons, the first such three-season stretch since they had at least 60 points in a game once every season from 1993-95.
- Penn State's 53-point win tied for the 13th-largest margin of victory since 1966.
- The Nittany Lions scored at least 50 points for the sixth time since 2016.
- Penn State scored 40 points for the 14th time since 2016.
- Penn State has scored 30 or more points 21 times in the last 23 games.
- The Nittany Lions have scored 20 or more points in a school-record 26 consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak in Big Ten history. It trails the 46-game stretch by Ohio State (2012-15).
- The Nittany Lions scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the sixth consecutive game, dating back to 2017 vs. Nebraska.
- Penn State's 21 points in the first quarter marked the most points by the Nittany Lions in the opening frame since scoring 28 vs. Indiana in 2017.
- Penn State's 643 total yards are the most by the Nittany Lions since having 661 yards of total offense at Rutgers in 1995.
- Penn State had 297 yards rushing, marking the sixth-straight game that the Nittany Lions have had at least 200 yards on the ground.
- Penn State's 297 rushing yards are the fifth-most under James Franklin.
- Penn State allowed just 221 total yards, the sixth-fewest yards allowed under Coach James Franklin, tied with 221 yards allowed at Indiana in 2014. The 221 total yards allowed are the fewest since allowing 200 vs. Rutgers in 2017.
- The Nittany Lions allowed just 41 yards rushing by Kent State, the lowest value since giving up 39 at Rutgers in 2016.
- Penn State's 95-yard pass from Sean Clifford to Daniel George in the fourth quarter is the longest play from scrimmage in school history. Previously, Penn State had a 92-yard pass in 1919 from Bill Hess to Bob Higgins and three 92-yard rushes by Blair Thomas vs. Syracuse in 1986, Bill Belton vs. Indiana in 2014 and Saquon Barkley vs. Washington in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl.
- Penn State had 15 tackles for loss, the most by the Nittany Lions since recording 15 at Temple in 2015.
- The seven sacks recorded by the Nittany Lions are the most since Penn State had seven vs. Michigan in 2017.
- Penn State has made its last 165 extra point attempts.
- Penn State now has 31 players who have made their first appearance in the Blue & White this year. WR Jahan Dotson, WR Justin Shorter, CB Trent Gordon, DE Jayson Oweh, RB Journey Brown, LB Max Chizmar, TE Zack Kuntz, WR Daniel George, DT Damion Barber, LB Brelin Faison-Walden and DT Evan Presta made their debuts against Kent State.
- Seven true freshmen made their Nittany Lion debut against the Golden Flashes, giving Penn State 15 who have played this season. Making their debut against Kent State were CB Trent Gordon, DE Jayson Oweh, WR Daniel George, WR Jahan Dotson, WR Justin Shorter, OL Rasheed Walker and TE Zack Kuntz.
- The offensive touchdown allowed by Penn State in the opening quarter was the first offensive touchdown the Nittany Lions have allowed to Kent State since their first game in 1965.
- Penn State will start its 26th season of Big Ten play on Friday, September 21, traveling to Illinois. The game will kick at 9 p.m. (eastern) and will be televised on FS1.
OFFENSE
Trace McSorley
- QB Trace McSorley extended his streak for consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 31, dating back to the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, with his toss to DeAndre Thompkins in the first quarter. It is the longest active streak in the FBS.
- McSorley's 229 yards passing marked the 24th time he surpassed 200 yards passing in a game, extending his Penn State record.
- With 54 rushing yards on the day, McSorley has 1,042 yards on his career, becoming the 44th Nittany Lion to pass the 1,000-yard mark. He is the second Penn State quarterback to rush for 1,000 career yards (1,637; Michael Robinson, 2002-05).
- McSorley's three rushing touchdowns give him 24 for his career, setting a Penn State record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Daryll Clark had 22 in his career from 2007-09.
- McSorley recorded his 19th game with both a passing and rushing touchdown (seven in 2016, nine in 2017, three in 2018).
- With three rushing touchdowns, McSorley tied a career high and gave him three multi-rushing touchdown games in his career.
- McSorley is the first Penn State quarterback to have at least three rushing touchdowns in a game at least twice in his career since at least 1967.
- With two passing touchdowns, McSorley earned his 21st career multi-touchdown game.
