GAME NOTES: No. 7 Penn State vs. West Virginia

Jul 24, 2023

Football 8/28/2023 6:47:00 PM

NBC SATURDAY NIGHT: The Nittany Lions open NBC's 2023 Big Ten football coverage. Penn State is set to make its first appearance on NBC since Sept. 9, 2006 at Notre Dame. Penn State is 7-3 all-time in games broadcast on NBC with eight of the 10 appearances coming in bowl games. This will mark NBC's first-ever game in Beaver Stadium.

SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets West Virginia for the 60th time in program history. The Nittany Lions own a 48-9-2 advantage in the series. Penn State is 31-3 in home games and has won 32 of the last 34 matchups. In the last contest, on Oct. 24, 1992, the Nittany Lions won 40-26 in Morgantown. Kerry Collins threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns, while Richie Anderson rushed for 133 yards and three scores.

STARTING OFF RIGHT: Penn State has won 18 of its last 21 season-opening contests and six of its last seven. The Nittany Lions are 112-22-2 all-time in season openers and 121-13-1 all-time in home openers.

OFFENSIVE WEAPONS: Following strong freshmen campaigns by Nicholas Singleton (1,061 rushing yards) and Kaytron Allen (867), along with the addition of Trey Potts (1,195 career yards), Penn State is one of 17 FBS teams, and the only Big Ten team, entering 2023 with three career 800-yard rushers on its team. With Dante Cephas (2,139 career receiving yards) and KeAndre-Lambert Smith (1,048), Penn State is one of 11 FBS teams, and the only Big Ten team, entering 2023 with two career 1,000-yard rushers and receivers on its roster.

BEHIND THE LINE: PSU limited nine opponents to less than 100 rushing yards during the 2022 season and 11 of its last 12 opponents below their season rushing average entering the game. PSU recorded at least seven tackles for loss in each of the last eight games of 2022.

THE OPPOSITION: West Virginia went 5-7 overall in 2022 with a 3-6 record in Big 12 action. The Mountaineers' victories included a 43-40 win over No. 23 Baylor and wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.BY THE NUMBERS

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