10/30/21 – 7:30 P.M.
GAME #7
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Stadium (104,944)
Series: Ohio State Leads, 22-14
Last Meeting: Ohio State, 38-25
October 31, 2020 – Beaver Stadium
907 WINS (8th in Nation)
50 BOWL GAMES (T-9th in Nation)
30 BOWL WINS (T-4th in Nation)
101 FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
ABC TV TALENT & PENN STATE RADIO NETWORK
PxP: Chris Fowler
Analyst: Kirk Herbstreit
Sideline: Holly Rowe
PxP: Steve Jones
Analyst: Jack Ham
Sideline: Brian Tripp
Local: 99.5 & 103.7 FM/1450 AM
Web: GoPSUsports.com
Sirius/XM/Internet: 83/83/83
BY THE NUMBERS
38
Penn State held Illinois to just 38 passing yards, on 21 attempts, its
14th time holding an opponent under 100 passing yards since 2014
13
The Nittany Lions have forced a turnover in 13-straight games,
dating back to the Nebraska game in 2020.
10+
Ji’Ayir Brown (13), Ellis Brooks (11) and Arnold Ebiketie (10) all
recorded double-digit tackles against Illinois
9
Penn State’s nine-overtime game against Illinois set an NCAA record
for most overtimes in any game
20/17 PENN STATE
NITTANY LIONS
5-2, 2-2 Big Ten
H: 4-1, A: 1-1, N: 0-0
Head Coach:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Franklin (East Stroudsburg ’95)
Record at Penn State (8th season):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65-30 (.684)
Career Record (11th season):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89-45 (.664)
vs. Ohio State:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
5/5 OHIO STATE
BUCKEYES
6-1, 4-0 Big Ten
H: 3-1, A: 3-0, N: 0-0
Head Coach:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Day (New Hampshire, ‘02)
Record at Ohio State (3rd season):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29-3 (.906)
Career Record (3rd season):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29-3 (.906)
vs. Penn State:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-0
INSIDE THE GAME
PENN STATE VISITS OHIO STATE FOR PRIME-TIME MATCHUP
• OPENING KICK: No. 20/17 Penn State takes on No. 5/5 Ohio State on Saturday in Ohio Stadium. Kickoff
is set for 7:30 p.m. on ABC. The 2021 season is presented by PSECU.
• SERIES HISTORY: The Nittany Lions will meet Ohio State for the 37th matchup. Three of the last five
matchups have been decided by three or less points. In 2020, Penn State fell 38-25 in Beaver Stadium.
Sean Clifford threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns. All three scores were caught by Jahan Dotson,
who finished the game with eight receptions for 144 yards. Ellis Brooks led the PSU defense with 11
tackles and one tackle for loss.
• RED ZONE BATTLE:Saturday’s game will feature the Big Ten’s best red zone defense against its best red
zone offense. Penn State leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh in the country allowing a 65.2 conversion
rate in the red zone and holding opponents scoreless eight times, tied for the nation’s best. Ohio State
paces the conference and holds sixth in the nation with a 96.6 conversion rate including 23 touchdowns
in 29 trips.
• MORE TAKEAWAYS: The Nittany Lions forced three takeaways against Illinois. Curtis Jacobs recorded
an interception in the first quarter, Brandon Smith forced a fumble in the second quarter and Derrick
Tangelo and Nick Tarburton worked to force another fumble in the third quarter. Penn State has forced a
turnover in 13-straight games (20 total takeaways) dating back to the 2020 season.
• LONG RECEPTIONS: Jahan Dotson, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Parker Washington have combined
for 18 catches of 20-plus yards this season. Dotson leads the group with eight 20-plus yard catches,
including a 36-yard grab against Illinois. Washington has six 20-plus yard receptions, while LambertSmith has four, including a 42-yard touchdown against the Illini. Dotson has caught at least one 20-yard
pass in 24 career games.
• THE OPPOSITION: Ohio State is coming off a 54-7 win over Indiana last Saturday. The Buckeyes tallied
539 yards, including 382 through the air. C.J. Stroud completed 21-of-28 passes for 266 yards and four
touchdowns. TreVeyon Henderson scored three touchdowns, two rushing and one receiving, while
rushing for 81 yards. The Buckeyes recorded 14 tackles for loss as they held Indiana to 128 total yards.
PROGRAM NOTES
RECENT SUCCESS
Since 2016, Penn State holds a .739 winning percentage, with a
record of 51-18, the seventh-best winning percentage among Power
Five programs. Penn State has won at least nine games in four of the
last five seasons, one of eight FBS programs to accomplish the feat.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
A total of 509 of Penn State football student-athletes, including 29
in 2020, have earned Academic All-Big Ten honors since 1993 for
owning at least a 3.0 grade point average and being a letterwinner.
