Penn State Football
Post-Game Notes – Appalachian State
September 1, 2018
TEAM
- Penn State improves to 109-21-2 in season openers in 132 years of football.
- Penn State is now 118-13-1 in home openers, and 50-9 in Beaver Stadium.
- The Nittany Lions played their overtime game since a 29-26 win over Minnesota in Beaver Stadium on October 1, 2016.
- Penn State has won three-straight overtime games under James Franklin.
- Penn State won its 15th-straight home game, a streak that began in 2016.
- The 38 points allowed by the Nittany Lions were the most in a non-conference home game since giving up 42 against Iowa in 1983.
- Today's attendance of 105,232 was the highest for a home opener since 106,577 watched Penn State topple Coastal Carolina in 2008.
- Penn State has scored 20 or more points in 24 consecutive games, third-longest streak in Big Ten history.
- The Nittany Lions have scored 30 or more points 19 times in the last 21 games.
- The Nittany Lions scored 40 points for the 12th time since 2016.
- Penn State rushed for 200 yards for the fourth-straight game, dating back to November 18, 2017 vs. Nebraska. It's Penn State's longest 200-yard rushing game streak since a seven-game streak from 2007-08.
- The Nittany Lions scored on three-straight drives to open the second half, finishing drives of 65, 72 and 75 yards.
- Ten Nittany Lions made their first career start (three on offense, five on defense, two on special teams): TE Jonathan Holland, C Michael Menet, WR KJ Hamler, DT Fred Hansard, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, MLB Jan Johnson, CB Amani Oruwariye, S Garrett Taylor, PK Jake Pinegar, KO Rafael Checa
- 18 Nittany Lions made their first appearances: LB Ellis Brooks, CB Jabari Butler, K Rafael Checa, TE Danny Dalton, TE Pat Freiermuth, WR KJ Hamler, DT Fred Hansard, WR Mac Hippenhammer, CB Donovan Johnson, LB Jesse Luketa, OL Mike Miranda, DT PJ Mustipher, LB Micah Parsons, K Jake Pinegar, RB Ricky Slade, WR Cam Sullivan-Brown, DE Nick Tarburton, OL C.J. Thorpe.
- Eight true freshmen saw time for Penn State: K Rafael Checa, TE Pat Freiermuth, LB Jesse Luketa, DT PJ Mustipher, LB Micah Parsons, K Jake Pinegar, RB Ricky Slade, DE Nick Tarburton.
- The 100-yard kick return for a touchdown by Appalachian State's Darrynton Evans was the first 100-yard return allowed by the Nittany Lions since giving up one to Rashaad Penny of San Diego State in 2015 and was the first kick return for a touchdown allowed by Penn State since giving up a 96-yard return to Solomon Vault of Northwestern also in 2015.
- Penn State will travel to Pittsburgh next week to take on the Panthers. The game at Heinz Field will kick at 8 p.m. on ABC.
OFFENSE
Trace McSorley
- QB Trace McSorley has thrown a touchdown pass in 29 consecutive games, dating to the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, extending his Penn State record. The streak is the longest active streak in the FBS.
- McSorley's two rushing touchdowns marked his second career multiple rushing touchdown game. He had three rushing touchdowns against Michigan last season.
- On the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter, McSorley completed 5-of-6 passes for 47 yards, ending with a 15-yard touchdown pass to KJ Hamler.
- McSorley recorded his 17th career game with a passing and a rushing touchdown (seven in 2016, nine in 2017, one in 2018).
Miles Sanders
- In his second career start, RB Miles Sanders rushed for two touchdowns, including a 4-yard score in overtime.
- Sanders set a career high with 91 yards rushing, with 62 of those yards coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.
- Sanders also set career highs with 19 rushes and three receptions.
KJ Hamler
- WR KJ Hamler's first career touchdown catch tied the game with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
- Hamler notched his first career reception late in the second quarter and added a 46-yard reception, PSU's longest completion of the day, in the fourth quarter.
Jonathan Holland
- TE Jonathan Holland's second-quarter 29-yard reception was the longest of his career. His previous long was 8 yards last season vs. Georgia State.
- Holland set career highs with two catches and 36 yards. His previous receptions career best was one, which he accomplished three times, most recently against Michigan State in 2017.
Ricky Slade
- RB Ricky Slade scored the first touchdown of his career in the third quarter on a 27-yard run.
Mark Allen
- RB Mark Allen had a career-best three receptions. His previous high was two against Indiana in 2015.
Danny Dalton
- TE Danny Dalton grabbed his first career catch in the first quarter.
DEFENSE
Amari Oruwariye
- CB Amari Oruwariye sealed the game in overtime with his sixth career interception.
- Oruwariye has had an interception in three consecutive season openers (2016 vs. Kent State; 2017 vs. Akron).
- Oruwariye forced the first fumble of his career in the third quarter.
- Oruwariye tied a career high with seven tackles. He had seven against Michigan State in 2016.
Jan Johnson
- LB Jan Johnson had a career-high 11 tackles, including four solo. His previous best was four vs. Rutgers last season.
Nick Scott
- S Nick Scott recorded a career-best nine tackles. His previous high was eight tackles against Pitt in 2017.
- Scott had his first career sack and tied career highs with one tackle for loss and one pass breakup.
Cam Brown
- LB Cam Brown registered the first full sack of his career, topping his previous high of half a sack.
- Brown tied his career high for tackles for loss with one.
Garrett Taylor
- S Garrett Taylor had a career-best eight tackles. His previous high mark was three, set last season vs. Nebraska.
Tariq Castro-Fields
- CB Tariq Castro-Fields tied a career high with four tackles. He also had four against Maryland in 2017.
Yetur Gross-Matos
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos tied his career best with three tackles. This marks the fourth time in his career that he recorded three tackles, with the last coming against Rutgers in 2017.
Antonio Shelton
- DT Antonio Shelton tied a career high with two tackles, matching his 2017 performance vs. Indiana
Zech McPherson
- CB Zech McPherson tied his career high with two tackles, marking the fourth time of his career.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Blake Gillikin
- P Blake Gillikin's 55-yard punt to the Appalachian State 19 was the 50th inside the 20 of his career.
- The punt was also the 29th of Gillikin's career 50 or more yards.
KJ Hamler
- KR KJ Hamler sparked Penn State's game-tying drive with a 52-yard kickoff return.
Jake Pinegar
- PK Jake Pinegar booted his first career field goal (32 yards) late in the second quarter.
- Pinegar was a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points. Penn State has made its last 148 extra points
Rafael Checa
- PK Rafael Checa made his first career appearance, averaging 60.2 yards per kickoff, including two touchbacks.