POSTGAME NOTES: Penn State vs. UtahPOSTGAME NOTES: Penn State vs. Utah
Mark Selders

POSTGAME NOTES: Penn State vs. Utah

TEAM

  • Penn State was victorious in its first all-time matchup against Utah.
  • Penn State is 26-14 all-time against current members of the Pac-12.
  • Penn State reached 11 wins for the 19th time in program history.
  • The Nittany Lions registered 11 wins for the fourth time under Head Coach James Franklin.
  • Penn State scored seven points off of takeaways against the Utes. This season, the Nittany Lions have scored 111 points off of 26 takeaways, while its opponents have just scored 24 points off of 15 takeaways.

 
BOWL

  • The Nittany Lions earned their first Rose Bowl victory since the 1994 season. Penn State is now 2-3 all-time in the Rose Bowl.
  • Penn State is 31-19-2 (.615) all-time in bowl games.
  • The 31 bowl wins are tied for fourth among FBS teams.
  • The Nittany Lions are 19-14 in January bowl games and 6-5 in Monday bowl games.
  • Since 2014, Penn State owns wins in three New Year's Six bowl games, joining Alabama (7), Ohio State (6), Georgia (5) and Clemson (4) as the only FBS schools with three or more wins in that span.
  • Among teams with at least four New Year's Six appearances since 2014, only Alabama (6-0; 1.000) and Clemson (5-1; .833) have a higher winning percentage than Penn State (3-1; .750) in New Year's Six Bowl games.
  • Since 2014, Penn State has won three New Year's Six Bowl games in four appearances. Other teams who have won at least three New Year's Six Bowls in a four-appearance span are Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State.

 
OFFENSE

  • Penn State owns two of the top-five longest rushes in Rose Bowl history, including Nicholas Singleton's 87-yard run and Ki-Jana Carter's 83-yard touchdown run in the 1995 Rose Bowl.
  • Sean Clifford's 88-yard touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith is the longest pass play in Rose Bowl history.
  • Penn State became the first team in Rose Bowl history to have an 80+ yard rushing touchdown and 80+ yard receiving touchdown in the same game.
  • Penn State registered the No. 3 and No. 4 longest drives in Rose Bowl history against the Utes with 95- and 94-yard drives for touchdowns.
  • Penn State's 279 passing yards are the program's fourth-most in a bowl game.
  • The Nittany Lions' 448 total yards sit ninth in program bowl history.

 
Sean Clifford

  • Sean Clifford's 279 passing yards rank third in a Penn State bowl game.
  • Clifford's 16 completions rank 10th in a PSU bowl game.
  • Clifford's 76.2 completion percentage (16-of-21) sits second in a Penn State bowl game.
  • The redshirt senior's two passing touchdowns are tied for the sixth-most in a Penn State bowl game.
  • Clifford's 278 total yards rank fifth in a PSU bowl game.
  • Clifford finished his bowl career ranked second in program history with 607 passing yards.

 
Nicholas Singleton

  • Nicholas Singleton's 87-yard run, in the third quarter, is the third-longest in Rose Bowl history and the second-longest in Penn State bowl history.
  • Singleton's 87-yard run is the longest in the Rose Bowl since 2012.
  • Singleton's 120 rushing yards sit 10th in a Penn State bowl game.
  • Singleton's two rushing touchdowns are tied for the second most in a PSU bowl game.

 
KeAndre Lambert-Smith

  • KeAndre Lambert-Smith's 124 receiving yards rank fifth in a Penn State bowl game.
  • Lambert-Smith averaged 41.3 yards per reception, a Penn State bowl record.

 
DEFENSE
 
Curtis Jacobs

  • Curtis Jacobs' two sacks are tied for the second-most in a PSU bowl game.
  • Jacob's 14 sack yards rank 10th in Penn State bowl history.

