Penn State Football
Postgame Notes – Auburn
September 17, 2022
TEAM
- Penn State is now 3-1 all-time against Auburn.
- The Nittany Lions are 25-24 all-time against current members of the SEC.
- Penn State is now 12-16 in regular season matchups against SEC opponents.
- Penn State has won 15-consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season.
- Penn State becomes the first Big Ten school to sweep a home-and-home series against an SEC opponent since 2012, when Northwestern swept Vanderbilt in 2010 and 2012.
- The Nittany Lions' 29-point win is the Big Ten's second-largest margin of victory in a road game against an SEC opponent, trailing only Purdue's 35-3 win at Missouri in 2017, which was also the last Big Ten road win against an SEC team.
- The 29-point win marks the sixth time (third time in regular season) a Big Ten team has beaten an SEC team by 29 or more points and just the second time in a road game.
- Penn State owns two of those six wins, and both wins were against Auburn, the other coming in the 1996 Outback Bowl, a 43-14 win.
OFFENSE
Team
- Penn State finished with 245 yards rushing. Since 2014, the Nittany Lions have gone over 200 rushing yards 35 times (30-5 in those games).
- Penn State had five rushing touchdowns in a game for the first time since the 2019 Cotton Bowl vs. Memphis.
- The Nittany Lions had two freshmen running backs (Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton) each score two touchdowns. Since at least 2000, they are the only Penn State freshmen to both score two rushing touchdowns in a game.
- Allen and Singleton became the first PSU freshmen duo to score a rushing touchdown in the same game for the first time since Noah Cain (13 yards) and Devyn Ford (1 yard) against Pitt in 2019.
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith completed a 25-yard pass to QB Sean Clifford in the second quarter.
- It was Penn State's first pass by a non-quarterback since Jordan Stout's 18-yard completion to Curtis Jacobs against Michigan in 2021.
- It was Penn State's first pass by a wide receiver since Jahan Dotson's 21-yard completion to Parker Washington against Indiana in 2021.
- The Lambert-Smith to Clifford connection was the first reception by a quarterback from a non-quarterback since Christian Hackenberg's 14-yard touchdown reception from Nick Scott against Illinois in 2015.
Sean Clifford
- QB Sean Clifford went 14-of-19 for 178 yards. In his two combined starts against Auburn (2021 and 2022), he went 42-of-51 for 458 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.
- Clifford scored on a 7-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter.
- With the 178 yards passing, Clifford passed Christian Hackenberg (8,457; 2013-15) for second all-time at Penn State. He now owns 8,512 career yards.
- With his 19 attempts, Clifford passed Zack Mills (1,082; 2001-04) for third all-time at PSU. He now has1,088 career passing attempts.
- With the rushing touchdown, Clifford earned the 13th of his career. Clifford tied John Hufnagel (1970-72) for fourth all-time at Penn State.
- Clifford caught a pass for a 25-yard gain in the second quarter. It was Clifford's first career reception.
Drew Allar
- QB Drew Allar finished 2-for-2 for 29 yards.
Nicholas Singleton
- RB Nicholas Singleton finished with 10 rushes for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
- Singleton scored on a 54-yard run in the fourth quarter.
- Singleton also scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter.
- Singleton had a 53-yard run in the third quarter, setting up his 1-yard score.
- With the two runs of 54 and 53 yards, Singleton now has five runs of 40+ yards this season and three over 50 yards. He leads the country in 40+ yard runs this season.
- Singleton entered the game leading the country in 40+ yard rushes.
- Through three games this season, Singleton has 334 rushing yards. Since 2000, only Larry Johnson (362, 2002) has more rushing yards through the first three games of a season.
- Since 2000, Singleton has the most rushing yards by a Penn State freshman through the first three games of a season.
- Since 2000, Singleton's 334 yards are the most rushing yards by a PSU freshman through first three games of a season, passing Saquon Barkley's mark of 311 in 2015.
- Singleton is the first true freshman running back with back-to-back 100 yd games since Noah Cain in 2019 (Purdue and Iowa).
Kaytron Allen
- RB Kaytron Allen finished with nine carries for a career-high 52 yards and two touchdowns.
- Allen scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter. It was Allen's first career touchdown.
- Allen added a 6-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter.
Keyvone Lee
- On a run in the first quarter, RB Keyvone Lee reached the 1,000 career rushing yards mark. He now has 1,016 yards for his career.
Devyn Ford
- RB Devyn Ford had a 30-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Parker Washington
- WR Parker Washington recorded four catches for 58 yards with a long of 26 yards.
- Washington has caught a pass in all 25 games of his career.
- He had a 26-yard reception in the third quarter, giving him 23 career receptions of 20 or more yards.
- Washington now owns 1,457 career receiving yards and passed Chafie Fields (1,437; 1996-99) for 20th all-time at Penn State.
