- OPENING KICK: No. 15/14 Penn State opens its 133rd season of football by hosting Idaho in Beaver Stadium in the first matchup between the schools. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. on BTN.
- LOOK WHO'S BACK: Penn State returns 37 lettermen from last year's Top 25 squad – 13 on offense, 21 on defense and three on special teams. The Nittany Lions return 14 starters – five on offense, six on defense and three on special teams. Eleven additional Penn Staters have starting experience – five on offense, five on defense and one specialist. Among the returning starters are 2018 All-Big Ten first-team honoree Yetur Gross-Matos, as well as honorable-mention selections Steven Gonzalez, KJ Hamler, Micah Parsons, John Reid, Garrett Taylor and Robert Windsor. Pat Freiermuth, Hamler and Parsons were also Freshman All-Americans.
- STARTING OFF RIGHT: Penn State has won 15 of its last 17 season-opening contests and its last six consecutive home openers. All-time, the Nittany Lions are 109-21-2 in season-opening games.
- RARE MATCHUP: Idaho is Penn State's first Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent since the 2011 season opener against Indiana State. From 2012-18, Penn State was one of just six Power Five schools (Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, UCLA) to not play an FCS opponent. Forty-six different Power Five schools have scheduled 48 games against FCS opponents this season.
- THE OPPOSITION: Idaho went 4-7 overall last season and 3-5 in Big Sky Conference play, and is returning eight starters on offense and five on defense from that team. The Vandals are returning four starters on their offensive line, including STATS FCS preseason first-team All-American Noah Johnson. Additionally, punter Cade Coffey was named to STATS' preseason All-America second team.
PENN STATE-IDAHO CONNECTION
- Penn State special teams coordinator and defensive assistant Joe Lorig and Idaho cornerbacks coach Vernon Smith coached together at Central Washington from 2008-10. Lorig was the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator and Smith was a graduate assistant.
NEW OPPOSITION
- From Bellefonte Academy to Southern California, Penn State has played 157 opponents in its long history. Idaho will be the 158th. Since 2000, Penn State has faced 14 new opponents, winning all but the first against Toledo in 2000.
| Year | Opponent | Result |
| 2019 | Idaho | - |
| 2018 | Appalachian State | Penn State, 45-38 (OT) |
| 2017 | Georgia State | Penn State, 56-0 |
| 2015 | San Diego State | Penn State, 37-21 |
| 2014 | Massachusetts | Penn State, 48-7 |
| 2011 | Indiana State | Penn State, 41-7 |
| 2009 | Eastern Illinois | Penn State, 52-3 |
| 2008 | Coastal Carolina | Penn State, 66-10 |
| 2007 | Florida International | Penn State, 59-0 |
| 2006 | Youngstown State | Penn State, 37-3 |
| 2005 | Central Michigan | Penn State, 40-3 |
| 2005 | South Florida | Penn State, 23-13 |
| 2002 | UCF | Penn State, 27-24 |
| 2000 | Louisiana Tech | Penn State, 67-7 |
| 2000 | Toledo | Toledo, 24-6 |
PENN STATE SEASON OPENERS
- The 2019 season marks the 133rd in Penn State history, with the Nittany Lions owning a record of 109-21-2 in opening games.
- The 2019 opener against is the fourth of five consecutive season openers at home: Kent State (2016; W, 33-13), Akron (2017; W, 52-0), Appalachian State (2018; 45-38, OT).
- The Lions have won 15 of their last 17 season openers and their last three consecutive.
- Penn State's longest streaks of winning their season openers are: 12 (1919-30), 11 (1893-1903), 10 (1973-82; 2002-11), 9 (1909-17) and 7 (1942-48).
- Penn State has only lost consecutive season openers three times in school history; 1964-65, 1989-90, 2000-01.
- The Nittany Lions went unbeaten from 1909-30, winning 20-of-21 season openers. They tied Wissahickon Barracks, 6-6, in 1918 and the streak was stopped by Waynesburg, a 7-0 setback, in 1931.