- McSorley is the first Big Ten quarterback to have at least two passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in the same game since Braxton Miller of Ohio State did it vs. Michigan in 2013. (Per @BTNStatsGuys)
DeAndre Thompkins
- WR DeAndre Thompkins' 101 yards on the day sent him over the 1,000-yard mark for his career. Thompkins now has 1,017 career receiving yards, becoming the 31st player in program history to reach that mark.
- Thompkins recorded the second 100-yard game of his career. He had a career-high 102 receiving yards at Michigan State in 2017.
Mark Allen
- RB Mark Allen had a career-high 62 yards rushing on a career-best 11 carries. His previous highs were eight carries for 45 yards vs. Indiana in 2015.
- Allen scampered in from 7 yards out for his fourth career rushing touchdown.
Miles Sanders
- RB Miles Sanders had a career-high 30 receiving yards, topping his previous high of 21 yards at Purdue in 2016.
- Sanders tied a career high with three receptions, matching his three-catch performance in the season opener vs. Appalachian State.
Brandon Polk
- WR Brandon Polk had a career-long 41-yard grab for a touchdown in the third quarter. His previous longest catch was a 39-yard reception against Indiana in 2015.
- Polk set a career best with 55 yards receiving, surpassing his 46-yard effort against Indiana in 2015.
Johnathan Thomas
- RB Johnathan Thomas had a career long 69-yard rush in the fourth quarter and a career-high 84 yards. His previous long run was an 11-yard carry vs. Army in 2015. He also bettered a 28-yard performance from that game.
- Thomas scored the first touchdown of his career on a 15-yard carry in the fourth quarter.
Zack Kuntz
- TE Zack Kuntz grabbed the first catch of his career in the fourth quarter, an 8-yard reception.
Sean Clifford
- QB Sean Clifford had a career-long and school-record 95-yard touchdown pass to Daniel George in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with a career-high 117 yards passing.
- Clifford has completed each of the first four passes of his career, with two of those resulting in touchdowns. He threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Polk against Pittsburgh.
Daniel George
- WR Daniel George's first career reception was a school-record 95-yard touchdown.
- George joins Mac Hippenhammer as Nittany Lions to score on their first career reception this year. Hippenhammer had a 12-yard touchdown grab at Pittsburgh.
Pat Freiermuth
- TE Pat Freiermuth had a career-best 23-yard reception today, bettering his previous high of 5 yards at Pittsburgh.
DEFENSE
Shareef Miller
- DE Shareef Miller tied a career high with two sacks. He had two sacks on two previous occasions, including vs. Pittsburgh in 2017.
- Miller notched a career high with three tackles for loss, topping his previous high of 2.5 last season against Pittsburgh.
Cam Brown
- LB Cam Brown had two tackles for loss, a career high. His previous high was one tackle for loss on four occasions, with the last coming at Pittsburgh.
Jayson Oweh
- DE Jayson Oweh recorded the first two sacks of his career in the third quarter.
Yetur Gross-Matos
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos had a career-high two tackles for loss today. His previous high was one last year vs. Washington in the Fiesta Bowl.
- Gross-Matos also notched a sack, tying his career best, which was also in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Washington.
Lamont Wade
- CB Lamont Wade had the first two tackles for loss and the first sack of his career.
Jonathan Sutherland
- S Jonathan Sutherland had a career-best five tackles, bettering the two he had at Pittsburgh.
- Sutherland recorded the first tackle for loss in his career.
Ellison Jordan
- DT Ellison Jordan had a career-high one sack and one tackle for loss. His previous high was a half-sack against Maryland in 2017.
- Jordan tied a career high with two tackles. He previous had two on two occasions, the last vs. Indiana last season.
Micah Parsons
- LB Micah Parsons had the first half tackle for loss of his career.
Tariq Castro-Fields
- CB Tariq Castro-Fields tied a career best with one tackle for loss. He also had a full tackle for loss in two previous games, with the last coming in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Washington in 2017.
Donovan Johnson
- CB Donovan Johnson recorded his first career pass breakup in the first quarter.
Jesse Luketa
- LB Jesse Luketa set a career high with two tackles after making one stop at Pittsburgh.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Pinegar
- PK Jake Pinegar went nine-for-nine on extra point attempts. He has hit his first 22 extra point attempts of the season.
Blake Gillikin
- P Blake Gillikin hit a 58-yard punt in the second quarter, his 33rd career punt more than 50 yards.
KJ Hamler
- KR KJ Hamler tied a career-long with a 52-yard kick return in the second quarter to setup a Penn State touchdown drive. Hamler also had a 52-yard return in the season opener vs. Appalachian State.