TEAM
- Penn State improves to 110-21-2 in season openers in 133 years of football.
- The Nittany Lions have won 16 of their last 18 season openers, including four-straight victories.
- Penn State is now 119-13-1 in home openers, and 51-9 in Beaver Stadium.
- The Nittany Lions have won 17 of their last 18 home openers, including seven straight victories.
- Penn State won its eighth consecutive non-conference regular season game.
- Penn State won its first meeting vs. Idaho and its first meeting against a current Big Sky conference opponent.
- Penn State's 79 points today mark the most the Nittany Lions have scored in a game since scoring 81 in an 81-0 win over Cincinnati in the 1991 home opener.
- The 79 points are the second-most since 1921 and are tied for the sixth-most in program history.
- This is the first game Penn State has scored at least 70 points since a 70-24 win over Akron in 1999.
- The Nittany Lions scored at least 50 points for the eighth time since 2016.
- Penn State scored 40 points for the 16th time since 2016. By comparison, from 2008 until 2016, the Nittany Lions had 18 40-point outings.
- Penn State's 44 points in the first half mark the most by Penn State in the opening half since scoring 56 at Illinois in 2005.
- The 72-point margin of victory is tied for the 10th-biggest in Penn State history and is the largest since the 1991 Cincinnati game (81-0).
- The Nittany Lions' 406 yards of offense in the first half were the most by Penn State in the first half since notching 439 yards vs. Nebraska in 2017.
- Penn State had seven rushing touchdowns are the most since rushing the ball into the end zone seven times against Coastal Carolina in 2008.
- The Nittany Lions had five different running backs score the seven rushing touchdowns. It is the first time since at least 2000 that five different players have scored a rushing touchdown in the same game.
- Penn State had 673 yards of total offense is the most since 689 at Minnesota in 1994 and the third most for the Nittany Lions since 1947.
- Penn State's 35 first downs are the most since Penn State had 35 against Minnesota in 2005.
- Penn State's 11.0 tackles-for-loss are the most since recording 15.0 vs. Maryland last year.
- Penn State had 7.0 sacks, the most since notching 7.0 vs. Kent State last season.
- Penn State connected on its first 50-plus-yard field goal for the first time since Sam Ficken had a 50-yard kick vs. Temple in 2014.
- The Nittany Lion defense held Idaho to just 4 rushing yards, the fewest since allowing 3 yards to UMass in 2014 and the second-fewest under James Franklin.
- Penn State gave up just 145 yards of total offense, which are the fewest since allowing 87 yards to Rutgers in 2016 and the second-lowest total under James Franklin.
- This is the fifth time under James Franklin the Nittany Lions have given up less than 200 yards of total offense.
- Nine Nittany Lions made their first career start (five on offense, three on defense, one on special teams): SN Chris Stoll, LB Jesse Luketa, DE Shaka Toney, S Lamont Wade, OL Rasheed Walker, OL C.J. Thorpe, WR Justin Shorter, RB Ricky Slade, QB Sean Clifford.
- Twenty Nittany Lions made their first collegiate appearances: CB DJ Brown, RB Noah Cain, DT Judge Culpepper, LB Lance Dixon, CB Keaton Ellis, RB Devyn Ford, DT Aeneas Hawkins, DE Adisa Isaac, LB Charlie Katshir, OL Hunter Kelly, QB Will Levis, WR Colton Maxwell, S Justin Neff, CB Joey Porter, Jr., LB Brandon Smith, LS Chris Stoll, TE Brenton Strange, DL Dan Vasey, OL Sal Wormley, OL Caeden Wallace. S Jaquan Brisker, WR Weston Carr and K Jordan Stout made their first appearances at Penn State.
- Ten true freshmen saw time for Penn State: RB Noah Cain, LB Lance Dixon, CB Keaton Ellis, RB Devyn Ford, DE Adisa Isaac, CB Joey Porter, Jr., LB Brandon Smith, TE Brenton Strange, OL Sal Wormley, OL Caeden Wallace
- Penn State hosts Buffalo next week at 7:30 p.m. on FOX.
OFFENSE
Sean Clifford
- QB Sean Clifford threw for 280 yards in his first career start, earning his first career 200-yard game.
- Clifford connected with KJ Hamler on two touchdown passes, 36- and 21-yard scores, his first multi-touchdown game.
- Clifford completed 14-of-23 passes, including seven completions of more than 20 yards.
- The sophomore added 57 rushing yards on seven carries with a long run of 25 yards, establishing career highs in all three categories.
Will Levis
- QB Will Levis threw for 62 yards in his Penn State debut, completing 11-of-14 passes.
- Levis connected with Brenton Strange on a 4-yard touchdown pass, his first career touchdown pass.
- Levis rushed for 21 yards on five attempts with a long run of 12 yards.
Journey Brown
- RB Journey Brown scored on a career-long 23-yard run in the first quarter and added a 2-yard score in the third quarter.
- Brown earned his first multi-touchdown game in his career.
- It was Brown's second career rushing touchdown. His first touchdown came at Illinois in 2018.
- Brown rushed for 30 yards on three carries in the first half. He set a career high for yards, bettering 17 vs. Maryland in 2018 and tied a career-best for carries, matching his total against Maryland.
Devyn Ford
- RB Devyn Ford rushed for 107 on six carries, averaging 17.8 yards per attempt in his Penn State debut.
- Ford became the first Nittany Lion freshman to run for more than 100 yards in a game since Saquon Barkley rushed for 103 yards against Michigan State on November 18, 2015.
