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Mark Selders

POSTGAME NOTES: Penn State vs. Rutgers

TEAM

  • Penn State leads the series with Rutgers 28-2, including a 16-2 mark at home and a 6-0 record since Rutgers joined the Big Ten.
  • The Nittany Lions have won 13 straight games against Rutgers.
  • Penn State finishes the regular season 10-2, marking the 24th 10-win season in program history and 10th time since joining the Big Ten in 1993.
  • The Nittany Lions reached the 10-win mark in the regular season for the 19th in program history.
  • Penn State has reached the 10-win plateau for the third time in four years. The last time the Nittany Lions had three 10-win seasons in a four-year span was 1993-96 (10, 1993; 12, 1994; 11, 1996).
  • The 2019 senior class has accumulated 41 wins in their four years, making them just the fifth class in program history to have 41 wins (1997, 1996, 1975, 1974).
  • The Nittany Lions went undefeated at home for the third time in the last four years (2016, 2017), marking the first time in Big Ten era (since 1993) to have undefeated home record in three of four years. The last time Penn State went unbeaten at home in three of four seasons was 1972-75.
  • The Nittany Lions have won 10 consecutive home games.
  • Penn State had two 100-yard rushers (Will Levis, 108; Journey Brown 103), the first time that the Nittany Lions had two 100-yard rushers since Saquon Barkley (195) and Akeel Lynch (120) accomplished the feat vs. Rutgers in 2015.
  • The Nittany Lions last had a quarterback and running back rush for 100 yards in the same game in 2005 against Wisconsin (RB Tony Hunt, 151; QB Michael Robinson, 125).
  • Penn State's 81 yards passing mark the fewest for the Nittany Lions in a game since the Nittany Lions passed for 78 yards against Ohio State in 2005.
  • Jayson Oweh, Keaton Ellis and Will Levis became the 16th, 17th and 18th first-time starter for Penn State this season.
  • Ellis is the second true freshman to start a game this season, joining RB Noah Cain.
  • Ta'Quan Roberson becomes the 19th true freshman to see action this season and 29th to make their debut.
  • Penn State will find out its bowl destination next Sunday.

 
OFFENSE
 
Will Levis

  • QB Will Levis had 108 yards rushing, his first career 100-yard rushing game.
  • Levi's 108 rushing yards are 10th in program history by a quarterback.
  • The 108 yards rushing by Levis marked the first quarterback to rush for at least 100 yards since Trace McSorley rushed for 107 last season vs. Indiana.
  • The 108 yards on the ground is the highest rushing total by a Penn State quarterback since McSorley had 175 last year vs. Ohio State.
  • The 49-yard rush by Levis was a career long.
  • Levis also threw for a career-high 81 yards.
  • Levis' 44-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson was his career best.
  • Levis connected with Jahan Dotson on a 44-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was Levis' second career touchdown pass. His first came against Idaho.

 
KJ Hamler

  • WR KJ Hamler extended his streak to all 25 games of his career with a catch.

 
Journey Brown

  • RB Journey Brown had a career-high three touchdown rushes. He previously had two touchdown rushes on two occasions.
  • Brown had his third career game with at least two rushing touchdowns.
  • Brown's three rushing touchdowns mark the first time a Nittany Lion has had three rushing touchdowns since Miles Sanders had three last year at Illinois.
  • Brown finished the game with 103 yards rushing, his fourth career 100-yard rushing game.
  • Brown has scored a touchdown in four consecutive games.
  • Brown has 10 career rushing touchdowns, including nine this season.

 
Pat Freiermuth

  • TE Pat Freiermuth extended his streak to 24 consecutive games with a catch, and 24 of his first 25 career games.
  • Freiermuth announced his intention to return for his junior season following the game.

 
Jahan Dotson

  • WR Jahan Dotson caught a 44-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was Dotson's fourth touchdown catch of the season.
  • Dotson has seven catches this season of 20 or more yards.

 
Ta'Quan Roberson

  • QB Ta'Quan Roberson made his first career appearance and attempted his first career pass in the fourth quarter.
  • Roberson also had his first career rushing attempt in the fourth quarter.

 
 
DEFENSE
 
Micah Parsons

  • LB Micah Parsons recorded 10 tackles, earning his seventh game this season with double-digit tackles.
  • Parsons tied a career high with a solo sack in the first quarter. He had a full sack in three previous games, most recently at Minnesota.


Garrett Taylor

  • S Garrett Taylor forced the second fumble of his career in the third quarter. His other forced fumble was last season vs. Michigan State.

 
Trent Gordon

  • CB Trent Gordon recorded three tackles, tying a career high. He previous had three on two occasions.
  • Gordon had a career-high two pass breakups.

 
Cam Brown

  • LB Cam Brown matched a career high with a solo sack in the fourth quarter. It was Brown's third career game with a full sack with the last time coming against Pittsburgh.

 
Jayson Oweh

  • DE Jayson Oweh tied a career high with three tackles. He had three stops in four previous games, most recently at Ohio State.

 
Antonio Shelton

  • DT Antonio Shelton posted a career high three tackles. He had two tackles in eight previous games, most recently against Michigan.

 
DJ Brown

  • CB DJ Brown had a career-high three tackles. His previous high was one on two occasions.

 
Charlie Katshir

  • LB Charlie Katshir recorded a career-high three tackles. His previous personal best for tackles was one on two occasions.

 
Joey Porter Jr.

  • CB Joey Porter Jr. had a career-high two tackles. He previously had one tackle vs. Purdue.

 
Hakeem Beamon

  • DT Hakeem Beamon tied a career high with one tackle. He also had one tackle earlier this year against Michigan State.

 
Judge Culpepper

  • DT Judge Culpepper notched the first half-sack of his career.
  • He also had one tackle, tying a career high set earlier this year vs. Buffalo.

 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Blake Gillikin

  • P Blake Gillikin averaged a season-high 49.2 yards per punt on four punts.
  • Gillikin booted a 72-yard punt in the second quarter, the second-longest of his career (74 yards at Michigan, 2018).
  • Gillikin's 72-yard boot is the seventh-longest in school history.
  • It was Gillikin's third career punt more than 70 yards. His last came at Rutgers (70) yards in 2018.
  • Gillikin's 72-yard punt was his ninth career punt of 60 or more yards. It was also Gillikin's 53rd career punt of 50 or more yards.
  • On a 46-yard punt in the first quarter, Gillikin went over the 10,000-career punt yards-mark. Gillikin now has 10,147 career punt yards. Gillikin is the second Nittany Lion to have more than 10,000 career punt yards joining Jeremy Kapinos (10,476; 2003-06).
  • Gillikin dropped two punts inside of the 20 and one inside of the 10, giving him 96 career punts inside of the 20 and 53 inside of the 10.

 
Jake Pinegar

  • K Jake Pinegar converted on three of his four PATs, giving him 50 on the season, which moves him past Kevin Kelly (49) and into seventh place at Penn State

 
Jordan Stout

  • K Jordan Stout had four touchbacks on all four of his standard kickoffs.
  • He also booted one onside kick that was recovered by S Tyler Rudolph.

 
Tyler Rudolph

  •  S Tyler Rudolph recovered an onside kick in the fourth quarter.