The Penn State Nittany Lions football statistical leaders are statistical leaders of the Penn State Nittany Lions football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, kicking and overall team performance. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, career leaders and all time records. The Nittany Lions represent Pennsylvania State University in the NCAA's Big Ten Conference.
Although Penn State began competing in intercollegiate football in 1887, the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1970. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons: Since 1970, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length. The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers. Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002, allowing players in most seasons since then an extra game to accumulate statistics. The Nittany Lions played in the 2016 Big Ten Football Championship Game, giving players in that season yet another game to amass statistics. Starting in 2018 a redshirted player was allowed to play in up to 4 games in a season and still maintain their status allowing players to gain an extra season of statistics. Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any football player, giving everyone who played in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.
Passing
Passing yards
+ Career1Sean Clifford 10,6612018 2019 2020 2021 20222Trace McSorley9,8992015 2016 2017 20183Christian Hackenberg8,4272013 2014 20154Drew Allar7,4022022 2023 2024 20255Zack Mills7,2122001 2002 2003 20046Matt McGloin6,3902009 2010 2011 20127Tony Sacca5,8691988 1989 1990 19918Daryll Clark5,7422006 2007 2008 20099Chuck Fusina5,3821975 1976 1977 197810Kerry Collins5,3041991 1992 1993 1994
+ Single season1Trace McSorley3,61420162Trace McSorley3,57020173Drew Allar3,32720244Matt McGloin3,27120125Sean Clifford3,10720216Daryll Clark3,00320097Christian Hackenberg2,97720148Christian Hackenberg2,95520139Sean Clifford2,882202210Kerry Collins2,6791994
+ Single game1Christian Hackenberg4542014 UCF (Croke Park Classic)2Sean Clifford4012021 Villanova3Zack Mills3992002 Iowa4Sean Clifford3982019 Maryland5Matt McGloin3952012 Indiana6Drew Allar3912024 USC7Trace McSorley3842016 Wisconsin (B10 CG)8Trace McSorley3812017 Michigan State9Michael Robinson3792003 Wisconsin10Trace McSorley3762016 Michigan State
Passing touchdowns
+ Career1Sean Clifford 862018 2019 2020 2021 20222Trace McSorley772015 2016 2017 20183Drew Allar612022 2023 2024 20254Christian Hackenberg482013 2014 20155Matt McGloin462009 2010 2011 20126Daryll Clark432006 2007 2008 20097Todd Blackledge411980 1981 1982Tony Sacca411988 1989 1990 1991Zack Mills412001 2002 2003 200410Kerry Collins391991 1992 1993 1994
+ Single season1Trace McSorley2920162Trace McSorley2820173Drew Allar2520234Daryll Clark242009 Matt McGloin242012Sean Clifford242022Drew Allar2420248Sean Clifford2320199Todd Blackledge22198210Tony Sacca211991 Kerry Collins211994 Sean Clifford212021
+ Single game1Tony Sacca51991 Georgia TechRashard Casey52000 Louisiana Tech3Tom Sherman41967 PittsburghChuck Fusina41978 SyracuseZack Mills42002 IowaAnthony Morelli42007 BuffaloDaryll Clark42008 Michigan StateDaryll Clark42009 Michigan Michigan State Matt McGloin42012 IndianaChristian Hackenberg42013 WisconsinChristian Hackenberg42014 Boston College (Pinstripe Bowl)Trace McSorley42016 Michigan State Wisconsin (B1G 10 CG)Trace McSorley42016 USC (Rose Bowl)Trace McSorley42017 Georgia StateSean Clifford42019 Michigan StateSean Clifford42021 VillanovaSean Clifford42022 PurdueSean Clifford42022 MinnesotaSean Clifford42022 Michigan State Drew Allar42023 IowaDrew Allar42023 MarylandRocco Becht42026 Marshall
Passing attempts