- Ford is the first Penn State freshman to run for 100 yards in a season opener since Curt Warner rushed for 100 yards on 12 carries against Rutgers on September 15, 1979.
- Ford scored on an 81-yard run in the second quarter. It was his first career touchdown and Penn State' longest rushing touchdown since Saquon Barkley's 92-yard run in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Washington in 2017.
Ricky Slade
- RB Ricky Slade grabbed a 26-yard reception in the first quarter, a career best and the second catch of his career. His previous reception was a 12-yard catch against Maryland last season.
- Slade scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, his seventh career rushing touchdown.
KJ Hamler
- WR KJ Hamler had four receptions, extending his streak to all 14 games of his career with at least one reception.
- Hamler's two touchdown receptions marked the first multi-receiving touchdown game of his career. He did have two scores at Pittsburgh last season, one rushing and one receiving.
- Hamler's 115 yards receiving mark the second 100-yard receiving game of his career, and the first since he had 138 vs. Ohio State last year.
- The sophomore caught four passes of 20 or more yards.
- With 159 all-purpose yards, Hamler went over the 1,500 all-purpose yards mark for his career. He now has 1,576 all-purpose yards in his career.
Pat Freiermuth
- TE Pat Freiermuth had one catch, extending his streak to 13 consecutive games with at least one reception.
Justin Shorter
- WR Justin Shorter set career marks in receptions and receiving yards with three for 36. His previous best marks were two catches for 17 yards last year against Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl.
- Shorter's 17-yard reception was a career best, breaking his previous mark was 12 yards last year against Kentucky.
Will Levis
- QB Will Levis threw his first career touchdown pass to Brenton Strange in the fourth quarter.
Brenton Strange
- TE Brenton Strange had first career catch and first career touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter.
Weston Carr
- WR Weston Carr grabbed the first three catches of his Penn State career for 27 yards.
Justin Weller
- WR Justin Weller had the first catch of his career, a 10-yard grab.
Nick Eury
- RB Nick Eury had career highs of six carries for 44 yards and scored his first career touchdown on Penn State's final drive of the game. He previously had one career for 4 yards against Georgia State in 2017.
Cam Sullivan-Brown
- WR Cam Sullivan-Brown tied a career best with two catches, matching his performance at Indiana in 2018.
Daniel George
- WR Daniel George caught two passes for 28 yards, setting a career best for receptions. He had one catch in two different games last season with the last coming against Maryland in 2018.
DEFENSE
Yetur Gross-Matos
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos notched a career-best 2.5 sacks. His previous best was 2.0 on two occasions, last vs. Iowa last year.
John Reid
- CB John Reid notched the first full sack of his career in the opening stanza. He previously had a half-sack against Kent State in 2016.
- Reid grabbed the sixth interception of his career early in the third quarter, and the first since last year at Rutgers.
Antonio Shelton
- DT Antonio Shelton recorded a tackle for loss in the first quarter. It marked Shelton's third career game with a full tackle for loss with his last coming at Rutgers in 2018.
PJ Mustipher
- DT PJ Mustipher set a career high with four tackles, topping his previous best of two tackles. He had two stops in four different games in 2018 with the last time coming against Wisconsin.
Adisa Isaac
- DE Adisa Isaac collected three tackles in his Nittany Lion debut, including his first career half-tackle for loss in the fourth quarter.
Daniel Joseph
- DE Daniel Joseph recorded a sack in the fourth quarter. It was Joseph's third career game with a sack with the last coming at Pittsburgh in 2018.
Jesse Luketa
- LB Jesse Luketa matched a career best with three tackles. He tied his total against Kent State in 2018.
- Luketa recorded his first half-tackle for loss and his first career pass breakup.
Brandon Smith
- LB Brandon Smith recorded three tackles in his Penn State debut, including his first career tackle for loss in the third quarter.
Trent Gordon
- CB Trent Gordon set a career high with two tackles and added his first career pass breakup.
DJ Brown
- CB DJ Brown broke up a pass in his first career appearance.
Justin Neff
- S Justin Neff registered two tackles in his first career appearance.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jordan Stout
- K Jordan Stout's 53-yard field goal in the first quarter was tied for sixth-longest in Penn State history with Kevin Kelly (vs. Iowa, 2007) and Massimo Manca (vs. Notre Dame, 1985)
- Stout's 53-yard field goal was the longest since Sam Ficken had a 54-yard field goal vs. Kent State in 2013.
- Stout booted 12 touchbacks on kickoffs, which is the most at Penn State since the kickoff spot moved to the 35-yard line in 2011.
Jake Pinegar
- K Jake Pinegar hit two field goals, converting from 28 and 38 yards.
- The sophomore connected on all 10 extra point attempts, which ties the Penn State record for extra points made and extra point attempts in a game. He equals the mark set by Charles Atherton vs. Gettysburg in 1894 and Travis Forney vs. Akron in 1999.
- Pinegar also ties the program record for extra point percentage (min. 10 attempts) with Atherton and Forney.
- His 18th career field goal moved him past Brian Franco (1977, 79-81) for 15th all-time at Penn State.
- Pinegar now has 63 career extra points. He is tied with Chris Bahr (1973-75) for 13th all-time in program history.
Jonathan Sutherland
- S Jonathan Sutherland blocked a punt in the second quarter. It was Penn State's first blocked punt since Juwan Johnson blocked a kick against Rutgers in 2016.