UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Football welcomes Michigan State, presented by AT&T, to Beaver Stadium Saturday for a noon kickoff. The game will air on ABC and the Penn State Sports Network (airtime 10:30 a.m.).
COVID-19 Safety
- Under current Big Ten guidance, public tickets will not be sold for 2020 Penn State football games. Fans are encouraged to cheer the Nittany Lions on from afar through virtual initiatives.
- The University in conjunction with the Borough of State College, has discouraged visitors in the interests of public health and safety.
- Tailgating is not permitted on game days in any University parking lots. More information can be found here: https://bit.ly/34pBX6c.
- If fans choose to gather at their home, Penn State recommends following local health and safety guidelines as Nittany Nation virtually comes together on football Saturdays.
Land Grant Trophy
- The Nittany Lions and Spartans will battle for the Land Grant Trophy.
- The trophy has been awarded to the winner since 1993, when Penn State joined the Big Ten.
- The Nittany Lions claimed the trophy last season with a 28-7 victory in East Lansing. TE Pat Freiermuth hauled in three touchdown catches, becoming the first tight end at PSU to have three touchdown grabs in a game. QB Sean Clifford also connected with KJ Hamler on a 27-yard touchdown. DE Jayson Oweh recorded two strip-sacks, while S Jaquan Brisker and CB Marquis Wilson both recorded interceptions.
Senior Day
- The Nittany Lions will celebrate Senior Day, presented by the Penn State Alumni Association, on Saturday. Penn State will honor TE/H Trevor Baker, S Jaquan Brisker, CB Tariq Castro-Fields, OL Will Fries, K/P Carson Landis, WR Isaac Lutz, OL Michal Menet, DT Antonio Shelton, DE Shane Simmons, DE Shaka Toney, S Lamont Wade and WR Benjamin Wilson.
Total Defense
- Penn State held Rutgers to just 205 total yards, marking the 40th time holding an opponent to less than 300 yards since 2014.
- The Nittany Lions held Rutgers to zero or negative yards on 24 of 64 plays (XX percent) on Saturday and 1 or less yard on 29 plays (45.3 percent).
The Opposition
- Michigan State owns a 2-4 record this season after falling 52-12 to No. 4/3/4 Ohio State last week.
- The Spartans' two wins came over top 15 opponents as they knocked off No. 13/14 Michigan, 27-24, and No. 8/11/13 Northwestern, 29-20. Against the Buckeyes, quarterback Payton Thorne threw for 147 yards while rushing for 42 yards and a 20-yard touchdown. Jayden Reed caught five passes for 79 yards.
- On defense, the Spartans tallied nine tackles for loss and three sacks. Antjuan Simmons led MSU with 12 tackles, including two for loss, and a fumble recovery. Michael Fletcher recorded two sacks.
Virtual Valley Experience
- Penn State Athletics will implement the Virtual Valley Experience, presented by Aquafina, as a way to virtually bring Nittany Lion fans to football game days, including having a presence in Beaver Stadium.
- Virtual Valley will also give fans behind-the-scenes access to the Penn State football program all season long.
- Fans can visit the site at www.GoPSUsports.com/virtualvalley for more information on any the initiatives.
The Unrivaled Pregame Show
- The Unrivaled Pregame Show, presented by Highmark. This new show will bring the game day experience into fans' homes by highlighting the traditions and fan experiences which make Penn State the best game experience in the country.
- The Unrivaled Postgame Show, returning for its second season, recaps the game with coach and student-athlete interviews. Both programs are available to fans for free on LionVision, Facebook LIVE and Twitter.
Additional virtual initiatives for the 2020 football season include:
- Fan Photos on Beaver Stadium Videoboard: Fans can show their support of Penn State football student-athletes by posting photos on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #PSUPride. Photos will be featured on the videoboards in Beaver Stadium during home games and on the Virtual Valley Experience website.
- Unrivaled Podcast: Unrivaled: The Official Podcast of Penn State Football, presented by Rocket Mortgage, returns for its second season with new episodes each Thursday.
- Virtual Tailgate of the Game Contest, presented by Weis Markets: Each game day, fans will be asked to share photos of their socially distant or virtual tailgates on social media, using #PSUPride. The fans showing the most Penn State spirit will be selected as the Tailgate of the Game and claim a prize from the Nittany Lion Club.
- Behind the Mic: The Penn State Sports Network brings fans into the radio booth with Steve Jones and Jack Ham. Watch and listen to Steve and Jack as they broadcast the game and it will be streamed on LionVision and Facebook Live (Penn State Nittany Lions account). Please note, this video feed does not show the game.
- Trivia Contest, presented by Utz: Each week at halftime of the game, fans will have the opportunity to participate in the Penn State Football-themed trivia contest. The link to the trivia contest will be posted on the Penn State Football social channels on Friday of game week.
- Nittany Lion Club Tailgate Cookbook Recipe of the Week: The Nittany Lion Club will feature its Recipe of the Week, presented by Weis Markets, each Wednesday.
- Zoom Backgrounds: Penn State Athletics has a variety of virtual Zoom backgrounds, including tailgate lot views, available by clicking here.
The 2020 Penn State Football Season is presented by PSECU.