TEAM
- Penn State leads the all-time series, 6-3-1, against Villanova.
- Penn State has won 19-straight non-conference home games, dating back to a win over Kent State in 2013.
- Penn State has won 14 consecutive games against teams that are non-members of a Power Five conference.
- The Nittany Lions have won 13 consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over Temple in 2016.
- The Nittany Lions are 171-96-12 all-time against current FBS and FCS Pennsylvania schools, including 19-straight home wins against Pennsylvania programs dating back to a 42-3 win over Temple in 1989.
- Penn State is now 116-79-12 all-time against current FCS programs.
- CB Zakee Wheatley made his collegiate debut. He is one of 14 players to make their college debut this season and one of seven true freshmen to make their Penn State debut this year.
OFFENSE
Team
- The Nittany Lions' 429 passing yards mark the second-highest total in school history, behind only a 454-yard passing effort vs. UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin in 2014.
- Parker Washington (148) and Jahan Dotson (117) became the first Penn State duo with 100 receiving yards in a game since KJ Hamler (119) and Pat Freiermuth (101) at Minnesota in 2019.
- Sean Clifford was 12-of-12 for 265 yards on the day when targeting Jahan Dotson (7 catches, 117 yards) and Parker Washington (5 catches, 148 yards).
- Penn State had three receivers with 80 or more receiving yards (Parker Washington, 148; Jahan Dotson, 117; KeAndre Lambert-Smith, 83) for the first time since 2017 at Michigan State (DaeSean Hamilton 112; DeAndre Thompkins, 102; Mike Gesicki, 89).
- Sean Clifford connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith on an 83-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. It was Penn State's longest play this season and the sixth-longest pass play in program history.
- The 83-yard passing touchdown is Penn State's longest since a 93-yard touchdown pass from Clifford to KJ Hamler against Ohio State in 2018.
- The Nittany Lions scored on their first offensive play of the game, a 52-yard strike from Sean Clifford to Jahan Dotson. Penn State scored on their first offensive play for the first time since Illinois in 2020, also a Clifford to Dotson touchdown pass.
- Penn State had four pass plays of 50 or more yards. It was Penn State's first game with four plays of 50+ yards since Wisconsin in 2013.
- Penn State was two-for-two in the red zone today, boosting their season total to 12-13 (eight touchdowns, four field goals).
- Dating back to the second half at Wisconsin, Penn State has scored in 14 consecutive quarters.
Sean Clifford
- QB Sean Clifford threw for a career-high 401 yards and a career-high-tying four touchdowns.
- Clifford is one of two Penn State quarterbacks to throw for 400+ yards in a game, joining Christian Hackenberg's 454 yards against UCF in 2014.
- Clifford tied a career high with four passing touchdowns. He had four in two previous games with the last coming at Michigan State in 2019.
- Clifford connected with Jahan Dotson on a 52-yard touchdown pass on Penn State's first offensive play.
- Clifford also had a 52-yard touchdown pass to Parker Washington in the second quarter and a 23-yard strike to Washington in the third quarter.
- Clifford threw an 83-yard touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the third quarter. It was Penn State's longest play of the season.
- With two touchdown passes in each half, Clifford now has 14 multi-passing touchdown halves in his career.
- Clifford notched his fourth career 300-yard passing game. He's tied for fourth all-time at Penn State with Kerry Collins (1991-94).
- Clifford earned his 15th career 200-yard passing game. Clifford owns sole possession of sixth all-time at Penn State, breaking a tie with Daryll Clark (2006-09).
- Clifford has six career games with at least 250 passing yards and three passing touchdowns.
- With his 401 passing yards, Clifford moved into fifth place in the Penn State career passing chart with 5,890 passing yards. On the day, he moved past Daryll Clark (5,742 yards; 2006-09) and Tony Sacca (5,869; 1988-91).
- Clifford's four touchdown passes bring him to 49 for his career, good for second at Penn State. He moved ahead of Matt McGloin (46; 2009-12) and Christian Hackenberg (48; 2013-15).
- Clifford had 26 pass attempts, moving into eighth place at Penn State with 697 for his career. He moved past Wally Richardson (692; 1992, 94-96).