ONE OF NATION’S TOUGHEST HOME
VENUES
Penn State owns a superlative 303-78 (.795) record inside Beaver
Stadium, the nation’s second-largest facility, which opened in 1960
and has a capacity of 106,572. The Nittany Lions are 32-6 in Beaver
Stadium since 2016, an .842 winning percentage, the seventh-best
home record among Power Five teams.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
OCT. 30
RECORD: 9-6
STREAK: W, 1
Year Site Result
1897 A Cornell 45, Penn State 0
1915 A Harvard 13, Penn State 0
1920 A Penn State 28, Penn 7
1926 H Penn Satte 20, George Washington 12
1937 A Syracuse 19, Penn State 13
1948 A No. 12 Penn State 32, Colgate 13
1954 A Penn State 35, Penn 13
Year Site Result
1965 A Cal 21, Penn State 17
1971 A No. 6 Penn State 35, West Virginia 7
1976 A Penn State 31, Temple 30
1982 A No. 8 Penn State 52, Boston College 17
1993 A No. 3 Ohio State 24, No. 12 Penn State 6
1999 A No. 2 Penn State 27, Illinois 7
2004 A Ohio State 21, Penn State 10
2010 H Penn State 41, Michigan 31
HEAD COACH JAMES FRANKLIN
CAREER AT A GLANCE
• Franklin was named the 16th head football coach in the storied history of the Nittany Lion program on January 11, 2014.
• Franklin is one of six current FBS head coaches to lead his teams to a bowl game in each of his first nine seasons as a head coach.
• Franklin is one of three current Big Ten coaches (Ryan Day, Kirk Ferentz) to have won a Big Ten Championship.
• He owns an 89-45 career record with a winning record in eight of his nine seasons at the helm.
• Franklin has led his teams to three Top 10 finishes (3 at Penn State) and six Top 25 finishes (2 at Vanderbilt; 4 at Penn State).
• In the last five seasons, Penn State is one of six teams to rank in the top 12 of the CFP final rankings at least four times.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led the Nittany Lions to three New Year’s Six bowls – 2016 (Rose), 2017 (Fiesta) and 2019 (Cotton), making Penn
State one of eight teams to accomplish the feat during the four-year span. Penn State last went to three New Year’s Six bowls in four years in
1980-83 (1980 Fiesta, 1982 Fiesta ,1983 Sugar).
• Franklin guided Penn State to back-to-back New Year’s Six bowls in 2016 (Rose) and 2017 (Fiesta) for the first time since 1985 (Orange) and
1986 (Fiesta).
• From in 2016-19, Franklin led Penn State to 42 wins, the most in program history for the Big Ten era, and 28 league wins, a program record.
• Franklin has 26 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and NFL level.
• In his first 10 years as a head coach, Franklin mentored 82 players who have gone on to the NFL ranks.
• Since 2016, the Nittany Lions have had 29 players selected in the NFL Draft. With six selections in 2021, Penn State is one of five programs to
produce at least five draft picks in each of the last four NFL Drafts.
• Franklin has secured top-25 recruiting classes each of his last nine seasons, including a top-5 class at Penn State in 2018.
• Franklin is second all-time in winning percentage by an FBS African American head coach (minimum 80 wins) and is third in total wins.
NITTANY LIONS ON THE FIELD
• In 2020, with Franklin’s emphasis on safety, along with the precautions set by him, the coaching staff, medical staff and support staff, Penn
State was one of only two Big Ten teams to play all nine of its scheduled games during a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the emergence of young skill players on offense, true freshmen accounted for 1,486 of Penn State’s 3,873 total yards (38 percent),
marking a school record for most combined scrimmage yards by true freshmen in a single season.
• Penn State earned its third 11-win season in four years with an 11-2 record in 2019, including a win over No. 17 Memphis in the Goodyear
Cotton Bowl Classic. The Nittany Lions posted their fourth-straight top 12 finish in the final CFP rankings, coming in 10th, and were ranked
ninth in the final Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls to earn their 25th AP Top 10 finish. Franklin was a finalist for the Paul “Bear”
Bryant National Coach of the Year award for the second time at Penn State (2016) and third time in his head coaching career.
• In 2018, the Nittany Lions posted their third-straight season with at least nine wins with a 9-4 overall record, earning a berth in the VRBO
Citrus Bowl. Penn State finished No. 12 in the final CFP rankings and No. 17 in the Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls.
• Penn State climbed as high as No. 2 in the rankings in 2017 and appeared in a second-straight New Year’s Six bowl, earning a 35-28 win
over No. 11 Washington in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. At 11-2, the Nittany Lions earned back-to-back 11-win seasons for the fifth time in
program history and first time since 2008 and 2009. Penn State finished the season No. 8 in the Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls
and No. 9 in the final CFP rankings.
• Penn State surged in 2016, winning nine consecutive games en route to the Big Ten Championship, a Rose Bowl berth and an 11-3 overall
record. Penn State finished the season ranked No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings and No. 7 in the Associated Press and Amway
Coaches polls. It was Penn State’s highest finish in the polls since 2005.The Lions claimed their fourth overall Big Ten Championship and first
outright title since 1994 with a thrilling, 38-31 comeback win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game. Franklin was honored as
Sporting News National Coach of the Year and the Woody Hayes National Coach of the Year, as well as the Dave McLain Big Ten Coach of the
Year and Associated Press Big Ten Coach of the Year.
• Franklin guided the Nittany Lions to a 7-6 record in 2015 and a berth in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
• Franklin’s first season in 2014 was bookended with a pair of thrilling victories for the Nittany Lions. It began with a final-play 26-24 victory
over UCF in Dublin, Ireland, in Penn State’s first-ever international game and ended with a comeback, a 31-30 overtime win over Boston
College in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium. Franklin became just the third Penn State coach to lead the team to at least seven
wins in his first season, joining Dick Harlow (1915) and Bill O’Brien (2012), and he guided the Nittany Lions to a 4-0 start, joining Harlow as
the only first-year Penn State coaches to win their initial four games.
