Postgame Notes: No. 8/9 Penn State vs. West VirginiaPostgame Notes: No. 8/9 Penn State vs. West Virginia
Mark Selders

Postgame Notes: No. 8/9 Penn State vs. West Virginia

TEAM

  • Penn State is now 50-9-2 all-time against West Virginia.
  • The Nittany Lions have won six-straight matchups in the series and 34 of the last 36 contests.
  • Penn State is now 114-22-2 all-time in season openers and has won 20 of its last 23 season-opening contests.
  • The Nittany Lions are 22-11 all-time in season openers on the road, including 19-10 against non-Big Ten opponents.
  • Penn State is now 77-15-2 all-time against the current members of the Big 12, including a 71-15-2 mark in regular season contests.
  • The Nittany Lions have won 19 consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over Temple in 2016.
  • Due to lightning in the area, the start of the second half was delayed by 2 hours and 19 minutes.
  • Penn State led 20-6 at halftime. Since 2014, Penn State is 46-1 when leading by 10+ points at halftime.
  • Six Nittany Lions made their first career collegiate start: OL Nick Dawkins, OL Anthony Donkoh, CB A.J. Harris, TE Andrew Rappleyea, LB Tony Rojas, S Zakee Wheatley
  • CB Jalen Kimber made his first start at Penn State.
  • Eight Nittany Lions made their collegiate debut: OL Alex Birchmeier, OL Cooper Cousins, WR Tyler Johnson, S Dejuan Lane, DE Jordan Mayer, TE Luke Reynolds, TE Joey Schlaffer, RB Cam Wallace
  • WR Julian Fleming, DT Alonzo Ford Jr., CB A.J. Harris, CB Jalen Kimber, OL Nolan Rucci and WR Jake Spencer made their Penn State debuts.
  • Three Penn State true freshmen played in the season-opener: OL Cooper Cousins, S Dejuan Lane, TE Luke Reynolds

 

STREAKS

 

Defense

  • Penn State has not allowed a first-drive touchdown in the last 28 games, dating back to the Michigan State game in 2021, the nation’s longest active streak.
  • The Nittany Lions have not allowed more than 20 points in a regular season game against a non-conference opponent in its last 15 matchups and 16 of its last 19 contests.

 

Special Teams

  • Penn State has not allowed a special teams touchdown in 62-straight games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.

 

OFFENSE

Team

  • Penn State gained 457 yards on 60 plays (7.6 yards per play). Since 2014, Penn State has notched 400 total yards on 70 occasions. Penn State is 57-13 in those games.
  • The Nittany Lions threw for 235 yards. Since 2014, Penn State has thrown for at least 200 passing yards on 83 occasions. Penn State is 62-21 in those games.
  • Penn State rushed for 222 yards. Since 2014, Penn State has recorded 200 rushing yards on 44 occasions. Penn State is 39-5 in those games.

 

Drew Allar

  • QB Drew Allar completed 11-of-17 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns.
  • He added six rushes for 44 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per rush.
  • It was Allar’s third career game with 200+ passing yards and 3+ passing touchdowns.
  • The junior threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Harrison Wallace III early in the second quarter.
  • Allar connected with Kaytron Allen on a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
  • The Ohio native threw an 18-yard touchdown to Wallace late in the second quarter.
  • Allar is the first Penn State quarterback to throw three touchdown passes in a quarter since Trace McSorley against Michigan State in 2016 (third quarter – Chris Godwin 34 yards, Mike Gesicki 45 yards, Godwin 59 yards).
  • With his third touchdown toss, Allar recorded his 32nd career touchdown pass, leaping Anthony Morelli (31; 2004-07) for 11th all-time at Penn State.
  • Allar combined with Omari Evans on a 55-yard pass in the second quarter, giving him four completions of 20+ yards on the day.
  • In the first quarter, Allar went over the 3,000 career passing yards mark. He owns 3,191 career passing yards.
  • Allar earned his 10th career game with multiple touchdown passes and sixth career game with three or more touchdown passes.
  • He recorded his eighth career 200-yard passing game.

 

Beau Pribula

  • QB Beau Pribula threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Warren in the fourth quarter. Pribula owns five career touchdown passes.

 

Kaytron Allen

  • RB Kaytron Allen hauled in a 20-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. It was his third career receiving touchdown.

 

Nicholas Singleton

  • RB Nicholas Singleton rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per rush.
  • Singleton earned his sixth career 100-yard rushing game.
  • The junior scored on a 40-yard run in the third quarter. It was his 21st career rushing touchdown, ranking 20th all-time at Penn State.
  • He added another 40-yard run in the fourth quarter, giving him 18 career runs of 20+ yards.
  • Singleton added 13 receiving yards and 56 kick return yards to total 183 all-purpose yards.
  • On a 4-yard run in the third quarter, Singleton surpassed 3,000 career all-purpose yards. He is the 21st Penn State player to go over 3,000 career all-purpose yards. Singleton owns 3,051 career yards.

