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Nittany Lions Battle Scarlet Knights for Bowl Eligibility in Regular Season Finale (Game Preview)

Penn State (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) at Rutgers (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten)

Date: Saturday, November 29

Time (EST): 3:30 PM

Location: SHI Stadium (Piscataway, NJ)

  • Average Home Attendance (2025): 47,333.33

  • Highest Home Attendance (2025): 55,942 (September 19, vs. Iowa)

  • Capacity: 52,454

Game Promotions

  • Senior Day

  • Thank You Fans

Coverage


Storylines

Tale of the Tape: Postseason Hopes On The Line

Penn State and Rutgers fight to be the Big Ten’s final bowl game representative as both teams have had different paths to this point.

The Nittany Lions shrugged off a six-game losing streak with wins over Michigan State and Nebraska, while a Rutgers victory against Maryland two weeks ago kept them in the battle for a sixth win.


Singleton Looks to Break Record

Just one week after breaking the scrimmage touchdowns record, Nicholas Singleton is on pace to etch his name into the Penn State record book one more time.

Singleton needs one more rushing touchdown to break the all-time Penn State rushing touchdown record as he is currently tied with Saquon Barkley.


The Block Party

The Scarlet Knights rank fourth nationally in blocked punts (3), which has been just one part of the role the special teams unit plays under Greg Schiano.

With Schiano as head coach, Rutgers has blocked 76 kicks in his 17 seasons, which includes 46 punts, 17 field goals and 13 extra points.


The Head-to-Head History of Penn State-Rutgers

Penn State is 32-2 against Rutgers all-time. Their last meeting was on November 18, 2023, when Penn State beat Rutgers 27-6 at home.

Penn State is 14-0 against Rutgers on the road all-time, with their last road meeting being on November 19, 2022 in a 55-10 win.

Penn State has won the last 17 head-to-head meetings dating back to 1989. Rutgers last beat Penn State on September 24, 1988 in a 21-16 road win.

Source: Winsipedia


Penn State at Rutgers: By The Numbers

Penn State

Offense

Rutgers

31.0

Points Per Game

28.0

179.1

Pass Yards Per Game

259.6

166.4

Rush Yards Per Game

136.1

43.38%

3rd Down %

42.00%

10 (0.91)

Turnovers (per game)

10 (0.91)


Penn State

Defense

Rutgers

20.1

Points Allowed PG

31.1

169.5

Pass Yards Allowed PG

224.2

146.8

Rush Yards Allowed PG

201.7

41.06%

Opponent 3rd Down %

42.45%

12 (1.09)

Takeaways (per game)

12 (1.09)


Players To Watch on Offense

Penn State (Spread Offense)

  • QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, R-Fr.

    • Overall (9 games)

      • Passing: 83-for-123, 870 yds, 5 TD, 4 INT

      • Rushing: 30 car, (-24) yds, 1 TD (sacked 10 times)

    • Conference (6 games)

      • Passing: 75-for-112, 765 yds, 4 TD, 4 INT

      • Rushing: 27 car, (-32) yds, 0 TD (sacked 10 times)

    • Away (3 games)

      • Passing: 42-for-69, 365 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT

      • Rushing: 18 car, (-32) yds, 0 TD (sacked 7 times)

    • November (4 games)

      • Passing: 60-for-84, 672 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT

      • Rushing: 20 car, (-33) yds, 0 TD (sacked 9 times)

  • RB Kaytron Allen, Sr.

    • Career Rushing Yards: 3,954

    • 46 rushing yards needed to get to 4,000

    • Overall (11 games): 188 car, 1,077 yds, 14 TD (long: 67)

    • Conference (8 games): 154 car, 504 yds, 11 TD (long: 50)

    • Away (4 games): 82 car, 452 yds, 7 TD (long: 42)

    • Career vs. Rutgers (2 games): 27 car, 186 yds, 2 TD (long: 59)

    • November (4 games): 90 car, 465 yds, 5 TD (long: 50)

  • WR Trebor Peña, R-Sr.+

    • Overall (11 games): 40 rec, 416 yds, 1 TD (long: 43)

    • Conference (8 games): 27 rec, 270 yds, 0 TD (long: 43)

    • Away (4 games): 13 rec, 83 yds, 0 TD (long: 25)

    • November (4 games): 17 rec, 195 yds, 0 TD (long: 43)

Rutgers (Spread Offense)

  • QB Athan Kaliakmanis, Sr.