+ Career1Sean Clifford1,3562018 2019 2020 2021 20222Christian Hackenberg1,2352013 2014 20153Trace McSorley1,2152015 2016 2017 20184Zach Mills1,0822001 2002 2003 20045Drew Allar1,0022022 2023 2024 20256Matt McGloin8942009 2010 2011 20127Tony Sacca8241988 1989 1990 19918Anthony Morelli8212004 2005 2006 20079Daryll Clark7382006 2007 2008 200910Wally Richardson6921992 1993 1994 1995 1996 + Single Season1Christian Hackenberg48420142Matt McGloin44620123Sean Clifford42820214Trace McSorley42720175Anthony Morelli40220076Drew Allar39420247Christian Hackenberg39220138Drew Allar38920239Trace McSorley387201610Anthony Morelli3862006 + Single Game1Sean Clifford572020 Maryland2Christian Hackenberg552013 Indiana3Sean Clifford522021 Ohio State4Rashard Casey512000 IowaMatt McGloin512012 Northwestern6Christian Hackenberg502014 Boston College (Pinstripe Bowl)7Zach Mills492004 PurdueChristian Hackenberg492014 Ohio State9Matt McGloin482012 OhioTrace McSorley482017 Iowa
Passing completions
+ Career1Sean Clifford8332018 2019 2020 2021 20222Trace McSorley7202015 2016 2017 2018 3Christian Hackenberg6932013 2014 20154Drew Allar6332022 2023 2024 20255Zach Mills6062001 2002 2003 20046Matt McGloin5132009 2010 2011 2012 7Anthony Morelli4602004 2005 2006 20078Daryll Clark444 2006 2007 2008 20099Tony Sacca4011988 1989 1990 1991 10Wally Richardson3781992 1993 1994 1995 1996
+ Single Season1Trace McSorley28420172Matt McGloin2702012Christian Hackenberg27020144Drew Allar26220245Sean Clifford26120216Anthony Morelli23420077Drew Allar23320238Daryll Clark23220099Christian Hackenberg231201310Sean Clifford2262022
+ Single Game1Matt McGloin352012 Northwestern Sean Clifford352021 Ohio State3Christian Hackenberg342014 Boston College (Pinstripe Bowl)4Christian Hackenberg322014 UCF Trace McSorley322017 Washington (Fiesta Bowl) Sean Clifford322022 Ohio State7Christian Hackenberg312014 Ohio State8Christian Hackenberg302013 Indiana Drew Allar302024 USC
Passing completion percentage Minimum of 100 attempts for career
+ Career1Ethan Grunkemeyer68.9% 2024 20252Drew Allar63.2%2022 2023 2024 20253Sean Clifford61.4%2018 2019 2020 2021 20224Daryll Clark60.2%2006 2007 2008 20095Will Levis59.8%2019 20206Trace McSorley59.3%2015 2016 2017 20187Matt McGloin57.4%2009 2010 2011 2012 8Kerry Collins56.3%1991 1992 1993 19949Christian Hackenberg56.1%2013 2014 201510Zack Mills56.0%2001 2002 2003 2004Anthony Morelli56.0%2004 2005 2006 2007
Interceptions
+ Career1Todd Blackledge411980 1981 19822Zack Mills392001 2002 2003 20043Chuck Fusina321975 1976 1977 1978 4Christian Hackenberg312013 2014 2015 Sean Clifford312018 2019 2020 2021 20226Trace McSorley252015 2016 2017 20187John Shaffer241983 1984 1985 1986Tony Sacca241988 1989 1990 19919Tony Rados231951 1952 195310Kerry Collins211991 1992 1993 1994Michael Robinson212002 2004 2004 2005
+ Single season1Christian Hackenberg1520142Jack White141965 Todd Blackledge141981 Todd Blackledge1419825Todd Blackledge1319806Chuck Fusina121978 Zack Mills122001 Zack Mills1220049Kerry Collins111993
Longest touchdown pass
+ Career1Sean CliffordDaniel George952018Kent State2Trace McSorleyK. J. Hamler932018Ohio State3Harold HessBob Higgins921919Pittsburgh4Sean CliffordKeAndre Lambert-Smith882022Utah (Rose Bowl)5Steve JoachimJim Scott861971NavySean CliffordJahan Dotson862021Maryland7Trace McSorleySaquon Barkley852017Georgia State8Sean CliffordKeAndre Lambert-Smith832021Villanova9Matt KniznerEric Hamilton821982PittsburghMatt KniznerEric Hamilton821986PittsburghKerry CollinsFreddie Scott821994Rutgers
Rushing
Rushing yards
+ Career1Kaytron Allen4,1802022 2023 2024 20252Evan Royster3,9322007 2008 2009 20103Saquon Barkley3,8432015 2016 20174Nicholas Singleton3,4612022 2023 2024 20255Curt Warner3,3981979 1980 1981 19826Tony Hunt3,3202003 2004 2005 20067Blair Thomas3,3011986 1987 1988 19898Curtis Enis3,2561995 1996 19979DJ Dozier3,2271983 1984 1985 198610Larry Johnson2,9532000 2001 2002
