Penn State Nittany Lions football statistical leaders

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The Penn State Nittany Lions football statistical leaders are statistical leaders of the Penn State Nittany Lions football program in various categories, [1] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, kicking and overall team performance. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, career leaders and all time records. The Nittany Lions represent Pennsylvania State University in the NCAA's Big Ten Conference.

Contents

Although Penn State began competing in intercollegiate football in 1887, [1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1970. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.

These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:

Passing

Passing yards

Passing touchdowns

Passing attempts

Passing completions

Passing completion percentage

Interceptions

Longest touchdown pass

Rushing

Rushing yards

Rushing touchdowns

Longest rushing plays

Receiving

Receptions

Receiving yards

Receiving touchdowns

Longest touchdown reception

All-Time
RankReceiverPasserYardsYearOpponent
1Daniel George Sean Clifford 95 2018 Kent State
2 K. J. Hamler Trace McSorley 93 2018 Ohio State
3 Bob Higgins Bill Hess92 1919 Pittsburgh
4KeAndre Lambert-Smith Sean Clifford 88 2022 Utah (Rose Bowl)
5Jim Scott Steve Joachim 86 1971 Navy
Jahan Dotson Sean Clifford 86 2021 Maryland
7 Saquon Barkley Trace McSorley 85 2017 Georgia State
8 Sean Clifford KeAndre Lambert-Smith83 [17] 2021 Villanova
9 Eric Hamilton Matt Knizner82 1982 Pittsburgh
Eric Hamilton Matt Knizner82 1986 Pittsburgh
Freddie Scott Kerry Collins 82 1994 Rutgers

Total offense

Total offense yards

Touchdowns responsible for

In official NCAA records, "touchdowns responsible for" includes rushing and passing touchdowns, but not receptions or returns—the same statistical categories used to measure total offense. [22]

Defense

Interceptions

Tackles

Sacks

Kicking

Extra Point Attempts

Extra Points Made

Extra Point Percentage

Field Goal Attempts

Field Goals Made

Field Goal Percentage

*Minimum of 40 Attempts

Points

Longest field goal made

All-Time
RankPlayerYardsYearOpponent
1Jordan Stout57 2019 Pittsburgh
2Chris Bahr55 1975 Temple
3 Sam Ficken 54 2013 Kent State
4 Kevin Kelly 53 2007 Iowa
Jordan Stout53 2019 Idaho
6 Kevin Kelly 52 2008 Syracuse
Jordan Stout52 2021 Michigan
8Jake Pinegar50 2022 Indiana
Jake Pinegar50 2022 Maryland
Alex Felkins50 [25] 2023 Indiana

Special teams

Longest kickoff return

All-Time
RankPlayerYardsYearOpponentNotes
1Chaz Powell100 2010 Youngstown State Resulted in Touchdown
Lamont Wade100 2020 Illinois Resulted in Touchdown
Nicholas Singleton100 2022 Rutgers Resulted in Touchdown
4 Saquon Barkley 98 2017 Indiana Resulted in Touchdown
5 Larry Johnson 972001 Illinois
A.J. Wallace 972007 Ohio State Resulted in Touchdown
Saquon Barkley 97 2017 Ohio State Resulted in Touchdown
8Chaz Powell95 2011 Indiana State Resulted in Touchdown
9 Derrick Williams 94 2008 Illinois Resulted in Touchdown
Johnathan Thomas 94 2018 Indiana

Longest punt return

All-Time
RankPlayerYardsYearOpponentNotes
1 Jahan Dotson 81 2020 Michigan State Resulted in Touchdown
2 Derrick Williams 78 2007 Notre Dame Resulted in Touchdown
3 Derrick Williams 78 2006 Temple Resulted in Touchdown
4Daequan Hardy68 [26] 2023 UMass Resulted in Touchdown
5 Derrick Williams 63 2008 Wisconsin Resulted in Touchdown
6 DeAndre Tompkins 61 2017 Akron Resulted in Touchdown
7Daequan Hardy56 [26] 2023 UMass Resulted in Touchdown
8 Jahan Dotson 50 2020 Illinois Helped set up two play touchdown drive