    • Overall (11 games)

      • Passing: 213-for-346, 2,786 yds, 17 TD, 7 INT

      • Rushing: 86 car, (-25) yds, 3 TD (sacked 33 times)

    • Conference (8 games)

      • Passing: 151-for-261, 1,966 yds, 10 TD, 7 INT

      • Rushing: 65 car, (-43) yds, 3 TD (sacked 28 times)

    • Home (6 games)

      • Passing: 107-for-170, 1,458 yds, 11 TD, 5 INT

      • Rushing: 41 car, 33 yds, 2 TD (sacked 12 times)

    • Career vs. Penn State (1 game)

      • Passing: 9-for-22, 175 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT

      • Rushing: 7 car, 45 yds, 0 TD

    • November (3 games)

      • Passing: 48-for-85, 563 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT

      • Rushing: 17 car, (-18) yds, 0 TD (sacked 7 times)

  • RB Antwan Raymond, So.

    • Doak Walker National Running Back Award Semifinalist

    • Overall (11 games): 215 car, 1,052 yds, 12 TD (long: 51)

    • Conference (8 games): 172 car, 838 yds, 7 TD (long: 51)

    • Home (6 games): 120 car, 605 yds, 8 TD (long: 35)

    • November (3 games): 66 car, 321 yds, 2 TD (long: 34)

  • WR K. J. Duff, So.

    • Biletnikoff Award Watch List

    • Overall (11 games): 55 rec, 957 yds, 6 TD (long: 72)

    • Conference (8 games): 38 rec, 713 yds, 4 TD (long: 72)

    • Home (6 games): 29 rec, 446 yds, 2 TD (long: 49)

    • November (3 games): 13 rec, 196 yds, 1 TD (long: 49)


Players To Watch on Defense

Penn State (4-2-5 Defense)

  • DE Dani Denis-Sutton, Sr.

    • Overall (11 games): 34 tot, 9.5 TFL, 6 sacks

    • Conference (8 games): 25 tot, 5 TFL, 4 sacks

    • Away (4 games): 7 tot, 2 TFL, 2 sacks

    • Career vs. Rutgers (1 game): 0 tot, 0 TFL, 0 sacks

    • November (4 games): 10 tot, 4 TFL, 4 sacks

  • LB Amare Campbell, Jr.

    • Overall (11 games): 82 tot, 9 TFL, 2.5 sacks

    • Conference (8 games): 60 tot, 6 TFL, 1.5 sacks

    • Away (4 games): 28 tot, 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks

    • November (4 games): 31 tot, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks

  • S Zakee Wheatley, R-Sr.

    • Overall (11 games): 66 tot, 1 INT, 2 PD

    • Conference (8 games): 58 tot, 1 INT, 1 PD

    • Away (4 games): 32 tot, 1 INT, 1 PD

    • Career vs. Rutgers (2 games): 0 tot, 0 INT, 0 PD

    • November (4 games): 17 tot, 0 INT, 0 PD

Rutgers (4-2-5 Defense)

  • DE Eric O’Neill, Sr.

    • Overall (11 games): 34 tot, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks

    • Conference (8 games): 25 tot, 6 TFL, 2 sacks

    • Home (6 games): 26 tot, 6.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks

    • November (3 games): 15 tot, 4 TFL, 1 sack

  • LB Dariel Djabome, Sr.

    • William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalist

    • Overall (11 games): 70 tot, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks

    • Conference (8 games): 59 tot, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack

    • Home (6 games): 30 tot, 1 TFL, 1 sack

    • Career vs. Penn State (2 games): 1 tot, 0 TFL, 0 sacks

    • November (3 games): 24 tot, 1.5 TFL, 0 sacks

  • CB Cam Miller, Sr.

    • Penn State: 2022-24

    • Overall (11 games): 38 tot, 1 INT, 6 PD

    • Conference (8 games): 30 tot, 0 INT, 5 PD

    • Home (6 games): 19 tot, 1 INT, 3 PD

    • November (3 games): 14 tot, 0 INT, 4 PD


Quick Picks & Analysis

Bryan: One more game. That’s all the Nittany Lions need for bowl eligibility, and they’ll be sure to cruise to get there

Penn State 44, Rutgers 10.

 
 
 

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