NITTANY LIONS IN THE CLASSROOM
• A program-record nine Nittany Lions were named 2019-20 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
• The Nittany Lions posted their first 1,000 single-year APR in program history in 2018-19, topping the previous high of 993 in 2014-15.
• Punter Blake Gillikin took home CoSIDA Academic All-America® first-team honors in 2019 for the second-straight year to become the 12th
two-time first-team selection in Penn State history. He graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in May. Gillikin’s two first-team
CoSIDA Academic All-America honors increase Penn State football’s total to 67 honorees, which ranks second in Division I football history.
• Trace McSorley was selected as a 2018 National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, known as
the “Academic Heisman.” He was the 18th Nittany Lion to be selected as an NFF Scholar-Athlete.
• The Nittany Lions had a program-record 35 student-athletes claim Academic All-Big Ten honors in the fall of 2017.
• Tyler Yazujian collected a berth on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team in 2016 after an appearance on the second team in 2015.
NITTANY LIONS IN THE COMMUNITY
• The Nittany Lions are active in the community, participating in activities such as Uplifting Athletes, THON, Pennsylvania Special Olympics
Summer Games, State College Area Food Bank and Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital visits.
• On June 15, 2020, Franklin was named to the Big Ten Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition.
• As part of the Cotton Bowl festivities in 2019, Franklin and his family made a $10,000 financial commitment to the Dallas Children’s Hospital.
• In August 2019, Franklin was named a Penn State University Renaissance Fund honoree, which awards outstanding community members
for helping students in need.
TEAM NOTES
IN THE POLLS
• Penn State sits No. 20 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the USA Today/
AFCA Coaches Poll.
• Penn State is one of five Big Ten teams in the Top 20 in the AP
Poll, including No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Michigan, No. 8 Michigan
State and No. 9 Iowa.
• The Nittany Lions own two wins over Top 25 teams this season,
defeating No. 12/15 Wisconsin (16-10) and No. 22/20 Auburn
(28-20).
NITTANY LIONS FROM OHIO
• QB Sean Clifford – Cincinnati/St. Xavier
• WR Liam Clifford – Maineville/St. Xavier
• DT Aeneas Hawkins – Cincinnati/Moeller
• OL Juice Scruggs – Ashtabula/Cathedral Prep (Pa.)
• OL Mike Miranda – Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls
• SN Chris Stoll – Westerville/St. Francis DeSales
OHIO STATE CONNECTIONS
• Penn State junior RB Noah Cain and Ohio State graduate
student CB Marcus Williamson, redshirt freshman CB Lejond
Cavazos and junior DT Taron Vincent all played at IMG Academy
in Florida.
• Penn State redshirt sophomore QB Ta’Quan Roberson and
Ohio State sophomore S Ronnie Hickman both played at DePaul
Catholic High School in New Jersey.
• Penn State redshirt freshman SN Michael Wright and Ohio
State sophomore LB Steele Chambers both played at Roswell
High School in Georgia.
• Penn State redshirt freshman DT Amin Vanover and redshirt
sophomore DE Smith Vilbert and Ohio State redshirt freshman
OL Luke Wypler all played at St. Joseph’s Regional High School
in New Jersey.
• Penn State freshman P Gabe Nwosu, senior DT Derrick
Tangelo and freshman QB Christian Veilleux and Ohio State
sophomore S Bryson Shaw all played at The Bullis School in
Maryland.
• Penn State freshman OL Landon Tengwall and Ohio State
redshirt freshman LB Mitchell Melton both played at Good
Counsel High School in Maryland.
• Penn State redshirt senior SN Chris Stoll and Ohio State senior
K Dominic DiMaccio both played at St. Francis DeSales High
School in Ohio.
• Penn State redshirt junior WR Henry Fessler is the brother
of Ohio State graduate assistant Billy Fessler. The older Fessler
played quarterback at Penn State from 2014-18.
• Penn State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike
Yurcich served as Ohio State’s passing game coordinator/
quarterbacks coach in 2019.
• Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and Ohio State
head coach Ryan Day coached together at Boston College in
2013-14. Trautwein was a graduate assistant, while Day was
the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
• Day was a graduate assistant at Florida in 2005 while Trautwein
was a sophomore on the team.
• Trautwein and Ohio State linebackers coach Al Washington
coached together at Boston College from 2013-15. Washington
was the running backs coach.
• Trautwein and Ohio State offensive analyst Todd Fitch coached
together at Boston College from 2013-14. Fitch was the wide
receivers coach/passing game coordinator.
• Trautwein and Ohio State quality control-special teams coach
Ricky Brown coached together at Boston College from 2018-
- Trautwein was the offensive line coach and Brown was the
special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
• Penn State defensive line coach John Scott Jr. and Ohio State
defensive analyst Paul Rhoads coached together at Arkansas in - Scott was the defensive line coach and Rhoads was the
defensive coordinator.
• Ohio State assistant head coach/defensive line coach Larry
Johnson Sr. coached at Penn State from 1996-2013, serving as
defensive ends coach/special teams coordinator from 1996-99
and defensive line coach from 2000-13.
OVERTIME OVER TIME
• College football introduced overtime during the bowl season
in 1995 and adopted it for regular season games in 1996. Since
then, Penn State has played 15 overtime games, including six
over the 2012-14 seasons.
• Ten of the 15 overtime tilts have come at home, three in true
road games, one in the 2006 Orange Bowl and one in the 2014
Pinstripe Bowl.
• Penn State is 8-7 all-time in overtime games, with a 5-5 record
at Beaver Stadium, 1-2 mark in true road games and 2-0 in
contests at a neutral site.
