Nittany Lions Host Panthers in Clash of Cat Mascots (Game Preview)

FIU (1-0, 0-0 Conference USA) at No. 2 Penn State (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten)

Date: Saturday, September 6

Time (EST): 12:00 PM

Location: West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium (University Park, PA)

• Average Home Attendance (2025): 106,915.00

• Highest Home Attendance (2025): 106,915 (August 30, vs. Nevada)

• Capacity: 106,572

Game Theme: THON Game

Coverage

• TV: Big Ten Network (Guy Haberman & Yogi Roth & Rhett Lewis)

• Radio (Broadcasters)

  • Neutral: CommRadio (Isaac Hallock & Michael Siroty)

  • Student-Run: The Lion 90.7 FM (Ben Hoyt & Owen Klein)

  • Penn State: LionVision (Steve Jones & Jack Ham & Brian Tripp)

• Live Stats: ESPN GameCast (fan-focused) & StatBroadcast (enhanced)

Storylines

Tale of the Tape: Building on Game 1

FIU and Penn State tuned up last week against FCS Bethune-Cookman and Nevada, respectively, but there were still some issues to clear up. The Panthers couldn’t find the endzone through the air, while the Nittany Lions struggled to get much yardage on the ground with their duo in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

Panthers Receive a Vote in Latest Coaches’ Poll

In a surprising development on Tuesday, FIU received a vote in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Despite going 4-8 last season, the Panthers could use this as a boost before the opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday. (Source: USA Today Sports)

Flashback to 2020: A Change on the Schedule

Penn State scheduled a home-and-home with Virginia Tech set for 2020 and for this game. Due to COVID, however, the home-and-home was canceled, with the Virginia Tech game this year being replaced with the FIU game. (Source: On3)

FIU at No. 2 Penn State: By The Numbers

*Turnovers include failed 4th-down conversion attempts.

FIU	Offense	No. 2 Penn State
42.0	Points Per Game	46.0
233.0	Pass Yards Per Game	303.0
223.0	Rush Yards Per Game	135.0
57.14%	3rd Down %	46.15%
2 (2.00)	Turnovers (per game)	1 (1.00)

*Takeaways include opponents’ failed 4th-down conversion attempts.

FIU	Defense	No. 2 Penn State
9.0	Points Allowed PG	11.0
241.0	Pass Yards Allowed PG	125.0
105.0	Rush Yards Allowed PG	78.0
33.33%	Opponent 3rd Down %	36.36%
4 (4.00)	Takeaways (per game)	4 (4.00)

The Head-to-Head History of FIU-Penn State (Source: Winsipedia)

Penn State is 1-0 against FIU all-time, with the lone contest being a 59-0 win for the Nittany Lions at home on September 1, 2007.

Players To Watch on Offense

FIU (Spread Offense)

• QB Keyone Jenkins, Jr.

  • 2025 CUSA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

  • Overall (1 game)

    • Passing: 18-for-30, 187 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT

    • Rushing: 5 car, 3 yds, 0 TD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games)

    • Passing: 74-for-114, 896 yds, 8 TD, 4 INT

    • Rushing: 26 car, 66 yds, 1 TD

  • 2024 Away (6 games)

    • Passing: 100-for-160, 1,100 yds, 10 TD, 7 INT

    • Rushing: 45 car, 48 yds, 1 TD

• RB Kejon Owens, R-Sr.

  • 2025 All-CUSA Preseason First Team (Phil Steele)

  • Overall (1 game): 11 car, 71 yds, 2 TD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games): 31 car, 173 yds, 3 TD

  • 2024 Away (5 games): 38 car, 174 yds, 2 TD

• WR Alex Perry, R-Jr.

  • All pre-2025 splits are from his 2024 season at Hawaii.

  • Overall (1 game): 3 rec, 17 yds, 0 TD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (5 games): 8 rec, 75 yds, 0 TD

  • 2024 Away (5 games): 7 rec, 56 yds, 0 TD

No. 2 Penn State (Spread Offense)

• QB Drew Allar, Sr.

  • Overall (1 game)

    • Passing: 22-for-26, 217 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT

    • Rushing: 6 car, 20 yds, 0 TD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (3 games)

    • Passing: 41-for-58, 729 yds, 8 TD, 1 INT

    • Rushing: 18 car, 77 yds, 2 TD

  • 2024 Home (7 games)

    • Passing: 107-for-158, 1,312 yds, 7 TD, 2 INT

    • Rushing: 43 car, 124 yds, 3 TD

• RB Nick Singleton, Sr.

  • Overall (1 game): 8 car, 19 yds, 2 TD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (3 games): 37 car, 314 yds, 3 TD

  • 2024 Home (7 games): 80 car, 531 yds, 5 TD

• WR Kyron Hudson, R-Sr.

  • All pre-2025 splits are from his 2024 season at USC.

  • Overall (1 game): 6 rec, 89 yds, 1 TD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (3 games): 8 rec, 127 yds, 0 TD

  • 2024 Home (5 games): 14 rec, 113 yds, 2 TD

Players To Watch on Defense

FIU (Multiple 4-3 Defense)

• DE Kenton Simmons, Jr.

  • All pre-2025 splits are from his 2024 season at Butler CC.

  • Overall (1 game): 2 tot, 1 solo, 1.5 TFL

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games): 8 tot, 4 solo, 0 TFL

  • 2024 Away (5 games): 5 tot, 9 solo, 4.5 TFL

• LB Johnny Chaney Jr, R-Sr.

  • All pre-2025 splits are from his 2023 season at Florida A&M.

  • Overall (1 game): 8 tot, 1 TFL, 0 sacks

  • 2023 Non-Conference (3 games): 18 tot, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks

  • 2023 Away (5 games): 37 tot, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack

• CB Brian Blades II, R-Sr.

  • Overall (1 game): 4 tot, 0 INT, 0 PD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games): 13 tot, 1 INT, 3 PD

  • 2024 Away (6 games): 15 tot, 1 INT, 2 PD

No. 2 Penn State (4-2-5 Defense)

• DE Dani Denis-Sutton, Sr.

  • Overall (1 game): 5 tot, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games): 4 tot, 1 TFL, 1 sack

  • 2024 Home (7 games): 12 tot, 4.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks

• LB Amare Campbell, Jr. (North Carolina transfer)

  • Overall (1 games): 6 tot, 0 TFL, 0 sacks

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games): 25 tot, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks

  • 2024 Home (7 games): 49 tot, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks

• FS Zakee Wheatley, R-Sr.

  • Overall (1 game): 3 tot, 0 INT, 0 PD

  • 2024 Non-Conference (4 games): 11 tot, 1 INT, 2 PD

  • 2024 Home (7 games): 37 tot, 1 INT, 4 PD

Quick Picks: Expert Analysis

Bryan: Penn State played a clean game last week and looks to roll right into Game 2 against FIU. The Panthers will put up more of a fight, but the Nittany Lions will run through in this one. No. 2 Penn State 48, FIU 14.