+ Single season1Larry Johnson2,08720022Lydell Mitchell1,56719713Ki-Jana Carter1,53919944John Cappelletti1,52219735Saquon Barkley1,49620166James Ward1,41420047Tony Hunt1,38620068Curtis Enis1,36319979Blair Thomas1,341198910Rodney Kinlaw1,3292007
+ Single game1Larry Johnson3272002 Indiana2Larry Johnson2792002 IllinoisLarry Johnson2792002 Michigan State4Larry Johnson2572002 Northwestern5Curt Warner2561981 Syracuse6Shorty Miller2501913 Carnegie Tech7Bob Pollard2431951 Rutgers8Curtis Enis2411996 USC (Kickoff Classic)9Bob Campbell2391968 Syracuse10Curt Warner2381981 Nebraska
Rushing touchdowns
+ Career1Nicholas Singleton452022 2023 2024 20252Saquon Barkley432015 2016 20173Kaytron Allen392022 2023 2024 20254Lydell Mitchell381969 1970 19715Curtis Enis361995 1996 19976Ki-Jana Carter341992 1993 19947Charlie Pittman301967 1968 19698Trace McSorley302015 2016 2017 20189John Cappelletti291972 1973Richie Anderson291991 1992Evan Royster292007 2008 2009 2010
+ Single season1Lydell Mitchell2619712Ki-Jana Carter2319943Larry Johnson2020024Curtis Enis1919975Richie Anderson181992 Saquon Barkley182016 Saquon Barkley1820178John Cappelletti1719739Kaytron Allen15202510Charlie Pittman141968
+ Single game1Harry Robb61917 Gettysburg2Shorty Miller51913 Carnegie TechLydell Mitchell51971 MarylandKi-Jana Carter51994 Michigan State5Franco Harris41971 IowaLydell Mitchell41971 NavyLydell Mitchell41971 TCULydell Mitchell41971 North Carolina StateJohn Cappelletti41973 West VirginiaJohn Cappelletti41973 OhioBrian O'Neal41992 PittsburghLarry Johnson42002 IndianaLarry Johnson42002 Michigan StateSaquon Barkley42016 Pittsburgh
Longest rushing plays
+ All Time1Blair Thomas921986Syracuse Bill Belton922014Indiana Saquon Barkley922017Washington (Fiesta Bowl)4Nicholas Singleton872022Utah (Rose Bowl)5Chafie Fields841997Texas6Ki-Jana Carter831995Oregon7Devyn Ford812019Idaho8Saquon Barkley792016USC (Rose Bowl)9Corey Smith782024Washington10Nicholas Singleton702022Ohio
Receiving
Receptions
+ Career1DaeSean Hamilton2142014 2015 2016 20172Jahan Dotson 1832018 2019 2020 20213Deon Butler1792005 2006 2007 20084Allen Robinson1772011 2012 20135Bobby Engram1671993 1994 1995 19966Derrick Williams1612005 2006 2007 20087Jordan Norwood1582005 2006 2007 20088Chris Godwin1542014 2015 20169Tyler Warren153 2021 2022 2023 202410Parker Washington146 2020 2021 2022
+ Single season1Tyler Warren10420242Allen Robinson9720133Jahan Dotson9120214DaeSean Hamilton8220145Allen Robinson7720126Chris Godwin6920157Parker Washington6420218O. J. McDuffie6319929Bobby Engram63199510Chris Godwin592016
+ Single game1Tyler Warren172024 USC2DaeSean Hamilton142014 Ohio State3Freddie Scott131995 Wisconsin4Allen Robinson122013 IndianaAllen Robinson122013 Ohio StateSaquon Barkley122017 Iowa7O. J. McDuffie111992 Boston CollegeDeon Butler112006 NorthwesternAllen Robinson112013 IllinoisChris Godwin112015 Michigan StateJahan Dotson112021 Ohio StateJahan Dotson112021 MarylandParker Washington112022 Ohio State
Receiving yards
+ Career1Bobby Engram3,0261993 1994 19952DaeSean Hamilton2,8422014 2015 2016 20173Deon Butler2,7712005 2006 2007 20084Jahan Dotson 2,7572018 2019 2020 20215Allen Robinson2,4742011 2012 20136Chris Godwin2,4212014 2015 20167Derek Moye2,3952008 2009 2010 20118Jordan Norwood2,0152005 2006 2007 20089Bryant Johnson2,0082000 2001 200210Kenny Jackson2,0061980 1981 1982 1983
+ Single season1Allen Robinson1,43220132Tyler Warren1,23320243Jahan Dotson1,18220214Chris Godwin1,10120155Bobby Engram1,08419956Bobby Engram1,02919947Allen Robinson1,01820128Chris Godwin98220169O. J. McDuffie977199210Freddie Scott9731994