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POSTGAME NOTES: Penn State vs. Buffalo

TEAM

  • Penn State won its ninth consecutive non-conference regular-season game.
  • The Nittany Lions won their 15th straight non-conference regular season home game.
  • Penn State has scored 124 points (79 vs. Idaho; 45 vs. Buffalo) in its first two games, the second-highest total in the first two games of the season in school history. In 1894, Penn State opened the season with a combined 132 points in the first two games, scoring 60 against Gettysburg in the opener and 72 vs. Lafayette in the second game.
  • Penn State scored 40 points for the 17th time since 2016. By comparison, from 2008 until 2016, the Nittany Lions had 18 40-point outings.
  • The Nittany Lions scored 28 points in the third quarter, the most in a single quarter since they scored 35 in the fourth quarter of last season's game at Illinois.
  • The 28-point third stanza marked the highest scoring by Penn State in a third quarter since the Nittany Lions had 28 points in the third quarter of the 2017 Rose Bowl Game vs. USC.
  • The Nittany Lions are now 52-31 all time in night games, including a 15-10 mark at home.
  • Penn State improves to 27-3 against the 2019 football alignment of the Mid-American Conference.
  • Penn State's interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter was the first interception returned for a TD since Amani Oruwariye returned an interception 30 yards for a score against Kent State in 2016.
  • The 19-play drive allowed by Penn State over the first and second quarter was the longest given up by the Nittany Lions in terms of plays since at least 2002.
  • The 8:34 scoring drive by Buffalo was the longest given up by Penn State in terms of time since Texas A&M had an 8:45 field goal drive in the 2007 Alamo Bowl.
  • Penn State's 17:28 time of possession is the lowest for the Nittany Lions since at least 1993.
  • Penn State is now 3-1 all-time against Buffalo and has won three straight meetings.
  • One Nittany Lion made his first collegiate appearances: DE Smith Vilbert.
  • 11 true freshmen have now seen playing 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, DE Smith Vilbert, OL Sal Wormley, OL Caeden Wallace
  • Penn State hosts Pittsburgh next week at noon on ABC in the Nittany Lions' final regular season non-conference matchup. This will be the 100th meeting between the two teams.

 
 
OFFENSE
 
Sean Clifford

  • QB Sean Clifford had a 58-yard rush in the third quarter, a career best. His previous career long was a 25-yard scamper last week vs. Idaho.
  • Clifford had a career-best four touchdown passes tonight. Previously, he had two touchdown passes in a game last week vs. Idaho.
  • Clifford becomes the 16th different Penn State quarterback with at least four touchdown passes in a game. The last time was Trace McSorley's four TD passes vs. Georgia State in 2018.
  • Clifford's 11 rushes are a career best. He had seven last week vs. Idaho for his previous career high.
  • Clifford set a career high with 16 completions. Prior to tonight, he had 14 completions last week vs. Idaho.

 
KJ Hamler

  • WR KJ Hamler had three receptions, extending his streak to all 15 games of his career with at least one reception.

 
Pat Freiermuth

  • TE Pat Freiermuth had a career-best eight catches. Prior to tonight, his best was three catches on five occasions with the last coming at Rutgers last year.
  • Freiermuth's two touchdown catches tie a career high. He had two touchdown grabs at Rutgers last year.
  • Freiermuth's 99 receiving yards are a career high. His previous best mark was 51 yards at Michigan last season.
  • Freiermuth extended his streak to 14 consecutive games with at least one reception.
  • Freiermuth's eight catches are the most for a Penn State tight end since Mike Gesicki had eight grabs at Michigan State in 2017.
  • With 10 career touchdowns, Freiermuth is now tied for 17th all-time at Penn State. He is tied for third among tight ends, matching Ted Kwalick (1966-68). Freiermuth is one touchdown behind Jesse James (2012-14) for second among tight ends.

 
Jahan Dotson

  • WR Jahan Dotson had a 28-yard touchdown catch in the opening stanza, the first touchdown of his career.
  • Dotson had a career-best 109 yards receiving, bettering his old career mark of 58 yards at Rutgers last year.
  • Dotson tied a career mark with four receptions. He previously had four catches at Rutgers last year.
  • Dotson had a career-long 56-yard reception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. His previous long reception was a 35-yard grab at Rutgers last year.

 
Noah Cain

  • RB Noah Cain scored this third rushing touchdown of the season on a 3-yard run in the third quarter. He had two last week versus Idaho.

 
 
DEFENSE
 
Cam Brown

  • LB Cam Brown forced the fourth fumble of his career and recovered the first fumble of his career in the first quarter.
  • Brown tied a career mark with 10 tackles. He had 10 at Michigan in 2016.

 
John Reid

  • CB John Reid scored the first touchdown of his career on his seventh career interception in the third quarter.
  • Reid has recorded an interception each of the last two weeks.

 
Jan Johnson

  • LB Jan Johnson had a career-high 12 tackles. Previously, he had 11 last season vs. Appalachian State.
  • With 12 tackles, Johnson reached the 100-tackle mark for his career.

  
Tariq Castro_Fields

  • CB Tariq Castro-Fields notched eight tackles, a career high. His previous high was five tackles last season at Pittsburgh.
  • He also had two pass breakups to go with the eight tackles.

 
Micah Parsons

  • LB Micah Parsons had two TFL, a career-best mark. His previous high was two, at Rutgers last year.

 
Jaquan Brisker

  • S Jaquan Brisker had a career-high six tackles, including his first career TFL. He had one tackle last week vs. Idaho.

 
PJ Mustipher

  • DT PJ Mustipher tied career marks for both tackles and TFL with four and one, respectively. He had four tackles last week vs. Idaho and had one TFL vs. Maryland last season.

 
Ellis Brooks

  • LB Ellis Brooks tied a career high with 0.5 sacks. He had 0.5 at Illinois last year.

 
Trent Gordon

  • CB Trent Gordon set a career mark with three tackles. He had two tackles last week vs. Idaho.

 
Jayson Oweh

  • DE Jayson Oweh tied a career high with three tackles. Oweh had three tackles vs. Kent State last year.

 
Fred Hansard

  • DT Fred Hansard set a career mark with three tackles. His previous high was one on two occasions, with the  last at Illinois last season.

 
Max Chizmar

  • LB Max Chizmar notched two tackles, setting a career high. He previously had one tackle on two occasions, the last against Idaho last week.

 
Damion Barber

  • DT Damion Barber had the first two tackles of his career.

 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Jordan Stout

  • K Jordan Stout had eight touchbacks on eight kickoffs, giving him 20 for his first 21 to start the season. He had 12 touchbacks in 13 kickoffs last week vs. Idaho.

 
Journey Brown

  • RB Journey Brown blocked a punt, the first of his career.

 
Jake Pinegar

  • K Jake Pinegar connected on his 19th career field goal moved him past Brian Franco (1977, 79-81) for 15th all-time at Penn State.
  • Pinegar now has 69 career extra points to move into sole possession of 13th place in program history.
  • Pinegar has hit 26 straight extra point attempts

 
Blake Gillikin

  • P Blake Gillikin landed two punts inside the 20 and has now landed 71 punts inside the 20 in his career.
  • The senior hit a 47-yard punt in the second quarter, which was fair caught at the Buffalo 4. It was Gillikin's 38th career punt inside the 10.
  • Gillikin hit a 51-yard punt in the first quarter, his 43rd career punt of 50 or more yards.