 
OFFENSE


SEASON

  • Penn State's 2022 season offensive stats and where it ranks in program history:
    • 29 pass touchdowns – T-2nd
    • 64.0 completion percentage – 3rd
    • 3,283 passing yards – T-4th
    • 433.6 total yards per game– 5th
    • 5,637 total yards – 5th
    • 270 completions – 5th
    • 465 total points – T-5th
    • 148.7 passing efficiency – 6th
    • 278 first downs - 6th
    • 61 total touchdowns – T-6th
    • 422 passing attempts – 7th
    • 6.19 yards per play – 8th
    • 252.5 passing yards per game – 8th
    • 35.8 points per game – T-8th

 
TEAM

  • With eight plays of 20+ yards in the game, the Nittany Lions finished the season with 85.
  • Since 2014, Penn State's 85 plays of 20+ yards are behind only the 2016 season (91).
  • Nicholas Singleton (1,061) and Kaytron Allen (867) combined for 1,928 rushing yards this season, the fifth-most of any Penn State rushing duo since 1960, trailing only Larry Johnson & Michael Robinson (2,350; 2002), Lydell Mitchell & Franco Harris (2,251; 1971), Johnson & Mike Gasparato (2,245; 2002) and Miles Sanders & Trace McSorley (2,072; 2018).
  • Since 1960, Mitchell & Harris (2,251; 1971) and Johnson & Gasparato (2,245; 2002) have more yards as a running back duo than Singleton & Allen (1,928).

 
Sean Clifford

  • QB Sean Clifford completed 16-of-21 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Clifford earned his 32nd win as a starting quarterback, becoming the all-time leader at Penn State. He broke a tie with Trace McSorley (31; 2015-18).
  • Clifford connected on a 10-yard touchdown pass with Mitchell Tinsley in the second quarter.
  • Clifford's touchdown pass to Tinsley was his 100th career touchdown responsible for. He joins Trace McSorley (107; 2015-18) as the only PSU players responsible for at least 100 touchdowns.
  • Clifford recorded his 32nd career game with multiple touchdown passes.
  • The redshirt senior notched his 28th career game with 200+ passing yards.
  • Clifford collected his eighth 200-yard passing game of the season.
  • Clifford finished his career with 833 completions, a program record. His 833 completions rank seventh in Big Ten history. On the day, he moved past Michigan's Chad Henne (828; 2004-07) for seventh.
  • Clifford's 226 completions this season rank eighth at Penn State.
  • The redshirt senior finished his Penn State career with 1,356 pass attempts, a program record. His 1,356 pass attempts sit ninth in Big Ten history.
  • Clifford finished his PSU career with a program-record 86 passing touchdowns. He ranks fourth in Big Ten history.
  • The Ohio native recorded 24 passing touchdowns this season, tied fourth in a season at Penn State.
  • Clifford concluded his PSU career with 10,661 passing yards, a program record. He ranks fifth in Big Ten history. On the day, Clifford moved past Iowa's Chuck Long (10,461; 1981-85) and Northwestern's Brett Basanez (10,580; 2002-05) for fifth.
  • Clifford's 2,822 passing yards in 2022 rank eighth in a season at Penn State.
  • The redshirt senior finished his PSU career with 11,734 career total yards (2,822 pass; 1,073 rush), moving into first all-time at Penn State, ahead of Trace McSorley (11,576; 2015-18). Clifford ranks fourth all-time in Big Ten history.
  • Clifford's 2,998 total yards (2,822 pass; 176 rush) this season sit ninth at PSU.
  • Clifford's 29 touchdowns responsible for (24 pass; 5 rush) this season are tied fifth at Penn State.
  • Clifford finished his career with 150 completions of 20 or more yards, including 45 this season.
  • Clifford's 88-yard passing score to Lambert-Smith is the fourth-longest pass play in Penn State history. Clifford finishes his career with four of the top eight pass plays in Penn State history (1st, 4th, T-5th, 8th).
  • Career Bowl Stats: 41-of-75 (55%), 607 yds, 4 TD, 3 INT, 88 long; 34 carries, 69 yards, 16 long.