HOME OPENER HISTORY
- Penn State's all-time record in home openers is 118-13-1 and 50-9 in Beaver Stadium.
- Penn State has won 16 out of its last 17 home openers and its last six consecutively, defeating Appalachian State (2018; 45-38, OT), Akron in 2014 (21-3) and 2017 (52-0), Kent State (2016; 33-13), Buffalo (2015; 27-14), and Eastern Michigan (2013; 45-7).
BTN TAILGATE RETURNS
- BTN Tailgate, the network's traveling Saturday studio show, will open its 2019 season at Penn State.
- The show airs from 10 a.m. to noon ET and will be located at Gate B of Beaver Stadium.
- Hosted by Dave Revsine, Gerry DiNardo, Howard Griffith and Michelle McMahon, BTN Tailgate is the home for Big Ten football fans on Saturday mornings with original features, special guests and Big Ten analysis live from campus.
- Free food and coffee, music, contests, games and sign making stations will be available, along with additional giveaways.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
- Penn State went 3-0 in non-conference play in 2018.
- Penn State has won seven consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over Temple in 2016.
- Under James Franklin (since 2014), Penn State is 15-2 against non-conference opposition during the regular season and 17-5 when including bowl games.
PENN STATE IN THE RANKINGS
- Penn State is ranked No. 14 in the Amway Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the Associated Press poll to open 2019.
- Penn State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for the last 41 weeks, dating back to the 2016 season, marking the fifth-longest streak in program history and longest streak since 1993-2000 when PSU was ranked for 121-straight weeks.
Penn State AP Weekly Appearance Streaks
| # | Polls | First-Last |
| 1. | 121 | 1993-2000 |
| 2. | 84 | 1970-1976 |
| 3. | 50 | 1979-1983 |
| 4. | 43 | 1985-1987 |
| 5. | 41 | 2016-2019 |
| 6. | 39 | 1990-1992 |
| 7. | 38 | 2008-2010 |
| 8. | 33 | 1977-1979 |
| 33 | 1967-1970 | |
| 10. | 19 | 1947-1948 |
- Penn State's streak is the fifth-longest active streak in FBS, trailing Alabama (180), Ohio State (115), Clemson (69) and Oklahoma (44).
Active AP Weekly Appearance Streaks
| # | Polls | Started | |
| 1. | Alabama | 180 | 2008 |
| 2. | Ohio State | 115 | 2012 |
| 3. | Clemson | 69 | 2014 |
| 4. | Oklahoma | 44 | 2016 |
| 5. | Penn State | 41 | 2016 |
| 6. | Georgia | 33 | 2017 |
| 7. | Notre Dame | 29 | 2017 |
| 8. | UCF | 28 | 2017 |
| 9. | LSU | 22 | 2017 |
| 10. | Michigan | 17 | 2018 |
- Following another season with nine or more wins in 2018, Penn State finished in the Top 25 of both polls for the third-straight season. The Nittany Lions came in No. 17 in the final Associated Press (AP) and Amway Coaches polls.
- Additionally, Penn State was No. 12 in the final College Football Playoff Rankings, announced in December.
- Penn State is one of six teams (Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Washington) to rank in the Top 15 of the CFP final rankings in each of the last three seasons (2016-18).
- Penn State finished in the AP Top 25 for the 41st time in program history.
- The Nittany Lions ended the 2018 season in the AP Top 25 in three consecutive seasons for the first time since a seven-year stint from 1993-99.
- The Nittany Lions completed the season in the Coaches Top 25 for the 21st time in program history and the third-straight season.
- This is the first time Penn State has had three consecutive Top 25 finishes in the Coaches Poll since 2005-09.
- Penn State has been ranked in the last 14 CFP rankings, dating back to its first-ever appearance in the first poll of the 2016 season.
STREAKING
- Sophomore WR KJ Hamler has a reception in all 13 games of his career.
- Sophomore TE Pat Freiermuth has a reception in his last 12 games.
- Penn State has won seven consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over Temple in 2016.