• Penn State’s first two overtime contests came vs. Iowa in 2000
and 2002 at home. The Nittany Lions dropped their first three
contests that went to the extra period, but won five straight
overtime contests before falling to Nebraska on Nov. 23, 2013.
• Penn State’s 20-18 nine-overtime setback against Illinois on
October 23, 2021 is the longest overtime game in NCAA history,
across all divisions.
• The nine overtimes against Illinois came under the current
overtime format, adopted in 2021, which includes teams
trading 2-point conversion attempts beginning in the third
overtime.
• Penn State’s longest game under the previous overtime format
was a four-overtime win over Michigan (43-40) in 2013.
• Penn State’s all-time overtime games:
Date Opponent Score
11/4/00 IOWA (2OT) L, 23-26
9/28/02 IOWA L, 35-42
10/12/02 at Michigan L, 24-27
1/3/06 vs. Florida State (3OT) 1 W, 26-23
10/7/06 at Minnesota W, 28-27
11/24/12 WISCONSIN W, 24-21
10/12/13 MICHIGAN (4OT) W, 43-40
11/2/13 ILLINOIS W, 24-17
11/23/13 NEBRASKA L, 20-23
10/25/14 OHIO STATE (2OT) L, 24-31
12/27/14 vs. Boston College 2 W, 31-30
10/2/16 MINNESOTA W, 29-26
9/1/18 APPALACHIAN STATE W, 45-38
10/24/20 at Indiana L, 35-36
10/23/21 Illinois (9OT) L, 18-20
1 – Orange Bowl, 2 – Pinstripe Bowl
HOME SWEET HOME
• With a 303-78 all-time record in Beaver Stadium, Penn State
owns the sixth-best winning percentage (.795) in its current
home venue amongst current FBS schools and leads the Big Ten.
• Only Alabama (.836) and Oklahoma (.815) have higher winning
percentages in facilities older than Beaver Stadium.
School Stadium Name (Opened) Rec Win %
- Alabama Bryant-Denny Stadium (1929) 281-54-3 .836
- Ga. Southern Paulson Stadium (1984) 205-44 .823
- Boise State Albertsons Stadium (1970) 275-59 .821
- Marshall Joan C. Edwards Stadium (1991) 172-38 .819
- Oklahoma Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stad. (1923) 411-87-15 .816
- Penn State Beaver Stadium (1960) 303-78 .795
- Auburn Jordan-Hare Stadium (1939) 337-86-7 .792
- Ohio State Ohio Stadium (1922) 456-113-20 .791
- Georgia Sanford Stadium (1929) 365-107-9 .768
- Tennessee Neyland Stadium (1921) 476-140-17 .765
HISTORIC SERIES
• The Nittany Lions have played 21 teams 20 or more times in the
135-year history of the program.
• Penn State owns a winning record against 16 of the 21 teams
that it has met 20 or more times.
• Nine of the 21 teams are on the 2021 schedule, including
Wisconsin (20), Indiana (25), Iowa (31), Illinois (26), Ohio State
(36), Maryland (44), Michigan (24), Rutgers (31) and Michigan
State (35).
• Sixteen of the 21 programs are currently members of NCAA
Division I FBS. Bucknell, Lehigh and Penn are in NCAA Division
I FCS, while Gettysburg and Lebanon Valley are in Division III.
Team Meetings Record
Pittsburgh 100 53-43-4
Syracuse 71 43-23-5
West Virginia 59 48-9-2
Penn ^ 47 18-25-4
Temple 45 40-4-1
Maryland * 44 40-3-1
Bucknell ^ 38 28-10
Navy 38 19-17-2
Ohio State * 36 14-22
Michigan State * 35 17-17-1
Rutgers * 31 29-2
Iowa * 31 17-14
Gettysburg ^ 28 27-0-1
Army 26 14-10-2
Illinois * 26 20-6
Indiana * 25 23-2
Michigan * 24 10-14
Boston College 24 20-4
Lehigh ^ 23 16-6-1
Wisconsin* 20 11-9
Lebanon Valley ^ 20 20-0
- – Current Big Ten team | ^ – Current Non-FBS university
STREAKING
• Penn State has won 14 consecutive games against teams that
are not members of a Power Five conference.
• Penn State has won 13 consecutive games over non-conference
opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over
Temple in 2016.
• Penn State has won 19-straight non-conference home games,
dating back to a win over Kent State in 2013.
NATIONAL AUDIENCE
• Penn State is annually one of the most watched teams in college
football.
• The Nittany Lions’ game at Iowa, on FOX, drew 6.904 million
viewers, the second-most watched game on October 9.
• Penn State’s win over Auburn, on ABC, drew an audience of
7.606 million viewers.
• It was the second-highest viewed game on September 18 and
the sixth-highest viewed game of the 2021 season.
• The Nittany Lions’ opening week win over Wisconsin, on FOX,
drew an audience of 5.409 million viewers.
• The Wisconsin game was the third-highest viewed game on
September 4.
LIONS UNDER THE LIGHTS
• The 2021 season marks the 21st-straight with at least one
regular-season night game on the schedule.
• Penn State is 57-32 at night all-time. The figure breaks down
to 18-11 at home, 27-14 on the road and 12-7 in neutral site
games. Penn State is 1-1 at regular season neutral sites, 11-6 in
bowl games and 1-0 in conference championship games.
• In 2019, Penn State played its most regular season night games
in program history with four primetime tilts.
