UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 4 Penn State takes on No. 1 Oregon in the 2024 Discover Big Ten Championship Game in Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, December 7. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on CBS.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Oregon for the fifth time in program history. The Nittany Lions own a 3-1 advantage in the series. The last matchup was the 1995 Rose Bowl with Penn State earning a 38-20 win to conclude a 12-0 season. Ki-Jana Carter rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns, while Brian Milne and Jon Witman each scored once on the ground.
11-WIN SEASON: Penn State reached 11 wins in a season for the 20th time in program history and 11 regular season wins for the seventh time. The Nittany Lions won 11 games in a season for the fifth time under James Franklin (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024). Penn State is one of six FBS programs with 11 wins in at least five of the last nine seasons. Penn State has won 32 games over the last three seasons (2022, 2023, 2024), marking the fourth time in program history that Penn State has won 32 or more games over a three-season span, joining 1971-73 (33), 1972-74 (32) and 1994-96 (32).
WARREN KEEPS BREAKING RECORDS: Tyler Warren broke three more tight end records in Penn State's win over Maryland. Warren broke a tie with Wisconsin's Travis Beckum (75; 2007) for the Big Ten tight end season receptions record and has 81 receptions this year. On a 7-yard touchdown catch, Warren hauled in his 17th career touchdown reception, breaking a tie with Pat Freiermuth (16; 2018-20) for the PSU tight end career touchdown receptions record. In the third quarter, Warren set the PSU tight end career receptions record, previously held by Mike Gesicki (129; 2014-17), and now owns 130 career receptions. He also holds PSU tight end records for career receiving yards (1,584), career 100-yard receiving games (5), season receptions (81) and season receiving yards (978).
THE OPPOSITION: No. 1 Oregon finished the regular season with a 12-0 record, including a 9-0 mark in Big Ten play. Oregon concluded the regular season with a 49-21 win over Washington. Dillon Gabriel threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, while scoring on a 4-yard run. Oregon scored five touchdowns on the ground. On defense, the Ducks tallied 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
BY THE NUMBERS
81 - Tyler Warren now holds the Big Ten tight end season receptions record with 81 catches.
32 - Penn State has 32 wins over the last three seasons (2022-24), marking the fourth time in program history with 32+ wins over a three-year span.
11 - Penn State reached 11 wins in a season for the 20th time in program history and 11 regular-season wins for the seventh time.
10 - Abdul Carter has 10 sacks this season, becoming the first Nittany Lion with 10+ sacks in a season since Carl Nassib's 15.5 in 2015.
OREGON SCOUTING REPORT
- Dan Lanning is in his third season as head coach at Oregon.
- He owns a 34-5 record at Oregon.
- In his first two seasons at Oregon, Lanning led the Ducks to the 2022 San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl and the 2024 VRBO Fiesta Bowl.
- Oregon is 12-0 overall and 9-0 in the Big Ten.
- The Ducks have been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for each of the last seven weeks.
- Oregon is coming off a 49-21 win over Washington.
- QB Dillon Gabriel threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a rushing touchdown.
- Oregon rushed for 222 yards and five touchdowns.
- On defense, Oregon tallied 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
- The Ducks rank third in the Big Ten in scoring offense (35.2), first in total offense (448.5), second in pass offense (277.6) and fifth in rushing offense (170.9).
- Gabriel leads the Big Ten with 3,275 passing yards and ranks second in passing yards per game (272.9) and third in passing touchdowns (24).
- RB Jordan James has 1,166 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, while WR Tez Johnson is third in the Big Ten with nine touchdown receptions.
- On defense, the Ducks are fourth in the conference in scoring defense (16.2), fourth in total defense (283.8), fourth in pass defense (171.5) and seventh in rush defense (112.3).
- Oregon boasts a strong defensive end duo, including Matayo Uiagalelei (12.5 TFL, 10.5 SK) and Jordan Burch (11.0 TFL, 8.5 SK).
- LB Bryce Boettcher leads the Ducks with 80 tackles, while DB Tysheem Johnson paces the squad with three interceptions.
- Noah Whittington is averaging 31.0 yards per kick return, while Tez Johnson is 10th in the country with a 11.9 punt return average.
MARYLAND NOTES
- With Penn State’s 44-7 win over Maryland and Michigan’s 13-10 win over Ohio State, the Nittany Lions clinched a spot in the 2024 Discover Big Ten Championship Game.
- Penn State reached 11 wins in a season for the 20th time in program history and 11 regular season wins for the seventh time.
- The Nittany Lions won 11 games in a season for the fifth time under James Franklin (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024).
- With today’s victory, Penn State has won 32 games over the last three seasons (2022, 2023, 2024). It marks the fourth time in program history that Penn State has won 32 or more games, joining 1971-73 (33), 1972-74 (32) and 1994-96 (32).
- On the 7-yard touchdown catch, TE Tyler Warren broke a tie with Pat Freiermuth (16; 2018-20) for the Penn State tight end career touchdown receptions record.
- On a 9-yard catch in the third quarter, Warren set the Penn State tight end career receptions record, previously held by Mike Gesicki (129; 2014-17). Warren has 130 career receptions.
- On a 20-yard catch in the first quarter, Warren broke a tie with Wisconsin’s Travis Beckum (75; 2007) for the most receptions by a Big Ten tight end in a season. Warren has 81 receptions this season.
- Penn State limited Maryland to 10 rushing yards in the first half and 35 passing yards in the second half.
- The Nittany Lions forced three takeaways, all interceptions.
- The Nittany Lions gave up 27 total yards and 16 rushing yards in the third quarter.
- PSU limited Maryland to 97 yards on 27 plays in the second half.
PENN STATE SEEKS 5TH B1G TITLE
- Penn State is making its second appearance in the Big Ten Championship game after winning it in 2016.
- Finishing with an 8-1 record in Big Ten play during the regular season, Penn State clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game with a combination of its 44-7 win over Maryland and Michigan's 13-10 win over Ohio State.
- This is the first Big Ten Championship Game that will not feature division champions after the conference eliminated divisions prior to the 2024 season.
- Penn State has won four previous Big Ten titles, including 1994, 2005, 2008 and 2016.