GAME NOTES: No. 7/6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Ohio StateGAME NOTES: No. 7/6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Ohio State
Mark Selders

Theo Johnson

GAME NOTES: No. 7/6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Ohio State

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 7/6 Penn State visits No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday. The game will be featured on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff.

BIG NOON KICKOFF: Penn State will appear on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff for the second time this season after its 30-13 win at Illinois was the feature broadcast. In 2022, the Nittany Lions were featured on Big Noon Kickoff against Michigan and Ohio State.

SERIES HISTORY: The Nittany Lions meet Ohio State for the 39th time in program history and the 22nd time where both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.  Last year, Penn State fell 44-31 against the Buckeyes. Sean Clifford threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns, while Parker Washington hauled in 11 receptions for 179 yards and a 58-yard score.

TOP DEFENSES: The Penn State-Ohio State matchup will feature two of the nation's top defenses. The Nittany Lions enter the game leading the country in total defense (193.7), pass defense (121.2), pass efficiency defense (80.73), completion percentage (49.1), first downs allowed (67), sacks per game (4.5) and red zone attempts (7), while ranking second in the country in scoring defense (8.0) and rushing defense (72.5). Ohio State owns the nation's third-best scoring defense (9.7), while holding seventh in total defense (263.5), fourth in pass defense (154.3) and seventh in first downs allowed (94).

SCORING STREAK: After posting 63 points against UMass on Saturday, Penn State has scored at least 30 points in 13-straight games, the longest active streak in the nation. It marks the third time in Big Ten history a team has strung together 13 or more games of 30+ points, joining Penn State (15; 1993-94) and Ohio State (15; 2014-15). The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten and rank fifth in the country averaging 44.3 points per game.

THE OPPOSITION: Ohio State improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten with a 41-7 win at Purdue last Saturday. The Buckeyes tallied 486 yards, including Kyle McCord throwing for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Marvin Harrison Jr. caught six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, while Cade Stover hauled in two touchdown receptions.

BY THE NUMBERS

11 x 14: Penn State has won 11-straight games, all by at least a 14-point margin of victory. The 11-straight wins of 14+ points are a school record.

13: With 63 points against UMass, Penn State has scored at least 30 points in 13-straight games, the nation's longest active streak.

2: Daequan Hardy became the first player in Penn State history to have two punt return touchdowns in a game.

19: Nineteen different Penn State players have recorded at least one full tackle for loss this season, including 15 who have recorded at least one full sack.


SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES

  • Ryan Day became the 25th head football coach at Ohio State on Jan. 2, 2019.
  • Day is in his fifth full season with a career record of 51-6, a 34-2 mark in Big Ten Conference games, and two Big Ten Championships and two College Football Playoff appearances.
  • Ohio State is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play this season.
  • The Buckeyes are coming off a 41-7 win at Purdue.
  • QB Kyle McCord threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. caught six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, while TE Cade Stover hauled in two touchdown grabs.
  • On offense, Ohio State ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (36.0 ppg; 20th nationally), first in total offense (443.0 ypg; 32nd), first in passing offense (308.0; 15th) and ninth in rushing offense (135.0; 92nd).
  • QB Kyle McCord sits first in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (275.2), second in total passing yards (1,651), third in completion percentage (64.1) and fourth in passing touchdowns (11).
  • WR Marvin Harrison Jr. ranks 11th in the country (1st in B1G) with 100.7 receiving yards per game. He holds first in the Big Ten in total receiving yards (604), second in receptions per game (5.2) and receiving touchdowns (5).
  • On defense, the Buckeyes rank third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (9.7 ppg; 3rd nationally), third in total defense (263.5 ypg; 7th), third in pass defense (15.3; 4th) and fourth in rushing defense (109.2; 22nd).
  • LB Tommy Eichenberg ranks seventh in the Big Ten averaging 7.7 tackles per game and 5.0 solo tackles per contest.
  • DE JT Tuimoloau holds sixth averaging 0.5 sacks per game.


BIG NOON KICKOFF

  • Penn State will be featured on Big Noon Kickoff, FOX's college football pregame show, for the first time this season.
  • The Nittany Lions' 30-13 win at Illinois was the Big Noon Kickoff Game on Sept. 16.
  • The broadcast will begin at 10 a.m. and lead up to kickoff between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes at noon.
  • The crew of Rob Stone, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn and Urban Meyer will be live ahead of the meeting, while the in-game crew of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft will call the action.