• On Oct. 12, 2013, the Lions claimed the longest game in Big
Ten history when they edged Michigan under the lights, 43-40,
in four overtimes in front of a sellout Beaver Stadium crowd of
107,844 on Homecoming.
WELCOME TO THE GAME
• DT Coziah Izzard made his first career start against Illinois
• WR Malick Meiga made his collegiate debut against Illinois.
• Redshirt sophomore CB Daequan Hardy made his first career
start against Indiana.
• Freshman CB Zakee Wheatley and WR Jaden Dottin made
their collegiate debuts against Villanova.
• Transfer RB John Lovett made his Penn State debut against
Auburn.
• OL Eric Wilson made his first start at Penn State against Ball
State.
• Five Nittany Lions made their first career collegiate start against
Wisconsin: S Ji’Ayir Brown, LB Curtis Jacobs, OL Juice
Scruggs, DE Nick Tarburton and OL Anthony Whigan.
• DE Arnold Ebiketie and DT Derrick Tangelo made their first
start at Penn State against Wisconsin.
• LB Jamari Buddin, LB Dominic DeLuca, OL Olumuyiwa
Fashanu, LB Kobe King, DT Fatorma Mulbah, S Jaylen
Reed, QB Mason Stahl, DT Jordan van den Berg and WR
Harrison Wallace III made their collegiate debuts against Ball
State.
• Freshman CB Kaleb Brown, freshman CB Kalen King and
redshirt freshman OL Nick Dawkins made their collegiate
debuts against Wisconsin.
• Eight true freshmen have made their PSU debuts this season:
Brown, Buddin, DeLuca, Kalen King, Kobe King, Reed, Wallace
III and Wheatley.
• Transfers CB Johnny Dixon, Ebiketie, WR Winston Eubanks,
CB A.J. Lytton, Tangelo and Wilson made their Penn State
debuts against the Badgers.
TEAM NOTES
A GLOBAL GAME
• The Nittany Lions’ roster includes 10 players with hometowns
outside of the U.S.
• Redshirt senior P Barney Amor is from Gilly, Switzerland.
• Redshirt sophomore DT Joseph Appiah Darkwa (North RhineWestphalia) and freshman WR Jan Mahlert (Fürstenfeldbruck)
are both from Germany.
• Sophomore TE Theo Johnson (Windsor, Ont.), freshman S
Frederik Lesieur (Montreal), senior DE/LB Jesse Luketa
(Ottawa), redshirt freshman WR Malick Meiga (Saint Jerome,
QC), redshirt senior S Jonathan Sutherland (Ottawa) and
freshman QB Christian Veilleux (Ottawa) are all Canada
natives.
• Sophomore DT Jordan van den Berg is from Johannesburg,
South Africa.
FAMILY AFFAIR
• Penn Staters know that it is very common for generations of
families to all attend Penn State. For a fortunate few, immediate
family members are also able to follow in a brother, father or
grandfather’s footsteps on the Penn State football team.
• Two sons of Penn State lettermen are on the 2021 team.
Father (Letters) Son (Class)
Brian Chizmar (1986-89) Max Chizmar (R-Sr.)
Bruce Ellis (1973-76) Keaton Ellis (Jr.)
• Three pairs of brothers are currently represented.
Older (Years/Class) Younger (Class)
Max Chizmar (2017-pres.; R-Sr.) Ben Chizmar (Fr.)
Sean Clifford (2018-pres.; R-Sr.) Liam Clifford (Fr.)
Kalen King (2021-pres; Fr.) (Twins) Kobe King (Fr.)
URSCHEL ON CFP SELECTION
COMMITTEE
• John Urschel, a former All-American lineman at Penn State, is
in the second year of a three-year term on the CFP Selection
Committee.
• Urschel was also a two-time All-Big Ten performer and a 4.0
GPA student at Penn State University. The Baltimore Ravens
drafted him in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He retired
after three seasons with the Ravens and enrolled at MIT to
pursue a Ph.D. in applied mathematics, which he completed in
2021, which he began work on in January 2016 while he was
still playing for the Ravens.
• Urschel earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 2012 (in
less than three years) and a master’s in mathematics a year later
(again with a 4.0). During the spring 2013 semester, Urschel
taught a section of trigonometry and analytic geometry to Penn
State undergraduate students three days a week in addition
to his own academic and football responsibilities. He won the
Sullivan Award, given to the most outstanding amateur athlete
in the country, in 2013. A two-time Academic All-American, he
also won the 2013 Campbell Trophy, which recognizes college
football’s top scholar-athlete.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
• The Nittany Lions had 29 players selected as Academic All-Big Ten
in Fall 2020.
• A program-record nine Nitany Lions were named 2019-20 Big Ten
Distinguished Scholars.
• Penn State posted its first 1,000 single-year APR in program history
in 2018-19, topping the previous high of 993 in 2014-15.
• In 2019, punter Blake Gillikin took home CoSIDA Academic AllAmerica® first-team honors for the second-straight year to become
the 12th two-time first-team selection in Penn State history. He
graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in May 2020.
• Gillikin’s two first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors
increase Penn State football’s total to 67 honorees, which ranks
second in Division I football history (FBS and FCS).
• Trace McSorley was selected as a 2018 National Football
Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Campbell
Trophy, known as the “Academic Heisman.” He was the 18th Nittany
Lion to be selected as an NFF Scholar-Athlete.
