Postgame Notes: No. 4 Penn State vs. MinnesotaPostgame Notes: No. 4 Penn State vs. Minnesota
Mark Selders

Postgame Notes: No. 4 Penn State vs. Minnesota

TEAM

  • Penn State is now 11-6 all-time against Minnesota and 5-4 in road games.
  • The Nittany Lions have won their first five true road games of a season for the first time since 1985 and went 4-0 on the road in Big Ten games for the third time in program history, joining the 1994 and 2009.
  • Penn State reached 10 wins in a season for the 27th time in program history and 10 regular season wins for the 21st time.
  • The Nittany Lions have won at least 10 games in back-to-back seasons for the 13th time in program history.
  • Penn State won 10 games in three-straight seasons for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 1980-82 (10 wins in 1980; 10 in 1981; 11 in 1982).
  • Penn State joins Oregon and Ohio State as the only FBS teams with 10+ wins in each of the last three seasons (2022, 2023, 2024).
    • Alabama (8), Georgia (9), Ohio (8) and Tulane (9; bye week) could also reach 10 wins in each of the last three seasons.

 

STREAKS

 

Special Teams

  • Penn State has not allowed a special teams touchdown in 72-straight games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.

 

OFFENSE

Team

  • Penn State had three plays of 20+ yards on Saturday (two passing, one rushing. The Nittany Lions have 53 plays of 20+ yards this season (41 pass, 12 run).
  • Penn State has four different players with 100-yard receiving games this season (Harrison Wallace III, 117 at West Virginia; Tyler Warren, 146 vs. Bowling Green/224 at USC/127 at Purdue/102 at Minnesota; Omari Evans, 116 vs. Kent State; Liam Clifford, 107 vs. UCLA).
  • The Nittany Lions threw for 244 yards. Since 2014, Penn State has thrown for at least 200 passing yards on 91 occasions. Penn State is 70-21 in those games.

 

Tyler Warren

  • TE Tyler Warren hauled in eight receptions for 102 yards.
  • On an 8-yard catch in the third quarter, Warren broke the Penn State tight end career receiving yards record. He surpassed Mike Gesicki (1,481; 2014-17). Warren has 1,516 career receiving yards.
  • Warren has 75 receptions this season, tying the Big Ten season tight end receptions record, matching Wisconsin’s Travis Beckum (75 receptions in 2007).
  • Warren’s 75 receptions this season are good for fifth at PSU. On the day, he moved past Chris Godwin (69; 2015).
  • His 124 career receptions rank 14th all-time at PSU. Warren jumped Jack Curry (117; 1965-67).
  • Warren posted his fifth career 100-yard receiving game. He broke a tie for the PSU tight end record with Ted Kwalick (4; 1966-68).
  • He owns four 100-yard receiving games this season.
  • Warren has made a catch in each of his last 27 games and has at least one catch of 14+ yards in each of his last 17 games.
  • Warren made a 28-yard grab in the second quarter. He has 21 career receptions of 20+ yards, including 14 this season.

 

Drew Allar

  • QB Drew Allar completed 21-of-28 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, while adding a rushing score.
  • Allar connected on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Omari Evans in the second quarter.
  • He scored on a 4-yard run late in the second quarter. It was his ninth career rushing touchdown.
  • Allar earned his 15th career 200-yard passing game. He broke a tie with Daryll Clark (14; 2006-09) for seventh all-time at PSU.
  • It was Allar’s eighth career game with both a passing and rushing touchdown.
  • The Ohio native notched his eight 200-yard passing game of the season. He is tied for sixth at Penn State with Daryll Clark (8, 2009) and Sean Clifford (8, 2021; 8, 2022).
  • Allar has 5,472 career passing yards, ranking eighth all-time at Penn State. On the day, he jumped Anthony Morelli (5,275; 2004-07), Kerry Collins (5,304; 1991-94) and Chuck Fusina (5,382; 1975-78).
  • The junior owns 46 career touchdown passes, moving into a tie for fourth all-time at Penn State. On Saturday, he surpassed Matt McGloin (46; 2009-12).
  • Allar has 455 career completions, ranking seventh all-time at PSU. On the day, he moved past Daryll Clark (444; 2006-09).
  • He also has 708 career pass attempts, ranking ninth all-time at Penn State. He jumped Wally Richardson (692; 1992, 94-96).
  • Allar has 55 touchdowns responsible, tying Christian Hackenberg (55; 2013-15) for fourth all-time at PSU. On the day, he moved past Zack Mills (53; 2001-04), Matt McGloin (53; 2009-12) and Saquon Barkley (54; 2015-17).
  • With two completions of 20+ yards on Saturday, Allar now has 38 completions of 20+ yards this season.

