UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 16/16 Penn State hosts RV/- Minnesota for the Penn State White Out game on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Beaver Stadium with a broadcast on ABC. The 2022 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Minnesota for the 16th time in program history. The Nittany Lions lead 9-6 in the all-time series. The last two matchups have been decided by one possession. Penn State won 29-26 in overtime in 2016, on a touchdown by Saquon Barkley on PSU's first offensive snap of overtime. In 2019, Penn State fell 31-26 in TCF Bank Stadium. Journey Brown rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns, while Sean Clifford threw for 340 yards and a score.
PENN STATE WHITEOUT: The Nittany Lions are set to hold their 14th full-stadium Penn State White Out on Saturday. The tradition stretches back to a student section White Out in 2004. Penn State's first full-stadium White Out was against Notre Dame in 2007.
MORE TAKEAWAYS: The Nittany Lions have forced 13 takeaways, including seven fumbles and six interceptions this season. Penn State added another takeaway to its total on Saturday at Michigan after a pass deflected by Chop Robinson was picked off by Curtis Jacobs and returned 47 yards for a touchdown. Penn State's 13 takeaways are good for 13th in the FBS.
NO FLY ZONE: Penn State ranks fourth in the nation allowing a 51.6 opponent completion percentage. The Nittany Lions have held two opponents under a 50 completion percentage and four opponents under a 55 completion percentage. According to Coaches By The Numbers, cornerbacks Johnny Dixon (21 percent), Kalen King (37) and Joey Porter Jr. (38) are allowing under a 40.0 completion percentage when targeted.
THE OPPOSITION: Minnesota is 4-2 this season, including 1-2 in Big Ten play, after falling 26-14 at No. 24 Illinois. Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Tanner Morgan rushed for a 9-yard score. Tyler Nubin led Minnesota with 13 tackles, including two for loss. Jordan Howden and Braelen Oliver each had 10 stops.
BY THE NUMBERS:
10,000:At Michigan, Sean Clifford became the second Penn State player to reach 10,000 career total yards.
51.6: Penn State is holding opponents to a 51.6 completion percentage, ranking fourth in the FBS.
47:Curtis Jacobs recorded a 47-yard pick-six at Michigan.
14th: The Nittany Lions will host their 14th full-stadium Penn State White Out.
SCOUTING REPORT
- P.J. Fleck is in his sixth season as head coach at Minnesota, boasting a 39-24 record with the Golden Gophers.
- He has led Minnesota to three bowl games: 2018 Quick Lane Bowl, 2020 Outback Bowl and 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
- The Gophers are 4-2 this season, including a 1-2 mark in Big Ten play. Minnesota is receiving votes in the AP Poll.
- On offense, the Gophers lead the country in third down conversion percentage (66.2), while sitting 16th in rushing offense (227.3 ypg), 25th in yards per completion (13.86) and fifth in time of possession (34:58).
- RB Mohamed Ibrahim ranks fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (138.8), 14th in total rushing yards (694), ninth in rushing touchdowns (9) and 11th in yards per carry (6.7).
- QB Tanner Morgan has thrown for 1,164 yards and seven touchdowns. He's second in the Big Ten averaging 14.02 yards per completion.
- On defense, the Gophers sit fourth in the country in scoring defense (11.7), sixth in total defense (263.7), fifth in pass defense (159.2) and 20th in rushing defense (104.5). Minnesota also leads the country in third down conversion percentage on defense (21.9).
- LB Mariano Sori-Marin leads the Gophers with 39 tackles, including three for loss, while DL Danny Striggow paces Minnesota with four tackles for loss and three sacks.
- K Matthew Trickett paces the Big Ten with an 85.7 field goal percentage and KR Quentin Redding leads the league with a 27.6 return average.
PENN STATE WHITE OUT
- A tradition stretching back to a student section White Out in 2004, Penn State White Outs have created an unrivaled atmosphere inside Beaver Stadium.
- Saturday marks the 14th time the Nittany Lions will host a full-stadium Penn State White Out.
- Penn State holds a 7-6 record when the full stadium wears white.
- Penn State's first full-stadium White Out was against Notre Dame in 2007.
