Senior quarterback Trace McSorley (Ashburn, Va.) is a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year. Previously, McSorley as one of the 15 remaining candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® Presented by A.O. Smith, which is given to the country's top quarterback.
Penn State is tied for the national lead among all colleges and universities with its seven Maxwell Award winners. The Nittany Lions' four Bednarik Award recipients are the most of any school in the nation.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell's contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.
McSorley owns the Penn State career records for: passing yards (8,997), passing touchdowns (71), total offense (10,513), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (27), touchdowns responsible for (98), 300-yard passing games (10) and 200-yard passing games (26). He is also the school season recordholder for: passing yards (3,614; 2016), completions (284; 2017), passing touchdowns (29; 2016), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (11; 2017), total offense (4,061; 2017), touchdowns responsible for (37; 2017), 300-yard passing games (5; 2016, 2017) and is tied for the top spot in 200-yard passing games (11; 2016, 2017). McSorley threw at least one touchdown pass in 34-straight games, from the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl until the Indiana game in 2018, a Penn State record and the fifth-longest in FBS Power Five history. In the win over Indiana last week, McSorley became the first Penn State player and 11th in Big Ten history to eclipse the 10,000-yard mark in total offense. He also ranks third in Big Ten history with 98 touchdowns responsible for behind only Ohio State's JT Barrett (147; 2014-17) and Purdue's Drew Brees (106; 1997-00).
Against Ohio State in September, McSorley established a Nittany Lion record with 461 total yards against Ohio State (9/29/18), including 286 passing and 175 rushing. McSorley ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 26 in the FBS in passing yards per completion (13.34). He is also No. 5 in the Big Ten and No. 53 in the nation with 12 passing touchdowns. McSorley is also among the conference's top rushers, ranking No. 8 in the Big Ten, and first among quarterbacks, with 617 rushing yards, while leading the conference with nine rushing touchdowns, which is 16th in the FBS. McSorley is No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 25 in FBS with 280.6 total yards per game, as well as No. 2 in the conference and No. 18 nationally with 15.8 points responsible for per game.
A limited number of single game tickets for the 2018 season presented by PSECU are available for Maryland. Verified resale tickets are available for all remaining home games via ticketmaster.com. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.NittanyLionClub.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.