Overall team records

Largest win / loss margin

Longest win streaks

Home & Away
RankGamesFirst WinLast WinDaysOpponent to End StreakScore
1239/21/19689/19/1970728@ Colorado41-13
22011/6/19939/23/1995686Wisconsin17-9
31910/8/197711/24/1978412Alabama (Sugar Bowl)17-7
41510/24/197011/20/1971392@ Tennessee31-11
5139/15/19739/14/1974364Navy7- 6
139/6/19869/5/1987364Alabama24-13
71210/25/191911/6/1920378@Lehigh7-7
1210/26/199611/1/1997371Michigan34-8
91111/30/191110/11/1913681@ Washington & Jefferson17-0
119/7/198511/23/198577Oklahoma (Orange Bowl)25-10
1110/19/199110/3/1992350Miami (FL)17-14
1111/28/199810/30/1999336Minnesota24 -23
Home
RankGamesFirst WinLast WinDaysOpponent to End StreakScore
12910/4/191910/11/19241834Syracuse10-6d
22310/28/18999/29/1906Gettysburg0-0
32110/31/19709/14/19741414Navy7-6
41810/26/188909/30/1899Washington & Jefferson0-0
51710/7/19399/25/19431449Colgate0-0
6169/3/20169/15/2018742Ohio State27-26
7159/25/191510/27/1917763Lehigh9-0
1510/21/19679/19/19701064Syracuse24-7
9149/14/19859/5/1987721Alabama24-13
149/22/19909/26/1992735Miami (FL)17-14
Away
RankGamesFirst WinLast WinDaysOpponent to End StreakScore
1149/29/196711/29/1969792@ Colorado41-13
21210/7/197210/26/1974749@ North Carolina State12-7
3109/7/19859/26/1987749@ Syracuse48-21
1011/20/199310/21/1995700@ Northwestern21-10
599/2/197710/28/1978421@ Nebraska42-17
910/6/197910/17/1981742@ Miami (FL)17-14
7810/10/197011/20/1971406@ Tennessee31-11
8710/11/194711/6/1948392@ Pittsburgh7-0
9610/23/198210/15/1983357@ Boston College27-17
610/26/199611/15/1997385@ Michigan State49-14

Longest losing streaks

Longest bowl streak

All-Time
RankStreakYearsRecordHead CoachNotes
113 Years1971-19839-4 Joe Paterno 1982: Won 1st National Championship in Sugar Bowl vs Georgia 27-23
211 Years1989-19998-3 Joe Paterno 1994: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Rose Bowl vs Oregon 38-20
37 Years2005-20114-3 Joe Paterno/ Tom Bradley 2005: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Orange Bowl vs Florida State 26-23

2008: Won Big Ten Championship, Lost Rose Bowl vs USC 24-38

2011: Won Big Ten Leaders Division, Lost TicketCity Bowl vs Houston 14-30

Streak Ended with NCAA Sanctions

46 Years2014-20193-3 James Franklin 2016 : Won Big Ten Championship, Lost Rose Bowl vs USC 49-52
54 Years1959-19623-1 Charles A. "Rip" Engle
63 Years1967-19692-0-1 Joe Paterno
3 Years1985-19871-2 Joe Paterno 1986 : Won 2nd national Championship in Fiesta Bowl vs Miami (FL) 14-10

Longest bowl win streak

RankStreakYearsHead CoachNotes
15 Years1979-1983 Joe Paterno 1982: Won 1st National Championship in Sugar Bowl vs Georgia 27-23
24 Years1993-1996 Joe Paterno 1994: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Rose Bowl vs Oregon 38-20
33 Years1959-1961 Charles A. "Rip" Engle
3 Years2005-2007 Joe Paterno 2005: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Orange Bowl vs Florida State 26-23