 

Harrison Wallace III

  • WR Harrison Wallace III had a career-high 117 receiving yards on five catches. It was his first career 100-yard receiving game.
  • Wallace had a career-best two touchdown receptions.
  • He hauled in a 50-yard touchdown on the first drive of the second quarter.
  • Wallace added an 18-yard touchdown reception on the final drive of the second quarter.

 

Omari Evans

  • WR Omari Evans made a 55-yard grab in the second quarter to setup a touchdown.

 

Tyler Warren

  • TE Tyler Warren hauled in a 19-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. It was his 12th career touchdown reception.
  • With 12 career receiving touchdowns, Warren is now tied for 16th all-time at Penn State with Parker Washington (12; 2020-21) and Theo Johnson (12; 2020-23). On the day, Warren surpassed Scott Fitzkee (11; 1975-78), Freddie Scott (11; 1993-95), Tony Johnson (11; 2000-03), Jesse James (11; 2012-14), Brenton Strange (11; 2019-22) and KeAndre Lambert-Smith (11; 2020-23).
  • Among Penn State tight ends, Warren’s 12 career receiving touchdowns are tied-third with Johnson. Warren trails only Mike Gesicki (15; 2014-17) and Pat Freiermuth (16; 2018-20).

 

DEFENSE

 

Team

  • Penn State forced three turnovers, including two fumbles and an interception.
  • S Jaylen Reed recovered a fumble in the first quarter for Penn State’s first takeaway of the season.
  • DE Dani Dennis-Sutton recovered a fumble (forced by Smith Vilbert) in the fourth quarter.
  • CB Elliot Washington II added an interception in the fourth quarter.
  • Since 2022, Penn State has forced 53 turnovers (27 interceptions, 26 fumbles).
  • Penn State recorded three or more takeaways in a game for the 11th time since 2022 and forced multiple takeaways in a game for 56th time since 2014.
  • Since 2022, Penn State is 14-0 when forcing multiple takeaways in a game.
  • The Nittany Lions recorded a fourth down stop in the first quarter.
  • Penn State limited West Virginia to 85 rushing yards. Since 2022, PSU has held 20 opponents under 100 rushing yards, most in the FBS.
  • PSU held an opponent under 100 rushing yards for the 59th time since 2014.
  • The Nittany Lions limited the Mountaineers to 246 total yards on 66 plays (3.7 yards per play).
  • Since 2014, Penn State has held opponents under 300 total yards on 60 occasions.
  • Penn State held West Virginia to 161 passing yards, marking the 73rd time holding an opponent under 200 passing yards since 2014.

 

Kevin Winston Jr.

  • S Kevin Winston Jr. tied a career-high with 12 tackles (7 solo). He also had 12 tackles against Michigan in 2023.
  • Winston earned his third career double-digit tackle game.
  • Eight of his 12 tackles came in the first half.
  • The junior registered his first career forced fumble in the first quarter.
  • Winston notched a solo tackle for loss, tying his career high of one tackle for loss in three previous games, last against Michigan State in 2023.

 

Jaylen Reed

  • S Jaylen Reed tallied a career-high nine tackles (3 solo). His previous high was eight tackles against Indiana in 2023.
  • Reed made his first career fumble recovery in the first quarter.
  • The senior recorded a solo tackle for loss in the first quarter. His solo tackle for loss tied a career-high of one tackle for loss in five career games, last against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.
  • Reed owns seven career tackles for loss.
  • Reed notched a career-high two pass breakups.

 

Tony Rojas

  • LB Tony Rojas notched 1.5 tackles for loss, all in the first half, tying his career high of 1.5 tackles for loss against Rutgers in 2023.
  • Rojas finished the game with five tackles (2 solo).
  • The sophomore has five career tackles for loss.

 

Zane Durant

  • DT Zane Durant recorded a solo sack in the third quarter. It was his fourth career sack.
  • He finished the game with 1.5 tackles for loss.
  • Durant has eight career tackles for loss.

 

Dani Dennis-Sutton

  • DE Dani Dennis-Sutton recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter. It was his second career fumble recovery.

 

Smith Vilbert

  • DE Smith Vilbert recorded a strip-sack in the fourth quarter.
  • It was Vilbert’s fourth career sack and first career forced fumble.
  • Vilbert has five career tackles for loss.

 

Dominic DeLuca

 

Elliot Washington II

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

 

Sander Sahaydak

 

Riley Thompson

  • P Riley Thompson averaged 44.0 yards per punt on four punts.
  • Thompson booted a 46-yard punt to the WVU 11 in the third quarter. It was his 44th career punt inside the 20.

 

Nicholas Singleton

  • KR Nicholas Singleton had 56 yards on three kick returns, including a 20-yard return.