The Most Interesting Stats From Penn State's Win over Bowling Green

The Nittany Lions continued one long-running streak while ending another in their 2024 home opener.

Penn State unning back Nicholas Singleton breaks through the Bowling Green line for a big gain at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State extended one long-running streak but surprisingly ended another in its 34-27 victory over Bowling Green. The 2024 home opener at Beaver Stadium featured some intriguing numbers on offense and defense and even one regarding attendance.

A look at the most interesting stats from Penn State's win over Bowling Green.

RELATED: 3 things we learned about the Nittany Lions against Bowling Green

Penn State coach James Franklin improved to 25-0 in home games against non-conference opponents. The Nittany Lions have won 26 straight non-conference home games since losing to Central Florida in 2013.

Penn State entered the game not having allowed a game-opening touchdown drive in 28 consecutive games. Bowling Green ended the nation's longest streak with quarterback Connor Bazelak's 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in the first quarter.

The Falcons also ended Penn State's string of 15 regular-season, non-conference games without allowing more than 20 points.

Penn State's offense was productive on first down, averaging 10.4 yards per play. The Nittany Lions gained 193 of their 234 rushing yards on first down, with six carries of 10+ yards. And quarterback Drew Allar was 7-for-9 for 120 yards passing on first down.

However, the Nittany Lions were less productive on third down, going 2-for-9. The reason? Their average third-down distance was 8.6 yards. So on the rare occasions when first down didn't work, Penn State didn't shorten the sticks on second down. Something to continue watching.

Running back Nicholas Singleton scored a 41-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving him three carries of 40+ yards this season. Singleton had none last year after ranking third nationally as a freshman in 2022 with seven.

Singleton (119 yards) and Kaytron Allen (101) compiled tandem 100-yard rushing games for the second time in their careers.

Tyler Warren set the Penn State single-game record for receiving yards by a tight end (eight catches, 146 yards). Matt Kranchick (136) previously set the record in 2003.

Warren was a perfect 8-for-8 on targets from Allar against Bowling Green.

After catching nine passes against West Virginia in the opener, receiver Trey Wallace did not have a reception against Bowling Green.

Wallace and Warren have caught 17 of Allar's 24 completions through two games.

Offensive tackle Nolan Rucci more than doubled his snap count against Bowling Green. He played 26 snaps against the Falcons after getting 12 in the opener at West Virginia. Rucci replaced left tackle Drew Shelton for some of those snaps.

True freshman Luke Reynolds made his first career start at tight end, finishing second at the position with 21 snaps.

After a sloppy first half, Penn State's defense held Bowling Green to 6 yards on six plays in the third quarter.

Safety Jaylen Reed didn't come off the field, playing against all 66 of Bowling Green's offensive snaps. He was forced to go the entire game after starter KJ Winston left in the second quarter.

Kicker Sander Sahaydak doubled his career field-goal production in one game. He was 2-for-2 against Bowling Green, including a career-long 43-yarder. The fourth-year kicker was 1-for-4 on field-goal attempts the past two seasons.

Penn State's penalty pace is 50 percent higher than in 2023. The Nittany Lions have committed 15 penalties in two games, including seven against Bowling Green. They averaged five per game last season. But they're not at the bottom of the Big Ten15 penalties: Michigan State has committed 22 in two games.

Saturday's game marked just the sixth since 2021 that Penn State did not cover the spread as a home favorite. The Nittany Lions are 12-6-1 as a home favorite since 2021, according to TeamRankings.

The announced attendance at Beaver Stadium was 103,861. It was Penn State's smallest home crowd since Nov. 30, 2019, against Rutgers (98,895). It also was the smallest crowd for a home opener since Akron in 2017 (101,684).

More Penn State Football

What they said after Penn State's win over Bowling Green

Penn State report card: Bowling Green edition

Penn State absorbs a punch, gets past Bowling Green

Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.