- Clifford had 393 yards of total offense, giving him 6,713 career total yards (5,490 passing, 823 rushing), good for fourth place at Penn State. He moved past Matt McGloin (6,325) and Clark (6,361).
- Clifford's four touchdown passes bring him to 58 career touchdowns responsible for, moving him into third place for the Nittany Lions. He moved past Saquon Barkley (54; 2015-17) and Hackenberg (55).
- Clifford has thrown for at least 200 yards in six-straight games.
- Clifford has thrown at least one touchdown pass in seven-straight games.
Jahan Dotson
- WR Jahan Dotson had seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
- Dotson has eight career 100-yard receiving games. He is tied for sixth all-time at Penn State with Bryant Johnson (1999-02).
- Dotson hauled in a 52-yard receiving touchdown on Penn State's first offensive play.
- The 52-yard touchdown reception was Dotson's ninth career touchdown of 40 or more yards.
- Dotson has a touchdown reception in five-straight games. He has a touchdown in six-straight games (81-yard punt return vs Michigan State). It marks the second time in his career he's put together a five-game receiving touchdown streak, as he also did in 2019-20 (Rutgers and Memphis in 2019; Indiana, Ohio State and Maryland in 2020).
- The senior now has 17 career receiving touchdowns. He's tied for seventh all-time at Penn State with Allen Robinson (2011-13).
- Dotson's 117 receiving yards today give him 1,937 for his career, good for 11th all-time at Penn State.
- Dotson boosted his career reception total to 119 with seven catches on the day. Dotson is now 11th all-time at Penn State.
- Dotson has caught at least one pass in 33-straight games, dating back to Indiana game (10/20/18).
- Dotson has at least five catches in six-straight games, dating back to the Michigan State game in 2020.
- He has at least one 20-yard reception in seven-straight games, dating back to the Rutgers game in 2020.
Parker Washington
- WR Parker Washington finished the game with five receptions for 148 yards, marking his first career 100-yard game.
- Washington caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Sean Clifford in the second quarter. It was a career long reception for Washington, besting his previous long of 49 against Michigan State in 2020.
- He then followed that up with a new career-long 67-yard reception on the following drive.
- Washington also had a 23-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.
- Washington has caught a pass in all 13 games of his career.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith hauled in an 83-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
- It was Lambert-Smith's first career touchdown reception and the longest reception of his career, bettering a 52-yard reception against Wisconsin.
- Lambert-Smith finished the game with a career-high five catches for a career-best 88 yards.
Tyler Warren
- TE/H Tyler Warren scored on a 3-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Warren has a rushing touchdown in two consecutive games after a 2-yard score against Auburn last week.
Ta'Quan Roberson
- QB Ta'Quan Roberson had career bests in pass attempts and completions, going three-for-five. In his previous appearance vs. Ball State, he was one-for-two.
DEFENSE
Team
- The Nittany Lions held Villanova to just 4-14 on third down, improving their third down defense to 25-68 (36.8%) for the season.
- Villanova had just 26 rushing attempts, tied for the sixth-lowest total by a Nittany Lion opponent under James Franklin.
Ji'Ayir Brown
- S Ji'Ayir Brown recorded an interception, and returned it 15 yards, in the third quarter. It was his second career interception.
- Brown tied a career high with a full tackle for loss. He also had a full tackle for loss against Ohio State in 2020
Ellis Brooks
- LB Ellis Brooks recorded four tackles to surpass the 150 career tackles mark. He now has 152 career tackles
PJ Mustipher
- DT PJ Mustipher recorded a solo sack in the second quarter. He tied his previous career high, accomplished twice, last against Illinois in 2020.
- With three tackles, Mustipher reached the 100 career tackles mark. He now has 101 career tackles.
Coziah Izzard
- DT Coziah Izzard recorded his first career sack in the fourth quarter. It was his first career sack and tackle for loss.
Jaylen Reed
- S Jaylen Reed recorded the first two tackles of his career.
Kobe King
- LB Kobe King set a career high with two tackles. Previously he had one tackle against Ball State earlier this season.
Zakee Wheatley
- CB Zakee Wheatley recorded the first tackle of his career.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jordan Stout
- K/P Jordan Stout placed four punts inside the 20, raising his career total to 14. All four of Stout's punts were fair-caught or downed inside the 10.
- Stout converted a 29-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter.