TEAM
- The Nittany Lions improve to 16-17-1 against Michigan State and 15-9 in Land Grant Trophy games.
- Penn State improves to 8-0 to start the season for the first time since 2008 and the fourth time since joining the Big Ten.
- The Nittany Lions have won their last 10 regular-season games.
- The Penn State defense has held its last 10 regular-season opponents to 21 points or less.
- The Nittany Lions held the Spartans to 83 rushing yards, marking the sixth time in eight games that Penn State has kept its opponent to less than 100 rushing yards.
- Penn State was 3-for-4 in the red zone (3 touchdowns; lone non-conversion was at the end of the game), improving to 29-for-31 in the red zone this season, including 24 touchdowns.
- Penn State did not give up any first quarter points, and has only allowed three points in the opening stanza all season, an average of 0.38 points allowed in the first quarter. The Nittany Lions have outscored opponents 83-3 in the first quarter this year.
- The Nittany Lions shut out the Spartans in the first half, marking the third time this year Penn State put up zeroes in the opening half this season (Idaho and Maryland).
- Noah Cain became the 13th first-time starter for Penn State this season and first true freshman to earn a starting nod. Cain is the third different running back to start this year, joining Ricky Slade and Journey Brown.
- Penn State has a bye week before visiting No. 17/16 Minnesota Nov. 9. Game time and television arrangements have yet to be announced.
OFFENSE
Sean Clifford
- QB Sean Clifford tied his career high with four touchdown passes (also had four againsat Buffalo), which ranks tied for third in program history.
- Clifford is the fifth quarterback in program history to have multiple games with four or more passing touchdowns.
- Clifford had three or more touchdown passes for the fifth time in his career.
- Clifford notched the sixth multi-touchdown pass game of his career with his four touchdown passes.
- Clifford threw for three touchdowns in the first half, his fourth half this year with three passing touchdowns (2nd half vs. Buffalo, 1st half vs. Maryland, 1st half vs. Purdue).
- Clifford has 29 completions of 20 or more yards this season.
- Clifford's four touchdown passes boost his season total to 20, moving him into a tie for eighth place with Christian Hackenberg (2013).
- His career total is now 22 touchdown passes to rank tied for 15th in Penn State history with Tom Shuman (1972-74) and Mike McQueary (1995-97).
KJ Hamler
- WR KJ Hamler extended his streak to all 21 games of his career with a catch.
- Hamler has had a reception of 20 or more yards in 11 consecutive games.
- Hamler caught his 13th career touchdown pass in the second quarter, moving him into a tie for 13th place on Penn State's career chart with Jordan Norwood (2005-08).
- Hamler now has 1,374 career receiving yards, ranking 19th all-time at Penn State.
- Hamler has 12 catches of 20 or more yards this season, including three catches of 50 or more yards.
Pat Freiermuth
- TE Pat Freiermuth had three touchdown catches to bring his season total to seven and career total to 15. The effort was Freiermuth's third career multi-touchdown game.
- Freiermuth is the ninth player in Penn State history (11 occasions), and first tight end, to catch at least three touchdown passes in a single game. He joins Bobby Engram (twice), Allen Robinson (twice), Freddie Scott, Joe Jurevicius, Deon Butler, Tony Johnson, Graham Zug and DaeSean Hamilton.
- Freiermuth is the sixth player (seven occasions) since 2000 at Penn State, and first tight end, to catch at least three touchdown passes in a single game. He joins Allen Robinson (twice), Deon Butler, Tony Johnson, Graham Zug and DaeSean Hamilton.
- The three scoring catches are a career high, breaking his previous best of two, which he has done twice, most recently against Buffalo.
- Freiermuth extended his streak to 20 consecutive games with a catch, and 20 of his first 21 career games.
- With 15 career touchdown receptions, Freiermuth is tied for ninth all-time at Penn State. Freiermuth. He is tied with current Penn State assistant head coach Terry Smith (1988-91), Joe Jurevicius (1994-97) and Mike Gesicki (2014-17).
- Freiermuth tied the record for career receiving touchdowns by a tight end, equaling Mike Gesicki's (2014-17) mark of 15.
Journey Brown
- RB Journey Brown had a career-high 12 carries. His previous high was 10 against Pitt.
DEFENSE
Micah Parsons
- The 12 tackles by LB Micah Parsons marked his fourth career game with at least 10 tackles.
- Parsons recorded his second career pass breakup. His first came against Pitt.
Jayson Oweh
- DE Jayson Oweh notched two strip-sacks to give him four sacks and two career his third sack of the season and forced his first career fumble on a strip-sack to end the first half.
- Oweh tied career bests with two tackles for loss and two sacks. He had two tackles for loss and two sacks against Kent State in 2018.
Ellis Brooks
- LB Ellis Brooks had his first career fumble recovery on a strip-sack by Jayson Oweh in the third quarter.
Jaquan Brisker
- S Jaquan Brisker grabbed his second career interception in the fourth quarter.
Marquis Wilson
- CB Marquis Wilson grabbed his first career interception in the third quarter.
- Wilson had a career-high five tackles. He previously had one tackle against Michigan.
Keaton Ellis
- CB Keaton Ellis set a career high with three tackles. He had two tackles in two previous games with the last coming at Iowa.
Lamont Wade
- S Lamont Wade tied a career high with two pass breakups. He also had two breakups against Michigan.
Hakeem Beamon
- DE Hakeem Beamon recorded his first career tackle in the fourth quarter.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Blake Gillikin
- P Blake Gillikin matched a career high with eight punts. He had eight in four previous games with the last coming against Michigan.
- Gillikin landed five punts inside the 20, including three inside the 10.
- He now has 92 career punts inside the 20 and 48 career punts inside the 10.
- Gillikin hit a 58-yard punt in the first quarter. He now has 50 career punts of 50 or more yards.
Jake Pinegar
- K Jake Pinegar hit his first extra-point attempt of the day, extending his streak to 48 straight made extra-point attempts, before snapping the streak in the second quarter. Pinegar converted on his third extra-point attempt in the third quarter.
Shaka Toney
- DE Shaka Toney blocked his first career kick on 46-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter.
- The blocked field goal is the first for Penn State since Nick Scott blocked an attempt at Michigan in 2018.
Sean Clifford
- QB Sean Clifford converted a 2-point conversion in the second half. It was Penn State's first successful 2-point conversion attempt since 2016 at Pittsburgh when Trace McSorley connected with DaeSean Hamilton.
Dan Chisena
- WR Dan Chisena recovered his first career fumble on a muffed punt in the third quarter.
Drew Hartlaub
- S Drew Hartlaub recorded a career-high two tackles with both coming on punt coverage.
Isaac Lutz
- WR Isaac Lutz tied a career high with two tackles on kickoff coverage. He also had two tackles against Kent State in 2018.