- Penn State has won its last 10 games against Big Ten West Division opponents, dating back to an overtime win over Minnesota on Oct. 1, 2016.
MILESTONE WATCH
- KJ Hamler is 83 yards shy of 1,500 all-purpose yards.
- ... 246 yards shy of 1,000 career receiving yards.
- ... 477 yards shy of 1,000 career kickoff return yards.
- Pat Freiermuth is 132 yards shy of 500 career receiving yards.
- Ricky Slade is 243 yards shy of 500 career rushing yards.
- Jahan Dotson is 297 yards shy of 500 career receiving yards.
- John Reid is 11 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
- Jan Johnson is 14 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
- Garrett Taylor is 15 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
- Micah Parsons is 17 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
- Robert Windsor is 19 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
- Yetur Gross-Matos is 29 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
- ... 3 tackles shy of 25 career tackles for loss.
WINNING WAYS
- Penn State clinched its 14th consecutive winning season. Only four other FBS teams have had a winning season each of the last 14 years (Oklahoma, Boise State, LSU, Wisconsin).
- Over those 14 consecutive winning seasons, Penn State has totaled at least nine wins in nine seasons, including the last three seasons.
- Head coach James Franklin has guided his teams to a winning record each of the last seven seasons (2 at Vanderbilt, 5 at Penn State).
- Penn State is 31-8 over the past three seasons (2016-18), for the ninth-best record in FBS.
- Dating back to 2015, Penn State has won 24 of its last 27 home games.
- Penn State's 45 wins over the last five years (2014-18) rank tied for 18th in FBS and third in the Big Ten (Ohio State, 62; Wisconsin, 53).
- Penn State's 87 wins over the last 10 years (2009-18) rank tied for 17th in FBS and fourth in the Big Ten (Ohio State, 115; Wisconsin, 102; Michigan State, 91).
- Penn State's 131 wins over the last 15 years rank are 16th in FBS and third in the Big Ten (Ohio State, 166; Wisconsin, 149).
COMING AND GOING
- Penn State returns 37 lettermen from last year's Top 25 squad – 13 on offense, 21 on defense and three on special teams.
- The Nittany Lions lost the services of 31 lettermen – 15 on offense, 15 on defense and one specialist.
- The Nittany Lions return 14 starters – five on offense, six on defense and three on special teams.
- Eleven additional Penn Staters have starting experience – five on offense, five on defense and one specialist.
ON TV
- Penn State has had 299 of its last 301 games televised, including 186 consecutive games.
- Over the last 15 seasons, every Penn State game has aired on either ABC, FOX, BTN, NBC or an ESPN channel.
NUMBER AND POSITION CHANGES
- Six Nittany Lions are wearing new numbers in 2019: Journey Brown (4), Daniel George (11), C.J. Holmes (48), Grayson Kline (17), Will Levis (7) and Ricky Slade (3). In addition, Donovan Johnson returns to No. 3 this season after wearing No. 2 in 2018.
- Sophomore C.J. Thorpe returns to the offensive line after spending much of the 2018 season on the defensive line.
- In addition, Grayson Kline moved from quarterback to tight end/h-back and C.J. Holmes switched sides of the ball, moving from running back to safety.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
- According to PhilSteele.com's 2019 Two-Deep Class Breakdown, Penn State ranks as the ninth-most inexperienced team in FBS.
- The magazine's formula takes into account senior starters, returning letterwinners, yardage and tackles returning and offensive line starts.
- Purdue is the only Penn State opponent to rank as less experienced, ranking as the sixth-most inexperienced team.
COMPLEMENTARY BALL OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS
- The Nittany Lion have played complementary football over the last three years and it shows in the national landscape.
- Over the last three years the Penn State offense is:
- Tied for sixth in FBS in points per possession (2.34).
- Fourth in FBS in points per play (1.84).
- 11th in FBS in scoring offense (37.47).
- Ninth in FBS in scoring percentage (43.31).
- Ninth in FBS in touchdown percentage (34.57).
- 12th in FBS in turnover percentage (12.83).
