Game notes: Minnesota at Penn State
Saturday, November 14, kickoff time not yet set, Beaver Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- Minnesota (4–2, 2–1 in conference) at Penn State (3–4, 0–4 in conference), Saturday, November 14, kickoff time not yet set, Beaver Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
- For the Governor’s Victory Bell, which Penn State holds.Wikipedia, resultsThe trophy from Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games; who holds it from our results since its first year.
The series
- It will be their 18th meeting; Penn State leads the series 11–6.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, November 23, 2024: Penn State 26, Minnesota 25.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1993: Penn State 38, Minnesota 20.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- Penn State is 6–2 at home against Minnesota.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2024: Penn State 26–25 (at Minnesota); 2022: Penn State 45–17 (at Penn State); 2019: Minnesota 31–26 (at Minnesota); 2016: Penn State 29–26 (at Penn State); 2013: Minnesota 24–10 (at Minnesota).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Minnesota
- Minnesota is 4–2 (2–1 in conference games).resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 59–7 vs. Eastern Illinois; L 13–38 vs. Mississippi State; W 41–7 vs. Akron; W 27–24 at Washington; W 20–14 vs. Michigan; L 13–41 at Purdue.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Minnesota is No. 70 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- P.J. Fleck is 70–46 in his 10th season at Minnesota and 100–68 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- P.J. Fleck is 1–2 against Penn State.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Drake Lindsey (QB): 1,335 passing yards, 9 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- T.J. Thomas Jr. (RB): 319 rushing yards, 1 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Maverick Baranowski (LB): 45 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Anthony Smith needs 1 sack to pass Willie VanDeSteeg (21.5, 2005–08) for fifth on Minnesota’s career sacks list. He has 21 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Drake Lindsey needs 2 touchdown passes to pass Billy Cockerham (29, 1996–99) for ninth on Minnesota’s career touchdown passes list. He has 28 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Drake Lindsey needs 220 yards to pass Tim Schade (3,986, 1993–94) for 10th on Minnesota’s career passing yards list. He has 3,767 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Darius Taylor is tied with Herb Joesting (23, 1925–27) for 10th on Minnesota’s career rushing touchdowns list, at 23 so far; one more rushing touchdown breaks the tie.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2025, Minnesota lost to No. 7 Oregon 42–13.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
Penn State
- Penn State is 3–4 (0–4 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 45–0 vs. Marshall; W 27–9 at Temple; W 55–13 vs. Buffalo; L 20–24 vs. Wisconsin; L 13–34 at Northwestern; L 23–31 vs. No. 19 USC; L 18–21 at Michigan.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Penn State has lost four straight, since beating Buffalo 55–13 (Sept. 19, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Penn State is No. 46 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Matt Campbell is 3–4 in his first season at Penn State and 110–74 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Matt Campbell faces Minnesota as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Rocco Becht (QB): 1,664 passing yards, 12 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Chase Sowell (WR): 34 catches, 510 yards, 3 TD, the team leader in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Tony Rojas (LB): 56 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- On this date in 1992, Penn State lost to No. 8 Notre Dame 17–16.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- Matt Campbell is 2–1 against P.J. Fleck’s teams as a head coach.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
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