 
Nicholas Singleton

  • RB Nicholas Singleton rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, averaging 17.1 yards per carry.
  • Singleton scored on an 87-yard run in the third quarter. It was his 12th rushing touchdown of the season.
  • The 87-yard touchdown run is Penn State's longest rush in any Penn State game since Saquon Barkley's 92-yard touchdown run in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl.
  • Singleton also scored on a 5-yard rush in the first quarter.
  • Singleton recorded his fifth career game with multiple touchdown rushes.
  • Since 2000, Singleton's five multi-touchdown run games are tied with Larry Johnson (5; 2002) for the second-most in a season at PSU, trailing only Saquon Barkley (7; 2017).
  • On the 87-yard run, Singleton surpassed 1,000 rushing yards, becoming the 16th PSU player (28 occasions) to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
  • Singleton joined Saquon Barkley (1,076; 2015) as the only PSU freshmen to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
  • Singleton is the 49th Penn State player to surpass 1,000 career rushing yards.
  • Singleton recorded his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season.
  • With the 87-yard touchdown run, Singleton owns nine rushes of 30+ yards, seven rushes of 40+ yards and four rushes of 50+ yards this season.
  • Singleton's 1,061 rushing yards this season trail only Saquon Barkley (1,076; 2015) among Penn State freshmen.
  • His 1,061 rushing yards rank 20th in a season at PSU.
  • Singleton's 6.8 yards per carry this season rank sixth at Penn State.
  • Singleton finished with a freshman season-record 12 rushing touchdowns this season.

 
Kaytron Allen

  • RB Kaytron Allen scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. It was his 10th rushing touchdown of the season.
  • Since 2000, Allen's 867 rushing yards rank third in a season by a PSU freshmen, behind only Singleton (1,061 yards) and Saquon Barkley (1,076; 2015).

 
Mitchell Tinsley

  • WR Mitchell Tinsley led PSU with six receptions. He tallied 49 yards and a touchdown.
  • Tinsley has a reception in 39-straight games.
  • Tinsley hauled in a 10-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. It was his fifth touchdown reception of the season and the 23rd of his career.
  • Tinsley concluded his collegiate career with 181 receptions, 2,356 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns.
  • Career Bowl Stats: 14 rec., 162 yds., 3 TD, 75 long (WKU and PSU)

 
KeAndre Lambert-Smith

  • WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith recorded an 88-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter from Sean Clifford. It marked the longest pass in Rose Bowl History.
  • Lambert-Smith has two career bowl touchdown receptions of 40+ yards with his 88-yard touchdown in the Rose Bowl and 42-yard touchdown grab in the 2022 Outback Bowl.
  • The touchdown reception by Lambert-Smith was a career-long for him and the seventh touchdown of his career.
  • Lambert-Smith added a 32-yard pass in the second quarter.
  • Lambert-Smith recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game. He finished the game with 124 yards.
  • Lambert-Smith now has 1,048 career receiving yards, becoming the 37th PSU player to reach 1,000 career
  • Career Bowl Stats: 6 rec, 198 yds, 2 TD, 88 long.

 
Theo Johnson

  • TE Theo Johnson hauled in a 28-yard reception in the first quarter. It was his 10th career reception of 20 or more yards and fifth this season.

 
Harrison Wallace III

  • WR Harrison Wallace III made a 20-yard grab in the second quarter and a 27-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

 
DEFENSE
 
SEASON

  • Penn State's 2022 season defensive stats and where it ranks in program history:
    • 85 pass breakups – 2nd
    • 43 sacks – 8th
    • 15 forced fumbles – T-8th
    • 12 fumble recoveries T-9th

