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 .
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:
Since 1970, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length. The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers. Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002,[ 2] allowing players in most seasons since then an extra game to accumulate statistics. The Nittany Lions played in the 2016 Big Ten Football Championship Game , giving players in that season yet another game to amass statistics. Starting in 2018 a redshirted player was allowed to play in up to 4 games in a season and still maintain their status allowing players to gain an extra season of statistics. Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any football player, giving everyone who played in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.[ 3] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Sean Clifford 10,661 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2 Trace McSorley 9,899 2015 2016 2017 2018 3 Christian Hackenberg 8,427 2013 2014 2015 4 Zack Mills 7,212 2001 2002 2003 2004 5 Matt McGloin 6,390 2009 2010 2011 2012 6 Tony Sacca 5,869 1988 1989 1990 1991 7 Daryll Clark 5,742 2006 2007 2008 2009 8 Chuck Fusina 5,382 1975 1976 1977 1978 9 Kerry Collins 5,304 1991 1992 1993 1994 10 Anthony Morelli 5,275 2004 2005 2006 2007
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Trace McSorley 3,614 2016 2 Trace McSorley 3,570 2017 3 Matt McGloin 3,271 2012 4 Sean Clifford 3,107 2021 5 Daryll Clark 3,003 2009 6 Christian Hackenberg 2,977 2014 7 Christian Hackenberg 2,955 2013 8 Sean Clifford 2,882 2022 9 Kerry Collins 2,679 1994 10 Sean Clifford 2,654 2019
Passing completions [ edit ] Passing completion percentage [ edit ] Minimum of 100 attempts for career Longest touchdown pass [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Evan Royster 3,932 2007 2008 2009 2010 2 Saquon Barkley 3,843 2015 2016 2017 3 Curt Warner 3,398 1979 1980 1981 1982 4 Tony Hunt 3,320 2003 2004 2005 2006 5 Blair Thomas 3,301 1986 1987 1988 1989 6 Curtis Enis 3,256 1995 1996 1997 7 DJ Dozier 3,227 1983 1984 1985 1986 8 Larry Johnson 2,953 2000 2001 2002 9 Lydell Mitchell 2,934 1969 1970 1971 10 Ki-Jana Carter 2,829 1992 1993 1994
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Larry Johnson 2,087 2002 2 Lydell Mitchell 1,567 1971 3 Ki-Jana Carter 1,539 1994 4 John Cappelletti 1,522 1973 5 Saquon Barkley 1,496 2016 6 Blair Thomas 1,414 1987 7 Tony Hunt 1,386 2006 8 Curtis Enis 1,363 1997 9 Blair Thomas 1,341 1989 10 Rodney Kinlaw 1,329 2007
Longest rushing plays [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Bobby Engram 3,026 1993 1994 1995 2 DaeSean Hamilton 2,842 2014 2015 2016 2017 3 Deon Butler 2,771 2005 2006 2007 2008 4 Jahan Dotson 2,757[ 7] 2018 2019 2020 2021 5 Allen Robinson 2,474 2011 2012 2013 6 Chris Godwin 2,421 2014 2015 2016 7 Derek Moye 2,395 2008 2009 2010 2011 8 Jordan Norwood 2,015 2005 2006 2007 2008 9 Bryant Johnson 2,008 2000 2001 2002 10 Kenny Jackson 2,006 1980 1981 1982 1983
Receiving touchdowns [ edit ] Longest touchdown reception [ edit ] All-time career and single season records for Tight Ends Total offense yards [ edit ] Career Rk Player Yards Years 1 Sean Clifford 11,734 [ 4] 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2 Trace McSorley 11,596 2015 2016 2017 2018 3 Christian Hackenberg 8,215 2013 2014 2015 4 Zack Mills 7,853 2001 2002 2003 2004 5 Daryll Clark 6,377 2006 2007 2008 2009 6 Matt McGloin 6,325 2009 2010 2011 2012 7 Tony Sacca 6,000 1988 1989 1990 1991 8 Saquon Barkley 5,574 2015 2016 2017 9 Kerry Collins 5,300 1991 1992 1993 1994 10 Michael Robinson 5,168 2002 2003 2004 2005
Single season Rk Player Yards Year 1 Trace McSorley 4,061 2017 2 Trace McSorley 3,979 2016 3 Trace McSorley 3,328 2018 4 Sean Clifford 3,270 [ 4] 2021 5 Matt McGloin 3,220 2012 6 Daryll Clark 3,214 2009 7 Michael Robinson 3,156 2005 8 Sean Clifford 3,056 [ 4] 2019 9 Sean Clifford 2,998 [ 4] 2022 10 Christian Hackenberg 2,887 2013
Touchdowns responsible for [ edit ] 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.[ 21]
Field Goal Attempts [ edit ] Field Goal Percentage [ edit ] *Minimum of 40 Attempts
Longest field goal made [ edit ] Longest kickoff return [ edit ] Longest punt return [ edit ] Overall team records [ edit ] Largest win / loss margin[ edit ] Longest win streaks [ edit ] Home & Away Rank Games First Win Last Win Days Opponent to End Streak Score 1 23 9/21/1968 9/19/1970 728 @ Colorado 41-13 2 20 11/6/1993 9/23/1995 686 Wisconsin 17-9 3 19 10/8/1977 11/24/1978 412 Alabama (Sugar Bowl) 17-7 4 15 10/24/1970 11/20/1971 392 @ Tennessee 31-11 5 13 9/15/1973 9/14/1974 364 Navy 7- 6 13 9/6/1986 9/5/1987 364 Alabama 24-13 7 12 10/25/1919 11/6/1920 378 @Lehigh 7-7 12 10/26/1996 11/1/1997 371 Michigan 34-8 9 11 11/30/1911 10/11/1913 681 @ Washington & Jefferson 17-0 11 9/7/1985 11/23/1985 77 Oklahoma (Orange Bowl) 25-10 11 10/19/1991 10/3/1992 350 Miami (FL) 17-14 11 11/28/1998 10/30/1999 336 Minnesota 24 -23
Home Rank Games First Win Last Win Days Opponent to End Streak Score 1 29 10/4/1919 10/11/1924 1834 Syracuse 10-6d 2 23 10/28/1899 9/29/1906 Gettysburg 0-0 3 21 10/31/1970 9/14/1974 1414 Navy 7-6 4 18 10/26/1889 09/30/1899 Washington & Jefferson 0-0 5 17 10/7/1939 9/25/1943 1449 Colgate 0-0 6 16 9/3/2016 9/15/2018 742 Ohio State 27-26 7 15 9/25/1915 10/27/1917 763 Lehigh 9-0 15 10/21/1967 9/19/1970 1064 Syracuse 24-7 9 14 9/14/1985 9/5/1987 721 Alabama 24-13 14 9/22/1990 9/26/1992 735 Miami (FL) 17-14
Away Rank Games First Win Last Win Days Opponent to End Streak Score 1 14 9/29/1967 11/29/1969 792 @ Colorado 41-13 2 12 10/7/1972 10/26/1974 749 @ North Carolina State 12-7 3 10 9/7/1985 9/26/1987 749 @ Syracuse 48-21 10 11/20/1993 10/21/1995 700 @ Northwestern 21-10 5 9 9/2/1977 10/28/1978 421 @ Nebraska 42-17 9 10/6/1979 10/17/1981 742 @ Miami (FL) 17-14 7 8 10/10/1970 11/20/1971 406 @ Tennessee 31-11 8 7 10/11/1947 11/6/1948 392 @ Pittsburgh 7-0 9 6 10/23/1982 10/15/1983 357 @ Boston College 27-17 6 10/26/1996 11/15/1997 385 @ Michigan State 49-14
Longest losing streaks [ edit ] Longest bowl streak [ edit ] All-Time Rank Streak Years Record Head Coach Notes 1 13 Years 1971-1983 9-4 Joe Paterno 1982: Won 1st National Championship in Sugar Bowl vs Georgia 27-23 2 11 Years 1989-1999 8-3 Joe Paterno 1994: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Rose Bowl vs Oregon 38-20 3 7 Years 2005-2011 4-3 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
4 6 Years 2014-2019 3-3 James Franklin 2016 : Won Big Ten Championship, Lost Rose Bowl vs USC 49-52 5 4 Years 1959-1962 3-1 Charles A. "Rip" Engle 6 3 Years 1967-1969 2-0-1 Joe Paterno 3 Years 1985-1987 1-2 Joe Paterno 1986 : Won 2nd national Championship in Fiesta Bowl vs Miami (FL) 14-10
Longest bowl win streak [ edit ] Rank Streak Years Head Coach Notes 1 5 Years 1979-1983 Joe Paterno 1982: Won 1st National Championship in Sugar Bowl vs Georgia 27-23 2 4 Years 1993-1996 Joe Paterno 1994: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Rose Bowl vs Oregon 38-20 3 3 Years 1959-1961 Charles A. "Rip" Engle 3 Years 2005-2007 Joe Paterno 2005: Won Big Ten Championship, Won Orange Bowl vs Florida State 26-23
Largest bowl win/ loss margin[ edit ] Largest loss margin [ edit ]
^ a b "2017 Penn State Football Yearbook" . GoPSUSports.com . Retrieved August 19, 2017 . ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . Associated Press. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014 . ^ 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 . ^ a b c d e f g h "Sean Clifford" . ESPN.com . ^ a b c d "Penn State vs. USC Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 12, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2024 . ^ "Pitt holds off Penn State rally to win 42-39" . ESPN.com . September 10, 2016. ^ a b c d e f "Jahan Dotson" . ESPN.com . ^ a b "Parker Washington" . ESPN.com . ^ "Ohio State blows 17-point lead, rebounds to beat Penn State in 2OT" . ESPN.com . October 26, 2014. ^ "Michigan State takes division with rout of Penn State" . ESPN.com . November 28, 2016. ^ "Penn State vs. Ohio State Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 30, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021 . ^ a b "Ohio State vs. Penn State Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 29, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022 . ^ "USC hits FG at gun, beats Penn State 52-49 in epic Rose Bowl" . ESPN.com . January 2, 2017. ^ "Pat Freiermuth" . ESPN.com . ^ "Ohio State vs. Penn State Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020 . ^ a b "Villanova vs. Penn State Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021 . ^ "Ohio State vs. Penn State Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2021 . ^ "Penn State stuns UCF, wins opener on Sam Ficken's game-winning FG" . ESPN.com . August 30, 2014. ^ "Barkley's run lifts Penn State over Minnesota 29-26 in OT" . ESPN.com . October 1, 2016. ^ a b "Penn State beats Michigan State to reach Big Ten title game" . ESPN.com . November 26, 2016. ^ "2022 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF) . NCAA. p. 12. Retrieved November 5, 2022 . ^ "Arnold Ebiketie" . ESPN.com . ^ a b c d e f "Jake Pinegar" . ESPN.com . ^ "Indiana vs. Penn State Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023 . ^ a b "Massachusetts vs. Penn State Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023 .
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