GENERATIONS OF GREATNESS
- Penn State is turning back the clock for its "Generations of Greatness" game, as the Nittany Lions will don uniforms with design elements from uniforms past.
- Penn State is wearing its "Generations of Greatness" uniforms for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The threads debuted in 2017 against Indiana (W, 45-14) and Penn State donned them again against Purdue in 2019 (W, 35-7), Iowa in 2020 (L, 21-42) and Illinois in 2021 (L, 18-20, 9OT)
- Uniform Elements:
- Numbers on Helmets – The Nittany Lions had the number on the side of their helmet from 1959-61 and then again from 1967-74. A No. 42 also appeared on the side of every Penn State helmet in the season finale against Wisconsin in 2012 to honor injured senior Michael Mauti.
- Block Uniform Numbers – The block uniform numbers are similar to those uniform numbers that donned the Blue & White from mid-1950s-66.
- White Stripe on Sleeve – Penn State's uniform had a white stripe on the sleeve several times, including 1957-66, 1982-89 and 1992-2011.
- Stripe on the Pants – The Nittany Lions had a blue stripe on their pants from 1952-68.
- Gray Facemask – The gray facemask was donned by the Nittany Lions from 1959-86.
- White Cleats – The white cleats were worn by the Nittany Lions in the 1979 Sugar Bowl.
- Gloves – The gloves will feature the Lion Shrine on the palm of the hands.
- Lion Shrine – The image of Lion Shrine appears on the "home plate" of the front of the jersey. It is an original element of the "Generations of Greatness" uniform to pay homage to the Lion Shrine that was a gift from the Class of 1940.
- Back Inside Collar – The back inside collar of the jersey reads "Penn State 1959" in recognition of the first Liberty Bowl game, played in Philadelphia. Penn State defeated Alabama, 7-0.
SUCCESS ON HOMECOMING
- The Nittany Lions own a 72-24-5 record in 101 games in front of the alumni crowd since their 14-7 victory over Dartmouth in the first Homecoming game on Oct. 9, 1920.
- In 2021, Penn State fell 20-18 in nine overtimes against Illinois.
- Penn State has won seven out of its last 10 Homecoming tilts, defeating Purdue (2019), Rutgers (2017), Maryland (2016), Indiana (2015), Michigan (2013), Northwestern (2012) and Purdue (2011).
- The Nittany Lions have claimed 13 of their last 16 contests in front of the alumni crowd.
2012 TEAM RECOGNITION
- Penn State's 2012 football team will be recognized between the first and second quarters on Saturday.
- The 2012 team overcame a lot of adversity and banded together through unprecedented circumstances.
- The Nittany Lions won eight of the final 10 games of the season, including a 24-21 overtime win over Wisconsin to conclude the campaign.
RING THE BELL
- The Governor's Victory Bell is awarded to the victor of the Penn State-Minnesota contest.
- Instituted in 1993 by Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Governor Arne Carlson of Minnesota when the Nittany Lions began Big Ten play, the Bell is joined by the Land Grant Trophy (Michigan State) as Penn State's two trophy contests.
- Minnesota provided the opposition for Penn State's first Big Ten game on Sept. 4, 1993.
- Then-acting Governor Mark Singel of Pennsylvania and Carlson presented an artist's conception of the Governor's Victory Bell on that day prior to kickoff.
MICHIGAN NOTES
- Penn State is 10-16 all-time against Michigan.
- Penn State is 13-18 all-time in regular season games between Top-10 teams.
- QB Sean Clifford went over the 10,000-career total yard mark. He now has 10,027 career total yards (8,989 passing, 1,038 rushing)
- Clifford had a 62-yard run in the second quarter, a career-long run.
- On the 62-yard run, Clifford surpassed the 1,000-career rushing yard mark. He became the third PSU quarterback to reach the 1,000 rushing yard mark, joining Trace McSorley (1,697; 2015-18) and Michael Robinson (1,637; 2002-05).
- LB Curtis Jacobs recorded a 47-yard pick-six in the second quarter. Jacobs' pick-six was Penn State's first since Daequan Hardy's 17-yard pick-six at Michigan State in 2021.
- With DT Coziah Izzard's sack in the fourth quarter, 11 different Penn State players have recorded at least one sack this season.