- Over the last three years the Penn State defense is:
- Fifth in FBS in three-and-out percentage (28.41).
- Sixth in FBS in yards per play (4.85).
- Ninth in FBS in points per possession (1.29).
- 12th in FBS in second half points allowed (9.78).
- Sixth in FBS in scoring percentage (25.09).
- 12th in FBS in touchdown percentage (17.90).
- Fifth in FBS in punt percentage (47.42).
- Has 40 or more sacks in four-straight seasons for the first time since sacks were recorded starting in 1988.
CONTROLLING THE GAME
- The Nittany Lions have held a lead for 71.7 percent (3234 of 4511) of their plays over the last two years (2017-18) to rank third in FBS, behind only Alabama and Clemson.
- Over a three-year span (2016-18), Penn State has held the lead for 62.1 percent (4312 of 6945) of the plays, which is 10th among FBS schools.
- By comparison, from 2013-15, Penn State led for 42.8 percent (2760 of 6453) of its plays, to rank 69th in FBS.
FANS FLOCK TO BEAVER STADIUM
- Penn State averaged 105,485 fans per game in the 2018 season to rank second in the NCAA in attendance.
- The second-place finish is the highest for the Nittany Lions in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) attendance since a second-place finish in 2009.
- The 2018 season saw the largest home crowd in Penn State history as a record-breaking 110,889 fans filled the stadium against No. 4/4 Ohio State. The previous record was 110,823 set against No. 19/15 Michigan on Oct. 21, 2017.
- The Penn State-Ohio State crowd was the fourth-largest crowd in FBS in 2018.
- Penn State participated in seven of the top 14 single-game attendance marks in FBS in 2018, including the No. 1 attended game of 111,747 fans at Michigan.
- The Penn State Student Section has consistently sold out for four decades, showing the unwavering passion and dedication of Penn State students.
- Recognized as one the nation's premier game day atmospheres, the passionate and loyal students, alumni and fans filling Beaver Stadium have Penn State bucking the negative attendance trends among FBS games nationally.
2019 TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED
- Head coach James Franklin announced seniors Cam Brown, Blake Gillikin, Jan Johnson and Garrett Taylor, junior Michal Menet and sophomores Sean Clifford, Pat Freiermuth and Jonathan Sutherland have been voted as team captains for the 2019 season by their teammates.
- Gillikin is a team captain for a second-straight season.
PENN STATE DEBUTS UNRIVALED PODCAST & POSTGAME SHOW
- Penn State continues to give fans exclusive access with the introduction of a weekly podcast and a postgame show.
- Penn State's Mitch Gerber is hosting "Unrivaled: The official podcast of Penn State Football," which is a medium dedicated to providing fans with exclusive interviews focused on stories outside of football and an all-access look into one of the nation's premier college programs.
- New episodes will be available weekly on GoPSUsports.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and TuneIn with others to come.
- Former Penn State and NFL quarterback Matt McGloin will join Gerber as a co-host on "Unrivaled: The Official Postgame Show of Penn State Football," which will be available following home games on Facebook Live and LionVision on GoPSUsports.com.
- Gerber and McGloin with speak with head coach James Franklin and select players to breakdown the game.
EIGHT BOWL TEAMS HIGHLIGHT SCHEDULE
- The Nittany Lions will face eight teams that participated in a bowl game during the 2018 campaign.
- Three of Penn State's 2019 opponents won their respective conference divisions last season.
- Buffalo won the MAC East Division title and lost to Troy in the Dollar General Bowl (42-32).
- Pittsburgh won the ACC Coastal Division crown and lost to Stanford in the Hyundai Sun Bowl (14-13).
- Ohio State won the Big Ten East Division and went on to defeat Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game (45-24). The Buckeyes defeated No. 9 Washington in the Rose Bowl (28-23).
- Iowa defeated No. 18 Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl (27-22), while Minnesota defeated Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl (34-10).
- Michigan lost to No. 10 Florida in the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl (41-15), Michigan State lost to Oregon in the Redbox Bowl (7-6) and Purdue lost the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl to Auburn (63-14).