UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 7 Penn State welcomes Delaware to Beaver Stadium on Saturday for a non-conference matchup. Kickoff is set for noon on Peacock.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Delaware for the first time in program history. Delaware is the Nittany Lions' 163rd different opponent. Penn State is 116-79-12 against current members of the FCS. The Nittany Lions' last matchup against an FCS opponent came against Villanova in 2021, a 38-17 win. Sean Clifford threw for 401 yards and four touchdowns, while Parker Washington had 148 receiving yards and two touchdowns and Jahan Dotson contributed 117 receiving yards and a score.
ALLAR'S FIRST START: In his first career start, Drew Allar completed 21-of-29 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia. Allar became the first PSU quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a season opener since Christian Hackenberg's 454 passing yards against UCF in 2014. Allar is the first PSU quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in his first career start since Michael Robinson threw for 379 yards vs. Wisconsin in 2003.
BIG PLAY DRE: KeAndre Lambert-Smith hauled in four receptions for 123 yards and a career-high two touchdowns against West Virginia. Lambert-Smith averaged 30.75 yards per reception and had touchdown receptions of 72 and 12 yards. With his 72-yard touchdown reception, on Penn State's opening drive, Lambert-Smith has three career touchdown receptions of 70-plus yards.
FINISHING STRONG: Penn State scored on each of its last four possessions of the game against West Virginia. The Nittany Lions scored on drives of 56, 65, 42 and 46 yards. Drew Allar threw touchdown passes to KeAndre Lambert-Smith (12 yards) and Malik McClain (25), while Beau Pribula ran for a 5-yard score and Alex Felkins converted a 25-yard field goal.
THE OPPOSITION: Delaware earned a 37-13 win over CAA foe Stony Brook last Thursday. The Blue Hens racked up 559 total yards, averaging 7.1 yards per play. Delaware threw for 414 yards. Ryan O'Connor completed 24-of-38 passes for 346 yards and a touchdown. Marcus Yarns rushed for 107 yards and two scores. The Blue Hens forced three takeaways.
SCOUTING THE BLUE HENS
- Ryan Carty is in his second season leading the Blue Hens.
- A Delaware alum, Carty has a 9-5 record as head coach and led Delaware to an FCS Playoffs second round appearance in 2022.
- Carty was the first Delaware head coach to lead the team to the FCS Playoffs in his first season.
- Delaware started the season with a 37-13 win at Stony Brook last Thursday.
- The Blue Hens are ranked 22nd in the Stats Perform FCS Poll and 21st in the FCS Coaches Poll.
- Delaware finished the 2022 campaign with an 8-5 mark, including a win over Navy. The Blue Hens earned a 56-17 win over Saint Francis in the FCS Playoffs First Round before falling 42-6 at top-seed South Dakota State.
- In their season-opening victory at Stony Brook, Delaware posted 559 total yards, averaging 7.1 yards per play.
- The Blue Hens gained 414 yards through the air and 145 on the ground.
- Ryan O'Connor threw for 346 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions while completing 24-of-38 passes.
- Marcus Yarns rushed for 107 yards and two scores on 11 carries. Kyron Cumby added a 13-yard touchdown rush.
- Chandler Harvin hauled in five receptions for 100 yards, while Kym Wimberly Jr. made five grabs for 81 yards and a touchdown.
- Delaware allowed 327 total yards, including 164 on the ground and 163 through the air.
- Delaware forced three interceptions and tallied seven tackles for loss.
- Tyron Herring led the unit with eight tackles and an interception, while Dillon Trainer made 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Ty Davis had a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown.
PENN STATE VS. FCS
- Penn State is 116-79-12 all-time against current FCS teams.
- The Nittany Lions have played at least one game against 22 different FCS programs.
- Eight of the 22 FCS programs Penn State has played are members of the Ivy League.
- Delaware will be Penn State's third opponent who is a current member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), joining Villanova and William & Mary.
WEST VIRGINIA NOTES
- Penn State is now 49-9-2 all-time against West Virginia.
- The Nittany Lions have won five-straight matchups in the series and 33 of the last 35 contests.
- Penn State is now 122-13-1 all-time in home openers, including wins in 20 of the last 22, and 113-22-2 all-time in season openers.
- Penn State is now 75-18-2 all-time against the current members of the Big 12.
- Penn State welcomed 110,747 fans to Beaver Stadium, marking the fourth-highest crowd in its history and its largest crowd for a home opener.
- The Nittany Lions scored on their opening drive of the season for the first time since 2020 at Indiana. QB Drew Allar tossed a 72-yard touchdown pass to WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith.
- Allar became the first Penn State quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a season opener since Christian Hackenberg's 454 passing yards against UCF in 2014.
- Allar is the first Penn State quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in his first career start since Michael Robinson threw for 379 yards vs. Wisconsin in 2003.
- Allar's 300 passing yards and three passing touchdowns marked the 25th time a PSU quarterback has done that in a game.
- Lambert Smith's 72-yard touchdown reception was the third 70+ yard reception of his career.
- WR Harrison Wallace III recorded a career-high seven receptions and a career-best 72 receiving yards.
- The Nittany Lions stopped West Virginia on three fourth-down conversion attempts.
- LB Curtis Jacobs finished the game with 10 tackles. He recorded 10+ tackles in a game for the third time in his career.