Penn State (#3) meets Oregon (#1) for the fifth time in program history.
The Nittany Lions own a 3-1 advantage in the series. The last matchup was the 1995 Rose Bowl with Penn State earning a 38-20 win to conclude a 12-0 season. Ki-Jana Carter rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns, while Brian
Milne and Jon Witman each scored once on the ground.
Tyler Warren, voted Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year, broke three more tight end records in PSU’s win over Maryland. Warren broke a tie with Wisconsin’s Travis Beckum (75; 2007) for the Big Ten tight end season receptions record and has 81 receptions this year. On a 7-yard touchdown catch, Warren hauled in his 17th career touchdown reception, breaking a tie with Pat Freiermuth (16; 2018-20) for the PSU tight end career touchdown receptions record. In the third quarter, Warren set the PSU tight end career receptions record, previously held by Mike Gesicki (129; 2014-17), and now owns 130 career receptions. He also holds PSU tight end records for career receiving yards (1,584), career 100-yard receiving games (5), season receptions (81) and season receiving yards (978).
No. 1 Oregon finished the regular season with a 12-0 record, including a 9-0 mark
in Big Ten play. Oregon concluded the regular season with a 49-21 win over Washington. Dillon Gabriel threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, while scoring on a 4-yard run. Oregon scored five touchdowns on the ground. On defense, the Ducks tallied 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
After going undefeated in the regular season and 9-0 in conference play, No. 1 Oregon will have a chance to capture the Big Ten title in its first year in the league as the Ducks head to Indianapolis to face Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. This will be Oregon’s seventh all-time appearance in a conference championship game, and fifth since 2019. Saturday will mark the fifth all-time meeting between the Ducks and Nittany Lions, and first since the 1995 Rose Bowl.
The Ducks completed an undefeated, 12-0 regular season for the second time in program history with last week’s dominant win over Washington, joining the 2010 team as the only Oregon squads to accomplish that feat. Oregon is the only FBS team to go undefeated in the regular season, and one of just four to go unbeaten in conference play. The Ducks went 9-0 in conference play for the second time in program history, joining that 2010 team that went on to play for the national championship. Oregon has now won 13 straight games dating back to last season, carrying the nation’s longest active winning streak into the postseason. It is the second year in a row and seventh time in program history that Oregon has reached 12 wins in a season.
On Oregon win would capture the Big Ten Championship in Oregon’s first year in
the conference. Secure a first-round bye for the Ducks in the College
Football Playoff. Make Oregon 13-0 for the first time in program history. Match the Oregon single-season record for wins with 13,
tying the 2014 team and be the Ducks’ 14th straight win dating back to last season, the longest active winning streak in the nation.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said, “we are certainly excited about the opportunity to go compete against a great team in Penn State. I know our players are really excited about it. This has been a fun season for us, but there’s some real challenges that they present. I think we talk about trying to play your best ball at the end of season, and that’s, that’s the position that we’re in right now, but we’re going against the team that’s playing really good ball as well. So this will be a great game for college football and a great opportunity for us and our fans. So be excited to see a bunch of Oregon Ducks show up there in Indianapolis and go from there.”
Penn State’s James Franklin on Oregon. “They’re talented. They’ve done a really good job of recruiting and developing. They have size and speed and athleticism. They’ve done a good job of using it. They got some guys that are somewhat unusual in terms of their measurables for the position they play, specifically at defensive end. Got a ton of respect for their nose guard as well. I think that’s what everybody’s trying to do, right? You’re trying to get as many big athletes as you possibly can. We’ve talked about this in the past. On offense, you’re trying to create space. On defense, you’re trying to take space away. How do you do that? You can do that with size in terms of weight and being sturdy and not allow people to get any movement on you. You can do it with size in terms of length and taking up space on the field. And then you can do it with speed, in terms of being able to close space down as quick as you possibly can.
Oregon official site
Penn State official site
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