DEGREES ON THE WALL
• The Nittany Lions have 13 Penn State graduates on the roster:
Ellis Brooks (psychology), Tariq Castro-Fields (sociology),
Max Chizmar (corporate innovation & entrepreneurship),
Sean Clifford (advertising/public relations), Fred Hansard
(journalism), Drew Harlaub (Telecommunications), Des
Holmes (broadcast journalism), Jesse Luketa (criminology),
Mike Miranda (media studies), Chris Stoll (kinesiology),
Jordan Stout (telecommunications), Cam Sullivan-Brown
(journalism), Jonathan Sutherland (labor and employment
relations), Justin Weller (finance, masters in real estate analysis
and development) and Anthony Whigan (Recreation, Parks and
Tourism Management).
• Brooks and Clifford are working on a second degree in journalism.
Hansard and Holmes are working on a second degree in media
studies. Luketa is working on a second degree in sociology.
Stoll is working on a second degree in health policy and
administration. Sullivan-Brown is working on a second degree in
telecommunications.
• Sutherland is pursuing a master’s degree in international affairs.
Barney Amor, Arnold Ebiketie, Winston Eubanks and Derrick
Tangelo joined the Nittany Lions after graduating from their
previous schools.
2021 CAPTAINS
• Penn State football head coach James Franklin announced
redshirt seniors QB Sean Clifford, S Jonathan Sutherland
and K/P Jordan Stout, seniors S Jaquan Brisker and DT PJ
Mustipher and redshirt junior OL Rasheed Walker have been
named team captains for the 2021 season.
• Clifford and Sutherland are captains for the third-straight season,
the only three-time captains in program history
Sean Clifford is 121 yards shy of 6,500 career passing yards.
… is 242 yards shy of 7,500 career total offense yards.
… is 121 yards shy of 1,000 career rushing yards.
• Winston Eubanks is 145 yards shy of 3,000 career receiving yards.
• John Lovett is 81 yards shy of 2,000 career rushing yards.
• Brandon Smith is 5 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
• Jonathan Sutherland is 10 tackles shy of 100 career tackles.
• Parker Washington is 137 yards shy of 1,000 career receiving
yards.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
Since the start of the 2016 season, Penn State’s offense is second
in the Big Ten in touchdown percentage (32.1; 15th nationally),
points per possession (2.19; 18th), scoring offense (34.1; 18th),
yards per pass attempt (8.02; 21st), yards per play (6.1; 27th)
and total offense (421.9; 38th) and is third in scoring percentage
(40.98; 19th).
• Penn State’s offense has been explosive since the 2016
campaign, as it leads the Big Ten in 70-plus yard play percentage
(0.42 percent; 8th nationally) and 80-plus (0.21; 3rd), ranks
second in 20-plus (8.04; 11th), 40-plus (2.12; 13th) and 50-plus
(1.04; 28th) and holds third in 30-plus (3.68; 20th) and 60-plus
(0.56; 26th).
• Additionally, the Nittany Lions are second in the Big Ten and
13th nationally in 15-plus yard passing play percentage since
2016 (19.85 percent).
• Penn State has gained 200 or more rushing yards 33 times in the
James Franklin era. Penn State is 28-5 in those games.
• PSU has rushed for over 200 yards in at least four games in each
of the last five seasons (2016-20).
• Sean Clifford has connected with Jahan Dotson for 18
passing touchdowns in their careers.
• With two Clifford-to-Dotson touchdowns against Indiana, the
duo passed Todd Blackledge and Kenny Jackson (17; 1980-82)
for the most by a Penn State QB-WR duo.
• Clifford and Dotson are tied for the most passing touchdowns
of any current FBS duo with Iowa State’s Brock Purdy-Charlie
Kolar (18).
• In 2021, Dotson (49 rec, 552 yards, 6 TD) and Parker
Washington (32, 374, 2) are one of five receiver duos with at
least 32 receptions and 350 receiving yards among Power Five
teams through their first seven games of the season.
• Dating back to the second half at Wisconsin, Penn State scored in
21 consecutive quarters until the fourth quarter at Iowa.
• Against Indiana, Penn State scored on a 9-play, 96-yard drive in
the second quarter. It is Penn State’s longest drive, by yards, this
season. The 96-yard drive is Penn State’s longest drive, by yards,
since a 98-yard drive against Maryland in 2020.
• Dotson completed a 21-yard pass to Washington in the fourth
quarter against Indiana. Dotson has completed 2-of-2 passing
attempts this season. The other was a 22-yard pass to TE Tyler
Warren against Auburn.
• Against Villanova, Penn State had three receivers with 80 or
more receiving yards (Parker Washington, 148; Jahan Dotson,
117; KeAndre Lambert-Smith, 83) for the first time since 2017
at Michigan State (DaeSean Hamilton 112; DeAndre Thompkins,
102; Mike Gesicki, 89).
• The Nittany Lions’ 429 passing yards against Villanova mark the
second-highest total in school history, behind only a 454-yard
passing effort vs. UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin in 2014.
• Penn State had four pass plays of 50 or more yards. It was Penn
State’s first game with four plays of 50+ yards since Wisconsin
in 2013.
• The Nittany Lions scored on their first offensive play of the
game, a 52-yard strike from Sean Clifford to Jahan Dotson. Penn
State scored on its first offensive play for the first time since
Illinois in 2020, also a Clifford to Dotson touchdown pass.
• Sean Clifford connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith on an
83-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. It was Penn State’s
longest play this season and the sixth-longest pass play in
program history.