 
Team

  • With Penn State's two interceptions, the Nittany Lions forced 26 takeaways this season, including 12 fumble recoveries and 14interceptions.
  • PSU has recorded at least seven tackles for loss in each of the last eight games (Michigan, 7; Minnesota, 7, Ohio State, 7; Indiana, 16; Maryland, 9; Rutgers, 15, Michigan State, 7; Utah, 9).
  • The Nittany Lions limited nine opponents to less than 100 rushing yards on the season (Purdue, 61; Ohio, 99; Central Michigan, 88; Northwestern, 31; Ohio State, 98; Indiana, 65; Maryland, 60; Rutgers 32; Michigan State 25).
  • Penn State has held 12 of its 13 opponents under their season rushing average entering the game (counting Purdue, who was held under its rushing average from 2021).
  • PSU leads the country with 85 pass breakups. The Nittany Lions have recorded 85 or more pass breakups in a season seven previous times (110, 1996; 96, 1993; 107, 1992; 129, 1991; 97, 1990; 110, 1987; 88, 1986).
  • The Nittany Lions have held six teams under a 50 percent completion percentage this season (Ohio, 42.5; Northwestern, 40.5; Minnesota, 40.9; Maryland, 47.8; Rutgers, 44.1; Utah, 45.0).
  • Penn State has held opponents to a 52.1 completion percentage (248-of-476).
  • PSU recorded 104 tackles for loss and 43 sacks this season.
  • Since 2014, Penn State has forced multiple takeaways in a game 49 times.

 
Ji'Ayir Brown

  • S Ji'Ayir Brown picked off a pass in the third quarter, his 10th career interception.
  • Brown finishes his career having had a hand in 16 takeaways as a Nittany Lion (10 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries).
  • He returned the interception 22 yards, passing Anthony Scirotto (234; 2005-08) for the second-most career interception return yards at Penn State since 2000.
  • With five tackles in the first half, Brown reached 150 career tackles. He finished his career with 153 career tackles.
  • Brown recorded a career-high 1.5 sacks. He finished the season with 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss (9 in career).  
  • Brown's Career Bowl Stats: 14 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss

 
Kalen King

  • CB Kalen King intercepted a pass in the first quarter. It was his third interception of the season and his career.
  • King's Career Bowl Stats: 10 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 1 interception

 
Curtis Jacobs

  • LB Curtis Jacobs tallied a career-high two sacks. He had one sack on five previous occasions, last against Rutgers.
  • Jacobs recorded a solo sack to end the first half and added a solo sack in the third quarter.
  • He finished with four sacks this season and now has seven for his career.
  • Jacobs had five tackles (4 solo) in the game.
  • Jacobs' Career Bowl Stats: 15 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks

 
Chop Robinson

  • DE Chop Robinson recorded a solo sack in the third quarter and added a half-sack in the fourth quarter.
  • Robinson finished his first season with the Nittany Lions with 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

 
Adisa Isaac

  • DE Adisa Isaac recorded two tackles for loss.
  • With the two tackles for loss, Isaac finished the season with 11 total and has 15.5 for his career.
  • The redshirt junior finished with five tackles (4 solo).

 
SPECIAL TEAMS


SEASON

  • Penn State averaged 43.65 yards per punt this season, good for second all-time in school history.

 
Jake Pinegar

  • At the conclusion of the 2022 season, K Jake Pinegar currently has 49 career field goals, ranking fourth all-time at Penn State.
  • Pinegar's 73.1 career field goal percentage (49-67), good for sixth all-time at PSU.
  • The redshirt senior has connected on 195 career extra points, which ranks fourth in Big Ten history.
  • Pinegar finishes the season with 57 extra points, moving into sixth all-time at PSU in a single season.
  • Pinegar's Career Bowl Stats: 3-6 field goals, 45 long, 15-15 PAT

 
Barney Amor

  • P Barney Amor knocked two punts inside the 20, one to the Utah 11 and the other to the Utah 1. Amor landed 22 punts inside the 20 this season, 17 inside the 15 and 14 inside the 10.
  • With 232 punting yards, Amor reached the 5,000-yard mark for his career. He finishes his career with 5,042 career punt yards.
  • Amor finished the season with a 44.28 season punt average, which ranks second all-time at Penn State.