- With the four receptions and now 110 career receptions, he passed Tony Johnson (107; 2000-03), Terry Smith (108; 1988-91) and Kenny Jackson (109; 1980-83), moving into a tie for 13th at Penn State with Bryant Johnson (110; 1999-02).
Mitchell Tinsley
- WR Mitchell Tinsley finished with three catches for 47 yards, including a long catch of 34 yards.
- Tinsley has a reception in 29-straight games.
- Tinsley hauled in a 34-yard grab in the first quarter to set up an eventual Penn State touchdown.
- He owns 28 career receptions of 20 or more yards.
Brenton Strange
- TE Brenton Strange recorded a team-high six catches for 80 yards, including 59 yards after the catch. He owns 127 yards after the catch this season.
- With 80 yards on six receptions, TE Brenton Strange eclipsed the 500-career yard receiving mark. He now has 562 career yards on 47 receptions.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith completed a pass to Sean Clifford for a 25-yard gain in the second quarter. It was Lambert-Smith's first career pass attempt and completion.
- Has a reception in 19-straight games after finishing with two catches for 16 yards.
DEFENSE
Team
- The Nittany Lions forced two fumbles and two interceptions. Penn State had four takeaways in a game for the first time since the Michigan State game in 2019.
- Penn State recorded 11 tackles for loss and six sacks. The Nittany Lions registered 10 or more tackles for loss for the 26th time since 2014.
- Penn State tallied 11 tackles for loss in a game for the first time since the Iowa game in 2021.
- The Nittany Lions had six sacks in a game for the first time since the 2019 Cotton Bowl vs. Memphis.
Ji'Ayir Brown
- S Ji'Ayir Brown tallied five tackles (four solo), a sack, a forced fumble and an interception.
- Brown recorded a strip-sack in the third quarter. It was his first career sack and second career forced fumble.
- The senior captain added his seventh career interception in the third quarter. He returned the interception 27 yards.
- Brown has had a hand in 10 takeaways in his Nittany Lion career.
Adisa Isaac
- DE Adisa Isaac recorded a career-high three tackles for loss, besting his previous mark of 2.5 at Maryland in 2019.
- Isaac recorded a sack early in the third quarter, the fourth of his career.
Chop Robinson
- DE Chop Robinson recorded his first sack in a Nittany Lion uniform. He also forced a fumble on the sack, the first of his career.
- Robinson owns three career sacks (2 at Maryland in 2021).
Zakee Wheatley
- S Zakee Wheatley recorded his first career interception in the first quarter.
- Wheatley has had a hand in two takeaways this season, including his forced fumble at Purdue.
Abdul Carter
- LB Abdul Carter tied for the Penn State team lead with six tackles, a career high, bettering five tackles against Ohio.
- Carter recorded the first sack of his career in the third quarter.
- Carter forced a fumble in the second quarter. It was his first career forced fumble.
Kobe King
- LB Kobe King made a career-high five tackles, including four solo. His previous high was two tackles against Villanova in 2021.
Curtis Jacobs
- LB Curtis Jacobs recorded a solo sack in the first quarter, matching a career high with one sack.
Tyler Elsdon
- LB Tyler Elsdon recorded a full tackle for loss in the first quarter, marking the first of his career. He had previously tallied a half tackle for loss against Ohio.
- Elsdon finished the game with four tackles.
Jonathan Sutherland
- LB Jonathan Sutherland recovered a fumble in the second quarter. It was his first career fumble recovery.
Dani Dennis-Sutton
- DE Dani Dennis-Sutton recorded his first career sack and tackle for loss in the fourth quarter.
Jaylen Reed
- S Jaylen Reed matched a career high with three tackles. He also had three at Purdue.
Marquis Wilson
- CB Marquis Wilson tied for the team lead with six tackles. The six stops are a career high. He previously had five tackles in two different games, most recently against Michigan in 2020.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Pinegar
- K Jake Pinegar converted two field goals, making kicks of 22 and 48 yards.
- He also made all five extra point attempts.
- The 48 yard field goal was one yard shy of his career long.
- With 40 career field goals, Piengar is tied with Massimo Manca (1982, 84-86) for sixth all-time at Penn State. On the day, Pinegar moved past Nick Gancitano (38; 1981-84), Matt Bahr (39; 1976-78), Robbie Gould (39; 2001-04) and Tyler Davis (39; 2015-17).
- Pinegar accounted for 11 points on the day. He now has 273 career points, moving into fifth all-time at Penn State. He moved past Sam Ficken (271; 2011-14).
Barney Amor
- P Barney Amor averaged 43.0 yards on three punts.
- Amor landed two punts inside the 20.
Nicholas Singleton
- KR Nicholas Singleton had a career-long 30-yard kick return in the second quarter.