UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State travels to Michigan for a Big Ten East showdown on Saturday. Coverage is set to begin at noon on ABC.
HIGH-SCORING AFFAIR: Among the last eight Penn State-Michigan matchups, the winner has scored at least 40 points five times with each team winning four of those games. However, the 2019 edition featured a 28-21 win by the Nittany Lions. Penn State built a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, including two passing touchdowns and a rushing score by QB Sean Clifford. Michigan rallied back with a chance to tie the game in the final minutes, but S Lamont Wade broke up a pass in the end zone on fourth-and-goal with 2:01 left in the game. Former receiver KJ Hamler tallied 108 receiving yards and two touchdowns and had a key 4-yard rush to seal the game.
DOTSON CONTINUES STRONG START: Since 2000, junior WR Jahan Dotson is the only Penn State receiver to total at least 30 receptions, 525 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in the first five games of a season. Dotson earned his third 100-yard receiving game of the season with eight catches for 139 yards and a touchdown against Iowa.
OWEH MAKING STOPS: DE Jayson Oweh has made 33 tackles in the first five games, becoming just the second Penn State defensive lineman since 2000 to total 30 or more, joining DaQuan Jones in 2013 (30). Oweh's 5.5 tackles for loss are tied for the team lead with DE Shaka Toney.
THE OPPOSITION: Michigan owns a 2-3 record after a 48-42 win over Rutgers in three overtimes. In the third overtime period, Michigan got the ball and Hassan Haskins scored on a 1-yard run. Daxton Hill sealed the win with an interception to end Rutgers' possession. The Wolverines gained a season-high 496 yards, its third game with over 400 total yards this year.
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
- Michigan is 2-3 this season after earning a 48-42 win over Rutgers in three overtimes. The Wolverines began the third overtime with the ball, finishing the drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush by Hassan Haskins. Michigan ended Rutgers' possession with an interception by Daxton Hill.
- The Wolverines gained over 400 yards in three games this season, but has allowed over 400 yards in four contests.
- QB Joe Milton ranks third in the Big Ten averaging 13.37 yards per completion.
- DB Gemon Green sits ninth in the FBS with 1.6 passes defended per game.
- KR Giles Jackson ranks second in the Big Ten and 21st in the FBS with a 21.7 kick return average.
- P Brad Robbins paces the Big Ten with a 46.9 punt average, good for seventh in the FBS.
DOTSON'S IMPRESSIVE PRODUCTION
- WR Jahan Dotson's 527 yards rank 15th nationally and his six touchdowns rank tied for seventh among teams who have played at least five games. His 31 receptions are tied for 21st.
- Dotson is averaging 17.0 yards per reception (minimum 20 catches) through his first five games of 2020, which ranks 17th nationally and seventh in the Power Five for a player's first five games of the 2020 season.
- Dotson is one of three Power Five receivers to total at least 30 receptions, 525 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in their first five games this season, joining Indiana's Ty Fryfogle (31 rec, 642 yds, 7 TD) and LSU's Terrace Marshall Jr. (31 rec, 540 yds, 9 TD), and one of eight in FBS.
- Since 2000, Dotson is the only Penn State receiver to total at least 30 receptions, 525 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in the first five games of a season.
- Dotson's 527 receiving yards in the first five games of the season are the most by a Nittany Lion since Allen Robinson's 621 yards in 2013.
- He is one of six Big Ten receivers with at least three 100-yard receiving games this season.
- Dotson is one of 12 Penn State receivers with at least three 100-yard receiving games in a single season since 2000.
OWEH LEADS D-LINE
- DE Jayson Oweh is averaging 6.6 tackles per game to rank sixth in the FBS and second in the Big Ten among defensive linemen.
- His 33 tackles are tied for the team-lead. He's also tied for the team-lead with 5.5 tackles for loss.
- Oweh's 33 tackles are the most in the first five games of a season by Penn State defensive lineman since at least 2000. Daquan Jones (2013) is the only other Penn State defensive lineman to total at least 30 tackles in the first five games of a season since 2000.
BEHIND THE LINE
- Penn State's 2.40 sacks per game rank fifth in the Big Ten.
- The Nittany Lions tallied 10 tackles for loss and three sacks against Iowa.
- Penn State registered its 23rd game with 10 or more tackles for loss in the James Franklin era.
- DE Shaka Toney notched three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble against Iowa. It was Toney's second game with multiple sacks this season. He also had two at Indiana.
- Toney has collected two or more sacks in five career games and two or more tackles for loss in seven career games.
- Toney has 19.5 career sacks, tied for 10th all-time at Penn State, passing Bob White, Don Graham, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jay Alford, LaVar Arrington and Bruce Clark.
The 2020 Penn State Football season is presented by PSECU.