PENN STATE POST-GAME NOTES

• The Nittany Lions have won 22 of their last 27 games overall, dating to the final two games of the 2004 season.

• Penn State (9-4) has won nine or more games 26 times in Joe Paterno’s career.

• Penn State improves to 25-12-2 all-time in bowl games, ranked No. 3 nationally in bowl wins (Oklahoma and Tennessee have 24). The Nittany Lions’ 66.7 bowl winning percentage leads the nation among schools with at least 10 bowl wins.

• Coach Joe Paterno improved his bowl record to 22-10-1, a winning percentage of 68.2. Paterno is the all-time leader in bowl wins and appearances and his winning percentage is fourth-best among coaches with at least 11 bowl appearances.

• Joe Paterno’s overall record is 363-121-3, a winning percentage of 74.8. He is second all-time in victories among major college coaches, with Bobby Bowden at 366.

• Penn State has won 47 of 58 non-conference games overall since starting Big Ten play in 1993. The Lions improved to 18-19 all-time vs. SEC teams, with an 8-5 mark in bowl games. Penn State is 7-4 vs. SEC teams in bowl games under Joe Paterno. The Nittany Lions improved to 3-2 vs. Tennessee all-time, with wins in the 1992 Fiesta Bowl, 1994 Citrus Bowl and 2007 Outback Bowl.

• Penn State did not have a turnover for the first time this season. The PSU defense recorded its sixth game of the season forcing three or more turnovers. Penn State had two fumble recoveries and an interception on the day. Penn State forced 25 turnovers on the season

• Penn State allowed opponents a total of 29 points in the first quarter for the season after giving up three to Tennessee in the Outback Bowl.

• The Penn State defense recorded its sixth game of the season forcing three or more turnovers. Penn State had two fumble recoveries and an interception on the day. Penn State forced 25 turnovers on the season.

• The Penn State defense held 10 opponents to 17 or fewer points on the year, including the last seven. Over the last seven games, the Lions allowed 65 points, an average of 9.28 per game.

• Penn State held opponents to an average of 14.4 points per game on the year and Tennessee to 10 points, 19.3 below its average of 29.3ppg entering the game. Discounting 21 points scored on turnovers by opposing defenses, Penn State’s defense gave up an average of 12.7 ppg on the year.

• Penn State held Tennessee to 83 yards rushing. The Lions held eight opponents to under 100 rushing yards this season (PSU won all eight games).

• Penn State’s 92-yard, eight-play scoring drive for a TD in the second quarter was the Nittany Lions’ longest drive by yardage this year.

• Outback Bowl MVP Tony Hunt ran the ball a career high tying 31 times for 158 yards posting his 8th 100-yard game of the season and the 15th of his career moving him into a tie with Lydell Mitchell for fifth all-time in career 100-yard games at Penn State. All eight of Hunt’s 100-yard rushing games this season were for 130 yards or more.

• Tony Hunt’s 158 yards were the second-highest of his career (167 vs. Temple) and the second-highest by a Nittany Lion in a bowl game (186, Blair Thomas vs. BYU in 1989 Holiday Bowl).

• Tony Hunt finished his career second all-time on the Penn State career rushing charts with 3,320 yards on first all-time with 654 carries (5.08 avg.). He passed D.J. Dozier (3,227), Curtis Enis (3,256) and Blair Thomas (3,301) on the day and finished just 78 yards behind career leader Curt Warner’s total of 3,398 on 649 carries (5.2 avg.), the second most carries all-time.

• Hunt finished the season with 1,386 yards on 277 carries (5.0 avg). His yardage total ranks sixth all-time as he passed Blair Thomas (1,341 in 1989) and Curtis Enis (1,363 in 1997) on the day. His 277 carries are the second most all-time behind John Cappelletti’s 286 in 1973.

• Tony Hunt’s 31 carries are the most by an opposing player vs. Tennessee in a bowl game and his 158 rushing yards are third-highest vs. the Vols in a bowl game.

• Hunt finished the season with 1,645 all-purpose yards, good for sixth all-time as he passed Lenny Moore (1,486 in 1954), Curtis Enis (1,501 in 1996 & 1,578 in 1997), Blair Thomas (1,535 in 1,535) on the day. His 4,231 career all-purpose yards rank fourth all-time. Hunt also ranks tied for eighth with 25 career rushing TD’s and tied for 10th with 88 career receptions.

• CB Tony Davis returned his second fumble for a touchdown this season in the fourth quarter taking it back 88 yards to give PSU a 16-10 lead. Davis also returned a fumble six yards for a TD this season against Illinois. Sean Lee forced his second fumble of the season on the play. Davis is the second-straight Penn State player to post two defensive touchdowns in a season. Alan Zemaitis had a fumble and interception return for a TD last year.

• Davis’ 88-yard fumble return for a TD was the first for PSU in a bowl game since Derek Fox returned an interception 34 yards for a TD vs. Texas A&M in the 1999 Alamo Bowl.

• TE Andrew Quarless’ 2-yard TD catch to cap PSU’s 92-yard TD drive in the second quarter was the second of his career. He has had TD catches in each of Penn State’s last two games.

• QB Anthony Morelli moved into third place all-time on the Penn State single season passing charts with 2,424 yards on the season. Morelli completed 14 of 25 passes on the day for 197 yards and one touchdown. Morelli also set PSU’s single season pass completion (208) and attempt (386) records this season while completing 53 percent of his passes. Morelli’s 197 yards vs. Tennessee were seventh-highest by a Penn Stater in a bowl game.

• Safety Anthony Scirrotto recorded his sixth interception of the season in the third quarter. He is tied with nine other players for the 10th best single season interception mark in Penn State history. Current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Alan Zemaitis recorded six last season.

• With three catches for 73 yards on the day, Deon Butler finished the season with a team leading 48 catches for 637 yards. His 48 catches rank tied for sixth all-time in a season. Butler, a sophomore, now stands 12th all-time for career receiving yards at Penn State with 1,328 and 13th with 85 career receptions.

• Paul Posluszny recorded eight tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss (-10). He finished his career as Penn State’s all-time tackle leader with 372 and 12th all-time with 35 tackles for loss. Posluszny is the first player to lead Penn State in tackles three consecutive seasons.

• Dan Connor led Penn State with 10 tackles on the day. He moved into a tied for fifth all-time on the career tackle charts with 274 equaling the marks set by John Skorupan, and Shane Conlan.

• Jay Alford recorded two tackles for loss on the day to finish his career with 32, good for a tied for 14th all-time at Penn State with Todd Atkins.

• DE Tim Shaw recorded his seventh sack of the season and 12th of his career. Shaw recorded a sack in each of Penn State’s last three games.

• Senior Steve Roach made his first career start at defensive tackle.

• Senior Jim Shaw made his first career fumble recovery in the second quarter giving Penn State the ball on the TU 24.

• With two field goals on the day (34 & 22 yards) sophomore Kevin Kelly tied the Penn State record for field goals on a season with 22 equaling the mark set by Matt Bahr in 1978. His five attempts on the day also moved him into first all-time for season attempts with 34 surpassing the mark of 33 set by Chris Bahr in 1975.

• Punter Jeremy Kapinos finished his career as Penn State’s all-time leader in yardage (10,476) and punts (251) and tied for fifth with a career average of 41.7.

• Penn State started 10 seniors, two juniors, 11 sophomores and one freshman (includes specialists) vs. the Vols.