GET UP, IT'S GAMEDAY

  • ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will be live from Columbus on Saturday.
  • This is the 23rd time College GameDay has been at the site of a Penn State game.
  • Saturday's GameDay appearance will be Penn State's first since 2021 against Auburn.
Date Opponent Score
Oct. 25, 1994 at Michigan W, 31-24
Oct. 5, 1996 at Ohio State L, 7-38
Nov. 8, 1997 Michigan L, 8-34
Oct. 3, 1998 at Ohio State L, 9-28
Aug. 28, 1999 Arizona W, 41-7
Sept. 25, 2004 at Wisconsin L, 3-16
Oct. 8, 2005 Ohio State W, 17-10
Nov. 19, 2005 at Michigan State W, 31-22
Sept. 23, 2006 at Ohio State L, 6-28
Oct. 27, 2007 Ohio State L, 17-37
Oct. 25, 2008 at Ohio State W, 13-6
Sept. 26, 2009 Iowa L, 10-21
Sept. 11, 2010 at Alabama L, 3-24
Nov. 13, 2010 at Ohio State L, 24-38
Dec. 3, 2016 vs. Wisconsin (Indianapolis) W, 38-31
Oct. 21, 2017 Michigan W, 42-13
Oct. 28, 2017 at Ohio State L, 38-39
Sept. 29, 2018 Ohio State L, 26-27
Oct. 19, 2019 Michigan W, 28-21
Nov. 23, 2019 at Ohio State L, 17-28
Oct. 31, 2020 Ohio State L, 25-38
Sept. 18, 2021 Auburn W, 28-20
Oct. 21, 2023 at Ohio State --


STORIED PROGRAMS MEET

  • Penn State and Ohio State both rank among the top-10 programs in winning percentage and total victories in NCAA history.
  • Four of the top-10 winningest programs, by total wins and winning percentage, in NCAA history are from the Big Ten.
  • Penn State sits No. 7 in all-time victories (926) and No. 9 in winning percentage (.689).
  • Ohio State sits tied-second with 959 all-time victories and No. 1 with an all-time winning percentage of .734.
  • The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes are also among the most ranked teams in NCAA history according to the AP poll.
  • Ohio State has spent 105 weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll (2nd all-time) and Penn State has earned the No. 1 ranking by the AP on 21 occasions (T-17th all-time). (Not including preseason rankings).
  • Penn State's 687 weeks ranked among the AP Top 25 ranks ninth all-time, while Ohio State's 973 weeks are the most in NCAA history.


STREAKING

  • Penn State has won 11-straight games, each by a 14-point margin of victory. Over the last two seasons, no other FBS team has won by a 14-point margin in more than seven-straight games.
  • Penn State's 11-straight wins by 14+ points are a school record and tied for 22nd all-time in FBS. It marks the most for a Big Ten team since 1904 (Michigan - 13).
  • The 11-straight wins are tied with Air Force for the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS.
  • Penn State has recorded at least 30 points in 13-straight games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.
  • Dating back to the Rutgers game in 2022, Penn State has scored in 36-straight quarters, the longest active streak in the nation.
  • Penn State has not allowed a first-drive touchdown in the last 20 games, dating back to the Michigan State game in 2021.
  • Penn State has not given up any points in 11 consecutive quarters at home since allowing a first quarter touchdown to Delaware in the second home game of the season.
  • Penn State has a streak of 15-straight games with at least five tackles for loss. It is the second-longest streak in FBS behind James Madison's 16-game string.
  • The Nittany Lions have recorded at least three sacks in 11-straight games, dating back to the Indiana game in 2022. The streak is tied with James Madison for the longest in the FBS.
  • Penn State has not allowed a special teams touchdown in 54-straight games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
  • Penn State has won 18 consecutive games against teams that are not members of a Power Five conference.
  • Penn State has won 19 consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over Temple in 2016.
  • Penn State has won 25-straight non-conference home games, dating back to a win over Kent State in 2013.


UMASS POSTGAME NOTES

  • The Nittany Lions are 74-24-5 in homecoming games, including wins in 14 of the last 17 contests.
  • The 63-0 final score marked the largest shutout by Penn State since joining the Big Ten and the largest shutout win since an 81-0 win vs. Cincinnati in 1991.
  • Penn State recorded 63 points for the second time this season, the first time the Nittany Lions have scored at least 63 in two games in a season since 2018 (63 vs. Kent State; 63 vs. Illinois).
  • The Nittany Lions recorded their second consecutive home shutout, marking the first time that Penn State has shut out its opponent in consecutive home games since 1981, when they shut out Cincinnati (52-0) and Temple (30-0).
  • The seven points allowed in the past three home games are the fewest allowed by Penn State in three-straight home games since holding Cincinnati (0), Temple (0), and Boston College (7) to a total of seven points in three-straight home games in 1981.
  • In the first half, Penn State recorded more sack yards (32) than UMass had total yards (26).
  • Penn State registered 10 tackles for loss and five sacks in the first half.
  • PR Daequan Hardy returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and added a 68-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter, becoming the first player in school history to record multiple punt returns for a touchdown in a single game.
  • Since 2000, Hardy is the 25th FBS player to return two punt returns for touchdowns in a game. He is one of two Big Ten players joining Iowa's Kevonte Martin-Manley (vs. Western Michigan, 2013).