Largest bowl win/ loss margin

Largest win margin

RankScoreMarginBowl GameOpponentSeason YearCoach
1W 41–12+29 Liberty Bowl Oregon Webfoots 1960 Rip Engle
W 43–14+29 Outback Bowl Auburn Tigers 1995 Joe Paterno
3W 42–17+25 Fiesta Bowl Tennessee Volunteers 1991 Joe Paterno
4W 30–6+24 Cotton Bowl Classic Texas Longhorns 1971 Joe Paterno
W 24–0+24 Alamo Bowl Texas A&M Aggies 1999 Joe Paterno
6W 38–15+23 Fiesta Bowl Texas Longhorns 1996 Joe Paterno
7W 41–20+21 Cotton Bowl Classic Baylor Bears 1974 Joe Paterno
8W 31–13+18 Florida Citrus Bowl Tennessee Volunteers 1993 Joe Paterno
W 38–20+18 Rose Bowl Oregon Ducks 1994 Joe Paterno
10W 26–10+16 Fiesta Bowl USC Trojans 1981 Joe Paterno
11W 30-15+15 Gator Bowl Georgia Tech 1960 Rip Engle
12W 53-39+14 Cotton Bowl Classic Memphis Tigers 2019 James Franklin
13W 31-19+12 Fiesta Bowl Ohio State Buckeyes 1980 Joe Paterno
W 42-30+12 Fiesta Bowl Arizona State Sun Devils 1977 Joe Paterno
14W 50-39+11 Holiday Bowl BYU Cougars 1989 Joe Paterno

Largest loss margin

RankScoreMarginBowl GameOpponentSeason YearCoach
1L 35–10-25 Florida Citrus Bowl Clemson Tigers 1987 Joe Paterno
2L 24–3-21 Blockbuster Bowl Stanford Cardinal 1992 Joe Paterno
3L 30–14-16 TicketCity Bowl Houston Cougars 2011 Tom Bradley
4L 25-10-15 Orange Bowl Oklahoma Sooners 1985 Joe Paterno
L 21-6-15 Florida Citrus Bowl Florida Gators 1997 Joe Paterno
6L14-0-14 Sugar Bowl Oklahoma Sooners 1972 Joe Paterno
L 38-24-14 Rose Bowl USC Trojans 2008 Joe Paterno
8L 37-24-13 Outback Bowl Florida Gators 2010 Joe Paterno
9L 14-3-11 Rose Bowl USC Trojans 1922 Hugo Bezdek
L 20-9-11 Gator Bowl Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1976 Joe Paterno
11L 27-24-3 Florida Citrus Bowl Kentucky Wildcats 2018 James Franklin
L 52-49-3 Rose Bowl USC Trojans 2016 James Franklin

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References

  1. 1 2 "2017 Penn State Football Yearbook". GoPSUSports.com. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  2. ↑ "NCAA changes policy on football stats". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  3. ↑ Cobb, David (August 21, 2020). "NCAA approves blanket waiver for 2020 fall sports athletes to retain year of eligibility". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Sean Clifford". ESPN.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Penn State vs. USC Box Score". ESPN.com. October 12, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Pitt holds off Penn State rally to win 42-39". ESPN.com. September 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Penn State vs. Washington Box Score". ESPN.com. November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jahan Dotson". ESPN.com.
  9. 1 2 "Parker Washington". ESPN.com.
  10. ↑ "Ohio State blows 17-point lead, rebounds to beat Penn State in 2OT". ESPN.com. October 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Michigan State takes division with rout of Penn State". ESPN.com. November 28, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Penn State vs. Ohio State Box Score". ESPN.com. October 30, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Ohio State vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. October 29, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  14. ↑ "USC hits FG at gun, beats Penn State 52-49 in epic Rose Bowl". ESPN.com. January 2, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Pat Freiermuth". ESPN.com.
  16. ↑ "Ohio State vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  17. 1 2 "Villanova vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Ohio State vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Penn State stuns UCF, wins opener on Sam Ficken's game-winning FG". ESPN.com. August 30, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Barkley's run lifts Penn State over Minnesota 29-26 in OT". ESPN.com. October 1, 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Penn State beats Michigan State to reach Big Ten title game". ESPN.com. November 26, 2016.
  22. ↑ "2022 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. p. 12. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Arnold Ebiketie". ESPN.com.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jake Pinegar". ESPN.com.
  25. ↑ "Indiana vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  26. 1 2 "Massachusetts vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
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