 

Nicholas Singleton

  • RB Nicholas Singleton rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
  • Singleton scored on a 12-yard run in the third quarter. It was his 25th career rushing touchdown.
  • With his 25th career rushing touchdown, Singleton is now tied 12th all-time at PSU with D.J. Dozier (25; 1983-86) and Tony Hunt (25; 2003-06), while moving past Franco Harris (24; 1969-71) and Curt Warner (24; 1979-82).
  • With 2,459 career rushing yards, Singleton ranks 14th all-time at Penn State.
  • Singleton became the 10th Nittany Lion to reach 4,000 career all-purpose yards. He owns 4,008 all-purpose yards.
  • With his 33rd career total touchdown (25 rushing, 7 receiving, 1 kick return), tying sixth all-time at Penn State with Curt Warner (33; 1979-82). On the day, Singleton moved past Charlie Pittman (32; 1967-69), Bobby Engram (32; 1991, 93-95) and Evan Royster (32; 2007-10).

 

Omari Evans

  • WR Omari Evans had two catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.
  • Evans hauled in a 45-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter. It was Evans’ fifth career touchdown reception and third this season.

 

DEFENSE

 

Team

  • Penn State forced two takeaways.
  • LB Dominic DeLuca recorded an interception in the second quarter and returned it 32 yards.
  • S Zakee Wheatley recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter.
  • Penn State has notched 14 takeaways this season (9 interceptions, 5 fumbles).
  • Since 2014, Penn State has forced multiple takeaways in 60 games (5 in 2024).
  • Since 2022, Penn State is 17-1 when forcing multiple takeaways in a game.
  • Since 2022, Penn State has forced 64 takeaways (35 interceptions, 29 fumbles).
  • Penn State gave up three points in the third quarter and six in the second half. The Nittany Lions have allowed just 15 points in the third quarter and 55 second-half points this season.
  • Penn State has allowed 445 yards on 125 plays (3.56 per play) in the third quarter this season, including 109 rushing yards on 67 attempts (1.63 per rush).
  • The Nittany Lions gave up 22 rushing yards on 15 attempts in the second half.
  • Penn State has allowed 1,198 total yards on 307 plays (3.90 per play) in the second half and overtime this season, including 377 rushing yards on 157 attempts (2.40 per rush).
  • The Nittany Lions limited the Golden Gophers to 281 total yards. PSU has held 66 opponents under 300 total yards since 2014.
  • Penn State held Minnesota to 175 passing yards. PSU has held opponents under 200 passing yards on 79 occasions since 2014.

 

Zane Durant

  • DT Zane Durant notched three tackles in the first half and finished the game with five, matching his career high. He also had five stops against Ohio State.
  • The junior tallied 2.5 tackles for loss, marking his third career game with 2+ tackles for loss.
  • Durant recorded a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter.
  • He assisted on a tackle for loss earlier in the quarter.
  • He added a solo tackle for loss in the third quarter.

 

Dominic DeLuca

  • LB Dominic DeLuca recorded an interception and returned it 32 yards in the second quarter. It was DeLuca’s third career interception.
  • DeLuca assisted on a tackle for loss in the third quarter.

 

Zakee Wheatley

  • S Zakee Wheatley recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter. It was his first career fumble recovery.

 

Kobe King

  • LB Kobe King tallied 1.5 tackles for loss.
  • King registered a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter.
  • He assisted on a tackle for loss in the fourth quarter.

 

Jaylen Reed

  • S Jaylen Reed tied a career high with 10 tackles, marking his second career game with double-digit tackles. He also had 10 tackles against Bowling Green.
  • Reed assisted on a tackle for loss in the third quarter.

 

Tony Rojas

  • LB Tony Rojas secured a solo sack in the first quarter. It was his first career sack.
  • He has 8.5 career tackles for loss.

 

A.J. Harris

  • CB A.J. Harris tallied five tackles, all in the first half, to tie his career high. He also had five tackles against UCLA.
  • He recorded a solo tackle for loss on Minnesota’s opening drive.

 

Cam Miller

  • CB Cam Miller notched a solo tackle for loss on Minnesota’s opening drive.

 

Tyrece Mills

  • S Tyrece Mills collected a career-best five tackles. His previous high was two in three previous games, last against Purdue.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

 

Ryan Barker

  • K Ryan Barker converted two field goals and two extra points.
  • Barker knocked through a career-long 45-yard field goal in the second quarter.
  • He added a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
  • He is three-for-four on field goals of 40+ yards this season.

 

Riley Thompson

  • P Riley Thompson hit a 43-yard punt to the Minnesota 11 in the first quarter.
  • He has 55 career punts inside the 20.

 

Luke Reynolds

  • TE Luke Reynolds gained 32 rushing yards on a fake punt in the fourth quarter.