UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State visits Michigan State on Saturday for a Big Ten matchup. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Michigan State for the 39th time in program history. The Nittany Lions lead the series, 19-18-1, including 7-11 in road matchups, and have won four of the last five matchups in the series. Penn State is 18-10 against the Spartans as a member of the Big Ten. In 2023 at Ford Field, Penn State picked up a 42-0 win. Drew Allar threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Kaytron Allen posted 137 yards on 15 carries and added a receiving touchdown, while Nicholas Singleton had 118 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The Penn State defense tallied 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks, while holding the Spartans to 53 total yards, -35 rushing yards and five first downs.
LAND GRANT TROPHY: When the Penn State-Michigan State series was renewed with the Nittany Lions' entrance into the Big Ten in 1993, the Land Grant Trophy was established to go to the winner. Penn State-Michigan State was played annually as the teams' regular season finale from 1993-2010, 2014-16 and 2021-23. The Land Grant Trophy honors Penn State's and Michigan State's unique places in history as the two pioneer Land Grant institutions in the United States.
APPROACHING RECORDS: On his ninth carry last Saturday, Kaytron Allen became the career rushing attempts leader at Penn State, passing Evan Royster (686; 2007-10). With 3,613 career rushing yards, Allen is now 319 away from Royster's all-time mark (3,932). With three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) on Saturday, Nicholas Singleton (41 Rushing Touchdowns, 51 Total Touchdowns), continues to close in on Saquon Barkley's all-time marks (43 Rushing Touchdowns, 53 Total Touchdowns). Singleton has joined Barkley as the only Nittany Lions to post 5,000+ all-purpose yards and 50+ touchdowns and became the first Big Ten player to reach those totals since Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor (2017-19).
THE OPPOSITION: Michigan State is 3-6 this season, including an 0-6 mark in Big Ten play. On November 1, at Minnesota, the Spartans fell 23-20. Michigan State posted 467 total yards, including 311 through the air. On the ground, Elijah Tau-Tolliver rushed for 127 yards on 11 carries, while Rodney Bullard Jr. had four catches for 102 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown.
BY THE NUMBERS
5,000 + 50 - With his 50th career touchdown, against Indiana, Nicholas Singleton became the first Big Ten player with 5,000+ all-purpose yards and 50+ touchdowns since Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor (2017-19).
697 - Against Indiana, Kaytron Allen passed Evan Royster (686; 2016-10) for the career rushing attempts record at Penn State. Allen now has 697 attempts.
29th - Penn State and Michigan State will play the 29th Land Grant Trophy game.
4 - Ethan Grunkemeyer had four 20+ yard completions against Indiana.
INDIANA NOTES
- Penn State is now 25-3 all-time against Indiana, including 13-1 in home matchups.
- The Nittany Lions are 8-27 all-time against teams ranked Top 2 in the AP Poll.
- On his ninth carry of the day, RB Kaytron Allen became the career rushing attempts leader at Penn State, passing Evan Royster (686; 2007-10).
- RB Nicholas Singleton tallied 143 all-purpose yards (71 rushing, 22 receiving, 50 kick return) and scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving).
- The Nittany Lions tallied 24 points and 336 total yards against Indiana. The Hoosiers entered the game allowing 10.8 ppg (3rd in FBS) and 248.3 ypg (3rd in FBS).
- Penn State held Indiana to 326 total yards after the Hoosiers entered the game averaging 504.9 yards per game.
- PSU also limited the Hoosiers to 5-of-12 on third down (41.7 percent) after Indiana entered the game leading the country with a 58.2 conversion rate.
SERIES HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN STATE
- Penn State and Michigan State are set to meet for the 39th time with the Nittany Lions leading 19-18-1 in the all-time series.
- Penn State has won four of the last five matchups in the series.
- The Nittany Lions are 18-10 in matchups since joining the Big Ten.
- In 2023, Penn State earned a 42-0 win in Ford Field.
- Drew Allar threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns, connecting on touchdown passes to Kaytron Allen and Theo Johnson.
- Allen rushed for 137 yards on 15 carries, while Nicholas Singleton tallied 118 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
- Beau Pribula added a passing and a rushing score.
- On defense, the Nittany Lions collected 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks, led by two sacks by Abdul Carter, and got an interception by Jaylen Reed.
- Penn State limited Michigan State to 53 total yards, including -35 rushing yards, and just five first downs.
WINNER CLAIMS LAND GRANT TROPHY
- When the Penn State-Michigan State series was renewed with the Nittany Lions’ entrance into the Big Ten in 1993, the Land Grant Trophy was established to go to the winner in what was each school’s annual season finale from 1993-2010, 2014-16 and 2021-23.
- The Land Grant Trophy honors Penn State’s and Michigan State’s unique places in history as the two pioneer Land Grant institutions in the United States.
- Each school was founded in 1855, Michigan State on Feb. 12 and Penn State on Feb. 22. The schools were the prototypes after which the Land Grant system was patterned.
- Each institution brought to American education the new dimensions of service and outreach in addition to education and research.
- The Land Grant Trophy joins the Governor’s Victory Bell, presented to the Penn State-Minnesota victor, as the other trophy the Nittany Lions play for in Big Ten competition.
- Penn State holds a 18-10 advantage in Land Grant Trophy games.