TEAM
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Penn State is now 18-16-1 all-time against Michigan State.
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The Nittany Lions are now 16-9 in Land Grant Trophy games (since joining Big Ten in 1993).
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Penn State is now 7-4 all-time in December regular season games.
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The Nittany Lions played the latest game in a calendar year in Beaver Stadium history. The previous latest game was December 7, 1968 vs. Syracuse.
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Senior DE Shane Simmons made his first career start, becoming the 14th Nittany Lion to earn his first start this season.
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Penn State honored 12 seniors prior to kickoff Saturday. The Nittany Lions recognized TE/H Trevor Baker, S Jaquan Brisker, CB Tariq Castro-Fields, OL Will Fries, K/P Carson Landis, WR Isaac Lutz, OL Michael Menet, DT Antonio Shelton, DE Shane Simmons, DE Shaka Toney, S Lamont Wade, WR Benjamin Wilson.
OFFENSE
Team
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After trailing 21-10 in the first half, Penn State outscored Michigan State 29-3 in the second half.
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The Penn State offense did not allow a sack for the first time this season. This was the first time since the Maryland game (9/27/19) the Nittany Lions did not give up a sack.
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The Nittany Lions have only allowed three sacks over the last three games after giving up 20 sacks in the first five games of the year.
Sean Clifford
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QB Sean Clifford threw for 232 yards for his 10th 200-plus yard passing game of his career and fourth of the season.
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Clifford now has 4,447 career passing yards to move into 11th all-time, passing Wally Richardson (4,419; 1992, 94-96).
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Clifford threw two touchdowns, both to Parker Washington, and now has 39 career passing touchdowns to his credit. He moves into a tie for eighth with Kerry Collins (1991-94).
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Clifford recorded both a passing and rushing touchdown in a game for the sixth time in his career.
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Clifford had his eighth career rushing touchdown with a 31-yard run to move into eighth place on Penn State's career quarterback rushing scores list. He is tied with Doug Strang (1981-84) and Tommy Stevens (2016-18).
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The 31-yard touchdown run was also Clifford's eighth career rush of 20 or more yards.
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Clifford was responsible for three touchdowns (one rushing, two passing) to move into a tie for eighth with 47 career touchdowns responsible for with Tony Sacca (1988-91).
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Clifford totaled 232 yards passing and 48 yards rushing and now has 5,170 career total yards. He jumps to eighth all-time, passing Todd Blackledge, Anthony Morelli, Chuck Fusina and Michael Robinson. He is the 11th PSU player to reach the 5,000-yard mark for career total yards.
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Clifford now has 555 career passing attempts, passing John Shaffer (1983-86) for 12th all-time.
Will Levis
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QB Will Levis scored on a 1-yard rush in the third quarter for his second rushing touchdown of the season and the fifth of his career.
Jahan Dotson
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WR Jahan Dotson has caught at least one pass in 28-straight games, dating back to Indiana game (10/20/18).
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Dotson recorded 108 receiving yards, his fourth 100-plus yard receiving game of the season (Ohio State, 144; Maryland, 123; Iowa, 139). He moves into a tie for ninth all-time with four 100-yard receiving games in a season, joining Bobby Engram, Joe Jurevicius, DaeSean Hamilton (twice), and KJ Hamler.
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Dotson now has 1,386 career receiving yards, to move to 20th all-time, passing Ted Kwalick (TE; 1966-68).
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Dotson caught a 36-yard reception from Will Levis for his 23rd career reception of 20 or more yards.
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Dotson also converted a 2-point conversion on a pass from Sean Clifford in the third quarter.
Parker Washington
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WR Parker Washington has caught a pass in all eight games of his career.
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Washington posted his second career multi-touchdown game with two scores. His first came earlier this season against Maryland.
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Washington's 49-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter marked a career-long reception for the freshman, passing a previous best 31-yard catch against Ohio State (10/31/20).
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Washington recorded a career-high 95 receiving yards. His previous best was 93 yards at Michigan (11/28/20).
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Washington had two 20-plus yard receptions to now total eight in his career.
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Washington has six receiving touchdown this season, which ranks third in program history for freshmen (true or redshirt) behind Deon Butler (9; 2005) and Pat Freiermuth (8; 2018). It is also second among true freshmen in Penn State history.
Brenton Strange
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TE Brenton Strange had a career-best 45 receiving yards. His previous high was 38 against Iowa (11/21/20).
DEFENSE
Team
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The Penn State defense totaled 10 tackles for loss, the 24th time registering 10 or more tackles for loss in the James Franklin era.
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The Nittany Lions held Michigan State to 64 rushing yards, marking the third time this season they have kept their opponent under 100 rushing yards and the 11th time in the last 21 games.
Antonio Shelton
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DT Antonio Shelton registered his second full sack of the season on the first drive. He later registered a half sack for a career-high 1.5 sacks in a game. His previous best was one full sack done twice, most recently against Ohio State (10/31/20).
Jaquan Brisker
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S Jaquan Brisker grabbed his first interception of the season and third of his career in the first quarter.
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Brisker recorded a career-high nine tackles. His previous best was eight, which occurred on two occasions, most recently against Iowa (11/21/20).
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Brisker registered a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss, surpassing a best of one tackle for loss done twice, most recently against Indiana (10/24/20).
Shane Simmons
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DE Shane Simmons had a full sack in the first quarter and a half sack in the fourth quarter to match a career-best 1.5 sacks, also done earlier this season against Maryland (11/7/20). It brings his season total to 3.0 and career total to 4.0 sacks.
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Simmons recorded a career-high seven total tackles. His previous career best was four on two occasions, most recently against Pittsburgh last season (9/14/19).
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Simmons registered a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss, surpassing a previous best of 1.5 tackles for loss against Maryland earlier this season (11/7/20).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Pinegar
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K Jake Pinegar hit a 24-yard field goal in the first quarter. He now has 36 career field goals made to move into a tie for 11th all-time with Collin Wagner.
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Pinegar has attempted 48 career field goals to tie with Collin Wagner for 12th all-time.
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Pinegar now has 236 career points, moving past Curtis Enis and Robbie Gould for ninth all-time.
Jordan Stout
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K/P Jordan Stout had a 53-yard punt in the third quarter, his third career punt of 50 yards or more.
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Stout landed a career-high three punts inside the 20, passing a previous best of two at Indiana (10/24/20).
Lamont Wade
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KR Lamont Wade registered his second kick return of the season in the second quarter for career-long 37 yards.
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Wade had a career-high 87 return yards on three returns.
Jahan Dotson
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PR Jahan Dotson ran back an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, the first of his career.
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Dotson's return marked the first Nittany Lion punt return for a touchdown since DeAndre Thompkins scored on a 39-yard return against Pittsburgh in 2018.
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The 81-yard punt return is tied for the eighth-longest in program history, tying Bryant Johnson's return against Michigan State in 2002.
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Dotson is one of three Big Ten players to have 100 receiving yards and a punt return for a touchdown in the same game since 2000. Michigan's Steve Breaston (2006; vs. Indiana) and Wisconsin's Brandon Williams (2005; vs. Indiana) were the others to accomplish the feat.
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Dotson had two punt returns for 81 yards, both of which were career highs. He also had two punt returns against Iowa (11/21/20) and recorded 32 punt return yards versus the Hawkeyes earlier this season.
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Dotson's 81-yard punt return is also a personal mark, besting his previous high of 30 yards at Maryland (9/27/19).