No. 8 Penn State Hosts Bowling Green Saturday

UNIVERSITY PARK – No. 8/8 Penn State welcomes Bowling Green for a non-conference matchup. Kickoff is set for noon on Big Ten Network at Beaver Stadium.

RETURN OF THE MAC: The Nittany Lions will open their home schedule with the Falcons, the third matchup between the schools. Penn State is very familiar with Mid-American Conference teams, having played a MAC team in 21 of the last 23 seasons with the only exceptions being a Big Ten-only schedule in 2020 and 2023’s non-conference schedule. Penn State is 30-3 all-time against current members of the MAC and also hosts Kent State on September 21.

SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Bowling Green for the third time in program history. The Nittany Lions own a 2-0 advantage in the series. Penn State earned a 45-19 win in 1987 and a 48-3 victory in 1998. In the 1998 matchup, Cordell Mitchell ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns. LaVar Arrington and Joe Dawkins scored on interception returns and Bruce Branch returned a punt for a touchdown.

HOME SWEET HOME: Penn State opens its 65th season in Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The Nittany Lions are 122-13-1 all-time in home openers and owns a 54-10 record in Beaver Stadium home openers. PSU has won 20 of its last 22 home openers.

TAKEAWAYS: Since 2022, Penn State’s defense has been one of the nation’s best in creating takeaways. The Nittany Lions continued that trend against West Virginia, forcing three takeaways. Jaylen Reed recovered a fumble in the first quarter, Dani-Dennis Sutton recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter and Elliot Washington II recorded an interception in the fourth quarter. Over the last three seasons, Penn State has forced 53 turnovers (27 interceptions, 26 fumbles) and recorded three or more takeaways in 11 games. Since 2022, PSU is 14-0 when forcing multiple takeaways in a game.

THE OPPOSITION: Bowling Green earned a 41-17 win over Fordham in its season-opener last Thursday. The Falcons rushed for 305 yards and scored five times on the ground. Terion Stewart led the squad with 161 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. Justin Pegues returned the game’s opening kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 98.3 – Drew Allar has the second-best quarterback rating (98.3) in the FBS through week one.
• 46-1 – Since 2014, PSU is 46-1 when leading by 10+ points at halftime.
• 40+ – The Nittany Lions had four plays of 40+ yards against West Virginia, including two passes of 50+ yards and two 40-yard runs.
• 3 – Penn State forced three takeaways against West Virginia, including two fumbles and an interception.

 

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

• Scot Loeffler is in his sixth season as head coach at Bowling Green.
• Loeffler has led the Falcons to back-to-back bowl games in 2022 and 2023, making trips to the Quick Lane Bowl. 
• Bowling Green made back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 2012-15.
• The Falcons have improved their win total each of the last three years going from 0 (2020) to 4 (2021) to 6 (2022) to 7 (2023).
• Bowling Green started the 2024 season with a 41-17 win over Fordham on August 29.
• The Falcons went 7-6 in 2023, appearing in the Quick Lane Bowl against Minnesota.
• Against Fordham, Bowling Green tallied 475 yards, including 305 yards on the ground.
• Terion Stewart led the squad with 161 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries (11.5 ypc). He scored on runs of 7, 7 and 73 yards.
• Connor Bazelak completed 15-of-22 passes for 168 yards and scored on an 8-yard run.
• Lucian Anderson III added a 13-yard touchdown run.
• Justin Pegues returned the game’s opening kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown.
• Bowling Green allowed 401 total yards against Fordham, including 219 through the air and 182 on the ground.
• The Falcons recorded five sacks, including two by Anthony Hawkins and one each by Joseph Sipp Jr. and Charles Rosser.
• Sipp led Bowling Green with eight tackles (6 solo), while Hawkins had seven stops (2.5 for loss) and CJ Brown added seven tackles.

 

HOME OPENERS

• Penn State begins its 65th season in Beaver Stadium.
• The Nittany Lions are 122-13-1 all-time in home openers, including last year’s 38-15 victory over West Virginia.
• The Blue and White owns a 54-10 record in Beaver Stadium home openers.
• Penn State has won 20 of its last 22 home openers.

NITTANY LIONS VS. THE MAC

• Penn State has a long history of competing against Mid-American Conference teams.
• The Nittany Lions hold a 30-3 all-time record against current members of the MAC and is 6-0 against former MAC teams.
• Prior to a Big Ten-only schedule in 2020, Penn State had played a MAC opponent in 18 straight seasons.
• The Nittany Lions earned a 33-14 win over Central Michigan on September 24, 2022 in its last matchup vs. the MAC.
• Penn State meets Bowling Green for the third time in program history.
• The Nittany Lions welcome Kent State to Happy Valley on Sept. 21.

 

WEST VIRGINIA NOTES

• Penn State is now 50-9-2 all-time against West Virginia. 
• The Nittany Lions have won six-straight matchups in the series and 34 of the last 36 contests.
• Penn State is now 114-22-2 all-time in season openers and has won 20 of its last 23 season-opening contests.
• Due to lightning in the area, the start of the second half was delayed by 2 hours and 19 minutes.
• QB Drew Allar threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter, becoming the first Penn State quarterback to throw three touchdown passes in a quarter since Trace McSorley against Michigan State in 2016 (third quarter – Chris Godwin 34 yards, Mike Gesicki 45 yards, Godwin 59 yards).
• RB Nicholas Singleton earned his sixth career 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 114 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.
• WR Harrison Wallace III had a career-high 117 receiving yards and career-best two touchdown receptions on five catches. It was his first career 100-yard receiving game.
• Penn State forced three turnovers, including two fumbles and an interception.
• S Kevin Winston Jr. tied a career-high with 12 tackles (7 solo), earning his third career double-digit tackle game.
• Winston claimed Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors.
• S Jaylen Reed tallied a career-high nine tackles (3 solo), while adding a tackle for loss and his first career fumble recovery.
• in the fourth quarter, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton recovered a fumble and CB Elliot Washington II picked off a pass.