UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State welcomes Purdue to West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. on Big Ten Network. The 2026 Penn State Football season is presented by PSECU.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State battles Purdue for the 22nd time in program history. The Nittany Lions hold a 17-3-1 advantage in the series, including 9-1-1 in home games. Penn State has won 11-straight games in the series, dating back to 2005. In 2024, PSU earned a 49-10 win in West Lafayette. Tyler Warren caught eight passes for 127 yards and a 15-yard touchdown, while adding a 48-yard rushing score. Drew Allar threw for three touchdowns.
SOWELL SHINING: Chase Sowell had a breakout performance at Michigan with a career-high 11 receptions for a career-best 151 yards. Seven of his 11 catches went for first downs, while he had grabs of 24 (TD), 26 and 26 yards. On the season, Sowell has 14 catches of 15+ yards, nine catches of 20+ yards and six catches of 25+ yards. Sowell has 25 catches for first downs this season, accounting for 74% of his receptions, which is the eighth-best first down percentage among receivers with 30+ catches this year. Sowell has 26 catches for 384 yards and two touchdowns in four Big Ten games this season.
MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICANS: A trio of Nittany Lions picked up midseason All-American recognitions. Cornerback Audavion Collins was tabbed a first-team midseason All-American by Sports Illustrated. He ranks ninth in the country with eight pass breakups and, according to PFF, has allowed just four completions in 2026, the least completions allowed among cornerbacks with 150+ coverage snaps this season. Collins has allowed just seven yards per reception. Linebacker Tony Rojas was named a first-team midseason All-American by On3 and a second-team selection by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated. He leads PSU with 56 tackles, 29 solo tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. Cornerback Josiah Zayas was selected a midseason True Freshman All-American by On3. He has recorded two interceptions (one touchdown return) and one fumble recovery this season.
THE OPPOSITION: Purdue is 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten this season. The Boilermakers are coming off a bye week after falling 38-26 against Washington on October 16. The Boilermakers totaled 371 yards, including 273 passing yards. Ryan Browne threw for 273 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score. Asaad Waseem hauled in nine catches for 116 yards. Antonio Harris led the ground game with 65 yards, including a 59-yard rush and a 1-yard touchdown. Purdue's defense forced five takeaways with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
151 - Chase Sowell set a career high with 151 receiving yards against Michigan. He had a pair of 26-yard receptions to go with a 24-yard touchdown catch. He has nine 20+ yard catches this year.
100 - Penn State's defense has forced 100 takeaways since 2022. It is the third-most among Power 4 teams in that span. PSU forced two takeaways against Michigan with interceptions by Zion Tracy and Josiah Zayas.
20 - Penn State has played 20 previous games on Halloween. The Nittany Lions hold an 11-8-1 record dating back to 1888. PSU last played on Halloween in 2020 against Ohio State.
10 x 3 - Tony Rojas posted double-digit tackles in three-straight games with 12 at Northwestern, 10 against USC and 12 at Michigan. He's the first Nittany Lion since Micah Parsons in 2019 with 10+ tackles in three-straight games.
4 - According to PFF, Audavion Collins has allowed just four completions in 2026. That is the least completions allowed among cornerbacks with 150+ coverage snaps this season.
SERIES HISTORY VS. PURDUE
- Penn State meets Purdue for the 22nd time in program history.
- The Nittany Lions lead 17-3-1 in the all-time series, including 9-1-1 in home games.
- Penn State has won 11-straight games in the series, dating back to 2005.
- In 2024, the Nittany Lions earned a 49-10 win in West Lafayette.
- Drew Allar threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, while Beau Pribula added a passing and a rushing touchdown.
- The Nittany Lions rushed for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including a 49-yard touchdown rush by Pribula and a 48-yard touchdown rush by Tyler Warren.
- Warren added eight catches for 127 yards and a 15-yard touchdown.
- Penn State tallied nine tackles for loss and three sacks, including two tackles for loss and one sack by Dani Dennis-Sutton.
MICHIGAN NOTES
- Five of the last eight matchups have been decided by 10 or less points.
- WR Chase Sowell hauled in a career-high 11 receptions. He became the first PSU receiver to catch 10 passes since Parker Washington, who caught 11 against Ohio State in the 2022 season. He was the first Penn State player with 10+ receptions in a single game since Tyler Warren caught 17 passes against USC in 2024.
- His 151 receiving yards are also a career high.
- He caught a 24-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and added a pair of 26-yard catches
- TE Andrew Rappleyea tied a career high with seven receptions. The Nittany Lions held Michigan scoreless in the first half. Penn State’s defense has posted three shutout halves this season.
- CB Zion Tracy intercepted a pass in the second quarter, helped by a key pass breakup by CB Jahmir Joseph.
- CB Josiah Zayas picked off a pass late in the second quarter, on a one-handed grab.
- Penn State held Michigan to 90 passing yards.
MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICANS
- A trio of Nittany Lions have been selected to midseason All-America teams.
- LB Tony Rojas was tabbed a second-team midseason All-American by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated and first-team by On3.
- Rojas leads Penn State this season with 56 tackles, 29 solo tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions.
- He is the only player in the FBS with 10.5+ tackles for loss and 2+ interceptions this season.
- CB Audavion Collins was named a midseason first-team All-American by Sports Illustrated.
- Collins sits ninth in the FBS with eight pass breakups this season.
- According to PFF, Collins has allowed just four completions on 15 targets this season. Collins' four completions allowed are the least among cornerbacks with 150 coverage snaps this season.
- He has allowed just seven yards per reception.
- CB Josiah Zayas was tabbed a first-team midseason True Freshman All-American by On3.
- After starting PSU's season opener as a true freshman, Zayas has posted 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
- Zayas recorded two tackles for loss against Marshall and recovered a fumble against Northwestern.
- He picked off a pass against Wisconsin and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown and made an interception on a one-handed grab at Michigan.