• Penn State completed 29 passes against Auburn, tied for the
sixth-most in a game in the James Franklin era.
• The Nittany Lions scored on a 14-play, 91-yard drive covering
6:49 in the second quarter. It was Penn State’s longest drive for
plays and yards since a 16-play, 98-yard drive against Maryland
in 2020. The 6:49 drive was Penn State’s longest since a scoring
drive covering 7:01 against Indiana in 2020.
• The Nittany Lions hit the 200-yard rushing plateau against Ball
State, finishing with 240 rushing yards on the ground.
• Penn State tallied 32 first downs against the Cardinals, tied for
second in the James Franklin era with 32 against Nebraska in
• PSU finished with 10 players recording a reception against
Ball State, the most since 13 Nittany Lions had receptions at
Maryland in 2019.
• The Nittany Lions used a 254-yard offensive effort in the second
half at No. 12/15 Wisconsin to secure the win.
• Penn State returned nine starters and 19 letterwinners (10 lost)
on offense from the 2020 season. Eight of Penn State’s nine
leading pass catchers and four of its top five rushers from 2020
are back for 2021.
• During the 2020 season, Penn State true freshmen accounted
for 1,486 total yards (38%) of Penn State’s 3,873 yards on
offense, a school record.
• Penn State has scored 40 points 21 times since 2016. By
comparison, from 2008 until 2015, the Nittany Lions had 18
40-point outings.
Scoring Benchmarks Since 2016 (67 games)
Pts. # Last
50+ 12 Dec. 19, 2020; Illinois (W, 56-21)
40+ 21 Sept. 11, 2021; Ball State (W, 44-13)
30+ 40 Sept. 25, 2021; Villanova (W, 38-17)
20+ 60 Oct. 9, 2021; at Iowa (L, 20-23)
• Mike Yurcich is in his first season as Penn State’s offensive
coordinator/quarterbacks coach after spending the 2020
campaign at Texas.
• Yurcich (California University (Pa.)) and Head Coach James
Franklin (East Stroudsburg) both played in the Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
• In 15 years as an offensive coordinator, offenses under Yurcich
have averaged 6.43 yards per play, ranking first among OCs since
2013.
• Offenses have also averaged 13.89 yards per completion, also
first among Power Five OCs since 2013.
• Since 2013, offenses under Yurcich have scored 50 or more
points 26 times and 40 or more points 52 times (48 percent
of games coached) with both numbers leading FBS Offensive
Coordinators.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• The Nittany Lions are allowing just 14.7 points per game in
2021, ranking sixth in the country and third in the Big Ten.
• Penn State is allowing opponents only a 65.2 conversion rate
in the red zone this season, ranking seventh in the country and
leading the Big Ten.
• In 23 opponent red zone trips, Penn State has held opposing
teams without a score on eight possessions.
• The Nittany Lions are tied for the power-five lead for most red
zone stops this season with Clemson, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia
and Washington State.
• Penn State has allowed just four passing touchdowns this
season, tied for third in the country.
• Over the last seven seasons, PSU sits second nationally in sacks
per game (3.10; trailing only Clemson), third in QB hurries
(899), fourth in total pressures generated (1335), sixth in
fewest passing TDs allowed per game (1.06), sixth in tackles
for loss percentage (10.73), eighth in fewest passing yards per
attempt (6.26) and 11th in fewest rushing yards per attempt
(3.57).
• Penn State’s 254 sacks over the last seven years (2015-21) are
third only to Clemson (302) and Alabama (264).
• Over the last seven years, Penn State has accumulated a 8.76
percent sack percentage (254 sacks on 2,964 plays), which
ranks fourth in the FBS.
• Since 2014, Penn State has held opponents to seven or less
points 22 times, fifth-most among FBS teams. Sixteen of those
22 games have been against Big Ten opponents.
• Penn State has held 11 straight opponents to 24 or less points.
Only Iowa (29) has a longer streak among Power Five Teams.
• Since 2014, Penn State has kept opponents under 300 total
yards 44 times, the seventh-most games among FBS teams.
• Against Illinois, S Ji’Ayir Brown (13), LB Ellis Brooks (11) and
DE Arnold Ebiketie (10) all had double-digit tackles. It was
the first time Penn State had three players with 10+ tackles
in a game since 2019 at Ohio State (Micah Parsons, 11; Garrett
Taylor, 11; Lamont Wade 11).
• Penn State limited Illinois to 38 passing yards, the secondlowest by an opponent since 2014.
• Penn State has held opponents under 100 passing yards in 14
games since 2014, tied seventh-most among Power Five teams.
• Penn State held Iowa to 195 passing yards and 2.4 yards per
carry.
• The Nittany Lions had 11 tackles for loss against Iowa.
• Penn State has registered 10 or more tackles for loss 25 times
since 2014.
• The Nittany Lions, who held Indiana to 69 rushing yards, have
limited opponents to under 100 yards rushing 37 times since
- Penn State is 31-6 in those games.
• Penn State did not allow a passing touchdown through the first
147 passing attempts faced this season, the most in the FBS.
• Since 2000, 147 is the most passing attempts Penn State has
faced without allowing a passing touchdown to start a season.
• Dating back to the Nebraska game in 2020, Penn State has
forced a turnover in 13-straight games, the sixth-longest
streak among FBS teams and the third-most among Power Five
teams (Marshall, 21; Baylor, 15; San Diego State, 15; ECU, 15;
Oklahoma, 14).
