TEAM
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Penn State leads the all-time series, 30-2, against Rutgers, including an 8-0 mark since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten.
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Penn State has won each of the last 15 matchups against the Scarlet Knights.
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The Nittany Lions are 23-2 in home games against Rutgers.
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Penn State's shutout of the Scarlet Knights, combined with the shutout of Indiana earlier this season, marks the first time since joining the Big Ten (1993) that the Nittany Lions have shut out two conference opponents in a single season.
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OL Bryce Effner made his first career start. He is the eighth Penn State player to make their first career start this season.
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OL Jimmy Christ, OL Landon Tengwall and QB Christian Veilleux made their collegiate debuts. They are three of 20 Penn State players to make their collegiate debut this season. Tengwall and Veilleux are two of 10 true freshmen to play this season.
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Penn State honored 32 seniors in a pre-game ceremony. Those honored included S Jaquan Brisker, LB Ellis Brooks, RB Journey Brown, CB Tariq Castro-Fields, K Rafael Checa, LB Max Chizmar, QB Sean Clifford, WR Jahan Dotson, DE Arnold Ebiketie, WR Winston Eubanks, WR Henry Fessler, DT Fred Hansard, S Drew Hartlaub, K Vlad Hilling, OL Des Holmes, K Bradley King, OL Will Knutsson, OL Kaleb Konigus, RB John Lovett, LB Jesse Luketa, CB Jordan Miner, OL Mike Miranda, DT PJ Mustipher, P/K Jordan Stout, WR Cam Sullivan-Brown, S Johnathan Sutherland, DT Derrick Tangelo, DE Dan Vasey, WR Justin Weller, OL Anthony Whigan, WR Ben Wilson, OL Eric Wilson.
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Penn State averaged 106,799 fans in seven home games this season, the seventh-highest average in program history and best season average since 2009.
OFFENSE
Sean Clifford
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QB Sean Clifford had two completions, giving him 224 season completions, tied for seventh place for a single season with Trace McSorley (2016).
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Clifford's eight attempts on the day give him 362 this season, moving him into ninth place at Penn State. Clifford passed Christian Hackenberg (359; 2015) and Trace McSorley (361; 2018).
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QB Christian Veilleux completed 15-of-24 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns.
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Veilleux connected with Jahan Dotson on an 8-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring with 1:03 remaining in the first half. It marked the first touchdown pass of the freshman's collegiate career.
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After finding Parker Washington for a 17-yard score in the 3rd quarter, he then hit Malick Meiga for a 67-yard touchdown, the first of Meiga's career.
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Christian Veilleux is the first Penn State true freshman QB to throw a TD since Christian Hackenberg at Wisconsin Nov. 30, 2013.
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WR Jahan Dotson opened the scoring in the game when he connected with Christian Veilleux on an 8-yard touchdown with 1:03 remaining in the first half.
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Dotson's 52 receiving yards on the day give him 1,045 for the season, marking the sixth time a Nittany Lion receiver had at least 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He is the fourth player to accomplish the feat (Allen Robinson, Bobby Engram, Chris Godwin).
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The 1,045 yards moves him into fourth place at Penn State, passing Allen Robinson (1,018; 2012) and Bobby Engram (1,029; 1994) on the day.
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Dotson's touchdown grab in the second quarter gives him 23 career receiving touchdowns, putting him in sole possession of third place all-time at Penn State, breaking a tie with Deon Butler (22; 2005-08).
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Dotson's touchdown catch was also his 10th receiving touchdown of the season, moving him into a tie for fifth with Joe Jurevicius (10; 1997). Dotson broke a tie for sixth all-time with OJ McDuffie (1992), Freddie Scott (1994), Deon Butler (2005), Mike Gesicki (2017) and DaeSean Hamilton (2017).
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Dotson's three receptions give him 83 for the year, moving him into second place at Penn State. He passed DaeSean Hamilton (82; 2014).
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Dotson has caught at least one pass in 40-straight games, dating back to Indiana game (10/20/18).
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Dotson has at least one 20-yard reception in 27 career games.
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WR Parker Washington grabbed a 17-yard touchdown pass from Christian Veilleux late in the third quarter. It was his third TD reception of the season and ninth of his career.
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Washington has caught a pass in all 20 games of his career.
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WR Malick Meiga reached the end zone for the first time in his career, on a 67-yard strike from Christian Veilleux in the third quarter.
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It was the longest reception of Meiga's career. His previous long was 8 yards against Michigan.
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The touchdown marked Penn State's seventh scoring play this season of 40-plus yards.
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TE Tyler Warren had a career-best 29-yard reception. His previous long was a 22-yard grab earlier this season against Auburn.
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QB Mason Stahl entered the game in the fourth quarter and recorded the first three carries of his career.
DEFENSE
Team
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The Nittany Lions recorded their second shutout of the season, having previous held Indiana scoreless. The last time that Penn State had two shutouts in a season was in 2017, when the Nittany Lions defeated Akron 52-0 and Georgia State 56-0.
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Today's result marked the first time Penn State has shut out two conference opponents in a single season since joining the Big Ten for football in 1993.
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In eight seasons under James Franklin, the Nittany Lions have recorded seven shutouts.
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Penn State only allowed Rutgers' offense to cross the 50-yard line on one drive, which ended in a turnover on downs in the red zone in the fourth quarter.
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Penn State has held Rutgers to less than 10 points in all eight meetings since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014, including two shutouts (2016, 2021).
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In eight meetings as Big Ten Conference foes, Penn State's defense has held Rutgers to a 4.9 scoring average.
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Penn State has held opponents without a score 14 times in the red zone (37 possessions).
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Penn State's defense allowed 160 yards of total offense to Rutgers, the sixth-lowest total allowed under James Franklin and the fewest since allowing 104 to Purdue in 2019.
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The 10 first downs given up by the Nittany Lions are tied for fifth-lowest allowed under Franklin and are the fewest first downs allowed since giving up eight to Purdue in 2019.
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Dating back to the Nebraska game in 2020, Penn State has forced a turnover in 17-straight games (25 total, 16 interceptions, 9 fumbles).
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DE Arnold Ebiketie recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, giving him at least one tackle for loss in seven-straight games.
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Ebiketie notched a sack, improving his team-best sack total to 9.5 for the season.
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Ebiketie's forced fumble on his sack give him two for the season, and a total of five for his career.
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S Jonathan Sutherland grabbed the first interception of his career in the fourth quarter.
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DT Derrick Tangelo recorded a tackle for loss, his fifth of the season, marking the most in a single season for his career.
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DT Coziah Izzard recorded a sack and forced a fumble on the play in the second quarter. It was his first career forced fumble and second career sack.
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CB Kalen King tallied a career-high two pass breakups.
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DT Fatorma Mulbah set a career high with two tackles. He previously had one on two occasions, the last against Indiana earlier this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jordan Stout
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K/P Jordan Stout landed five punts inside the 10 including at the Rutgers 7 in the first quarter (returned to the 19), Rutgers 3 in the first quarter (downed by Drew Hartlaub), Rutgers 8 in the first quarter (downed by Chris Stoll), Rutgers 9 in first quarter (fair catch) and Rutgers 3 in the third quarter (downed by Keaton Ellis).
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Stout's two 50+ yard punts on the day give him 27 for his career, including 24 this season.
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Twenty-four of Stout's 59 punts this season have been 50 yards or longer.
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Stout placed six punts inside the 20, giving him 39 career punts inside the 20, including 31 this season (15 inside the 10 and five inside the 5).
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Stout had touchbacks on all five kickoffs. On the season, he has touchbacks on 53-of-58 kickoffs (91.4 percent)