Nov. 26, 2016
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TEAM
- With the win, Penn State clinched a share of the Big Ten East Division title with Ohio State. It is the first divisional title for the Nittany Lions since sharing the Leaders Division crown with Wisconsin.
- The Nittany Lions advance to the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis for the first time in program history due to their win over OSU.
- Penn State has now won three overall Big Ten regular season titles and two divisional crowns since joining the league in 1993.
- Penn State has its sixth 10-win regular season since joining the Big Ten, and the first since the 2009 team was 10-2 at the end of the regular season.
- The Nittany Lions posted their 22nd 10-win season overall.
- The eight-game winning streak is Penn State's longest overall winning streak since clicking off nine consecutive victories in 2008.
- Penn State has improved its regular season win total each season under head coach James Franklin. The Nittany Lions went 6-6 in 2014, 7-5 in 2015 and are now 10-2 in 2016.
- For Franklin, the 10 wins are the most in a single season during his six years as a head coach.
- Penn State has eight Big Ten wins for just the second time in program history with the other being the 8-0 conference mark in 1994, which is also the only other time that the Nittany Lions had eight-straight conference victories.
- Penn State's 8-1 Big Ten record represents its third one-loss Big Ten season (2005 & 2008; 7-1) and second eight-win season (1994; 8-0).
- Penn State finished the regular season 7-0 at home, the first home undefeated season since finishing 7-0 at home in 2008. It is the fifth undefeated home season in the Big Ten era (1994, 1998, 2005, 2008, 2016).
- Dating back to last season, Penn State has won 13 out of its last 14 home games.
- Penn State has scored 30 or more points in nine games this year, the most in a season since the 2008 squad did it nine times.
- The Nittany Lions have scored 40 or more points in four games this year, the most in a season since the 2008 squad did it seven times.
- Penn State has outscored its opponents 118-47 in the third quarter this season and 274-102 in the second half this season.
- Penn State now has wins in 21 of its 27 Senior Day games since 1990.
- Penn State swept its only two trophy games this season, claiming the Governors Victory Bell from Minnesota and the Land Grant Trophy from Michigan State, marking the first time since 2009 it won both trophies in the same season.
OFFENSE
- RB Saquon Barkley's second quarter rushing touchdown gives him 22 for his career, which is good for sole possession of 15th place at Penn State.
- Barkley's touchdown in the second stanza also gives him 15 this season, which moves him into sole possession of seventh place in the Penn State record books.
- Barkley's 14 yards rushing today give him 1,219 yards this season, moving him into 12th place at Penn State. He trails Evan Royster (1,236 yards, 2008) for 11th place.
- Barkley and K Tyler Davis both have scored more than 100 points this season (Barkley 102; Davis 123), the first time in school history that there have been two 100-point scorers in the same season.
- QB Trace McSorley is the fourth Penn State quarterback to lead his team to 10 wins in his first year as the starting quarterback, joining Daryll Clark in 2008 (11), Tom Shuman in 1973 (12-0), Chuck Burkhart in 1968 (11-0).
- McSorley's third quarter touchdown pass gives him a touchdown pass in 13 consecutive games, dating back to the TaxSlayer Bowl last season. The 12 consecutive games with a touchdown passes in a single season ties McSorley with Matt McGloin, who also had 12 straight games in the 2012 season with a touchdown pass.
- McSorley set a career mark with four touchdown passes today. He had three TD passes earlier this season at Purdue.
- McSorley had his fourth 300-yard passing game of his career, tying him for the school record with four in one season. Matt McGloin (2012) and Christian Hackenberg (2013 and 2014) are the other three instances.
- McSorley had his ninth 200-yard passing game of the season, moving him into a tie with Christian Hackenberg (2013) for third place.
- McSorley had a career-best 376 yards passing today. His previous high was 335 vs. Minnesota earlier this season. It is the fifth-highest single game passing yardage in the Penn State record books.
- McSorley had 389 yards of total offense today, giving him 3,348 this season, which is the Penn State single season record. The previous best mark was 3,215 yards by Matt McGloin (minus-51 yards rushing, 3,266 yards passing) in 2012.
- WR Chris Godwin's two touchdown catches in the third quarter gives him nine touchdown receptions this season, which is the best mark by a junior at Penn State. The record was previously held by Derek Moye (8) in 2010.
- Godwin has 16 career touchdown receptions, which is tied for sixth in the Penn State annals with O.J. McDuffie (1988-92).
- Godwin had his eighth career 100-yard receiving game, which is tied for fourth at Penn State with Bryant Johnson (1999-2002).
- Godwin has two touchdown catches in a game for the fourth time. The last time was at Indiana earlier this season.
- TE Mike Gesicki had (64) yards receiving today, giving him 610 for the season, which is breaks the Nittany Lion single season mark for a tight end. The previous high was 600 yards by Mickey Schuler in 1977.
- RB Andre Robinson had a career-long 40-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. His previous long was a 2-yard catch against Minnesota earlier this season. It was his first career touchdown reception.
DEFENSE
- Penn State's defense posted 10.0 tackles for loss, marking the ninth time in 2016 that they compiled at least 9.0 TFLs in a game.
- The last time Penn State did not allow touchdown in back-to-back games was 2009, holding Eastern Illinois to three points (October 10; 52-3) before shutting out Minnesota (October 17; 20-0) on Homecoming.
- Moreover, the last time Penn State held back-to-back Big Ten opponents without a touchdown was Oct. 21 (vs. Illinois; 26-12) and Oct. 28 (at Purdue; 12-0).
- LB Brandon Bell tied a career high with 18 tackles, equaling his mark vs. Ohio State earlier this season.
- CB Amani Oruwariye notched a career high in tackles with seven.
- S Troy Apke grabbed his first career fumble recovery in the third quarter.
- Apke also had a career-high seven tackles. His previous best was six vs. Minnesota.
- DT Kevin Givens tied his career highs for sacks and tackles for loss with his third quarter solo takedown of Tyler O'Conner. He now has 1.0 sack in three different games this season, previously vs. Iowa on Nov. 5, and 1.0 tackle for loss in four games, previously at Rutgers on Nov. 19.
- DE Ryan Buchholz logged 1.0 tackle for loss in the game, tying his career high that he has done four times now. His last TFL came against Iowa, with his previous 3.0 TFLs all sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- K Tyler Davis moved into fourth on the single season scoring charts with nine points vs. Michigan State. He moved up four spots, passing Richie Anderson (116; 1992), Pete Mauthe (119; 1909), Kevin Kelley (120; 2008) and Curtis Enis (122; 1997).
- Davis is just the third kicker in program history to have 50 extra points in a season, joining Kevin Kelly (60; 2008) and Brett Conway (62, 1994).
OTHER
- Penn State will head to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game against Wisconsin on Saturday, Dec. 3. Game time is slated for 8:17 p.m. and the game will be televised by FOX.
- This is Penn State's first appearance in the Big Ten Championship game.