• In those 13 games, Penn State has forced 20 total turnovers (14
interceptions, six fumbles).
• Penn State has forced 13 takeaways this season, including nine
interceptions which are good for 14th in the country.
• Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brent Pry is in his
30th year of coaching and his 15th at a Power Five program.
• Pry coached the East Stroudsburg outside linebackers and
defensive backs in 1993-94, James Franklin’s final two seasons
as their quarterback. Pry’s father, Jim, was Franklin’s offensive
coordinator at East Stroudsburg.
• Pry has helped the programs he’s coached to Top-25 finishes
in total defense in eight of his last 11 seasons, including four
at Penn State
SPECIAL TEAMS
Penn State brought back starters at kicker, punter, long
snapper, holder and punt returner in 2021.
• Redshirt senior Jordan Stout has served as Penn State’s
kicker, for both field goals and extra points, punter and kickoff
specialist in all seven games this season.
• Stout was named Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week
after his performance against Illinois, where he hit four punts
of 50+ yards and dropped six inside the 20.
• Stout owns Penn State’s best career punt average (45.16),
leading by 2.03 yards per punt.
• Stout also holds Penn State’s highest season punt average
(48.38), ahead by 4.43 yards per punt.
• Stout, San Diego State’s Matt Araiza, Texas’ Cameron Dicker
and UConn’s Joe McFadden are the only FBS players handling
kickoff, field goal and punt duties for their team this season.
• Among the four, Stout leads the group in touchbacks (35) and
kickoffs returned (0).
• Stout is second among the four in opponent drive start average
(27.56 yard-line), net punting average (46.22), 50+ yard punts
(18) and punts inside the 20 (18).
• Led by Stout, Penn State ranks third in the country in net
punting (46.22).
• Stout is seventh in the country, and second in the Big Ten, with
a 48.4 punt average.
• Stout averaged at least 50.0 yards per punt in four games this
season.
• Eighteen of Stout’s 37 punts this season have been 50 or more
yards.
• Stout has landed 18 punts inside the 20, including a careerhigh six against Illinois, seven inside the 10 and two inside
the 5.
• Stout’s 92.1 touchback percentage is the highest in the FBS
among kickers with 35 or more kickoffs. Stout has yet to allow
a kickoff return this season.
• Since 1997, Stout ranks third at Penn State in career kickoff
average (63.7) behind only Anthony Fera (66.4; 2010-11) and
Robbie Gould (64.0; 2002-04).
• Since the kickoff yard-line was moved back to the 35 in 2011,
Stout has the highest average among Penn State kickers.
• Against Illinois, Stout hit four punts of 50+ yards and landed a
career-high six inside the 20.
• Stout converted a career-high-tying three field goal attempts.
• Stout was named Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
following the Indiana game. It marks his second time earning
the award this season. He also won it after his performance at
Wisconsin.
• Against Indiana, Stout averaged 46.3 yards on six punts. He hit
51 and 50 yard punts and landed four inside the 20, including
one inside the 10.
• Stout also hit a 50-yard field goal. It was his fourth career 50+
yard field goal.
• Stout sits second all-time at Penn State in 50-yard field goals,
behind only Chris Bahr (6; 1973-75).
• Against Auburn, Stout averaged 50.0 yards per punt with two
over 50 yards and one downed inside the 20.
• Stout earned Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors
for the first time in his career after averaging 53.9 yards on
seven punt attempts against Wisconsin.
• His 53.9 punt average ranks second-best in a game at Penn
State behind only Ralph Giacomarro (54.75; 1981 at Syracuse).
• Stout hit five punts of 50-plus yards, including a 76-yarder.
• The 76-yard punt is the longest of Stout’s career and tied for
third-longest in program history.
• Stout has 21 career punts of 50+ yards.
• Stout hit three field goals against the Cardinals, incuding a
45-yarder.
• Eight of Stout’s 15 career field goals are longer than 40 yards.
• On kickoffs, Stout has landed 35 of 38 for touchbacks.
• Senior PR Jahan Dotson averaged 24.6 yards per punt return
in 2020, ranking first all-time at Penn State. He was named
honorable mention All-Big Ten as a punt returner.
• Dotson’s 14.6 career punt return average is sixth all-time at
Penn State.
• Dotson’s 14.6 career punt return average (21 returns) is the
fourth-best among current FBS players.
• Dotson returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown against
Michigan State in 2020.
• DE Arnold Ebiketie blocked an Indiana 30-yard field goal
attempt in the third quarter. It was his second blocked field
goal of the season.
• Ebiketie is the first Penn State player with two blocked field
goals in a season since Scott Paxson in 2004.
• The Nittany Lions blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt in the
third quarter. It was Penn State’s second blocked field goal of
the season. It marks the first time Penn State has blocked two
or more field goals in a season since 2004 (five blocked field
goals).
• Ebiketie blocked a Wisconsin 25-yard field goal attempt in the
second quarter.
• Senior SN Chris Stoll is in his third season as Penn State’s
primary long snapper. He’s appeared in 28 career games.
• S Jonathan Sutherland will wear No. 0 for the second
straight season as the team’s special teams leader as part of a
new tradition that began in 2020.
• Special teams coordinator Joe Lorig is in his third season at
Penn State.
• Lorig has 24 years of coaching experience, including eight as a
special teams coordinator.
• In 2019, the Penn State special teams unit was ranked first
among Power Five schools, and tied for second in the FBS, in
special teams efficiency according to ESPN.com.
COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
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