2016 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
2016 Penn State Nittany Lions football | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
East Division | |
Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 7 |
AP | No. 7 |
Record | 11–3 (8–1 Big Ten) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Joe Moorhead (1st season) |
Offensive scheme | Spread |
Defensive coordinator | Brent Pry (1st as DC; 3rd overall season) |
Co-defensive coordinator | Tim Banks (1st season) |
Base defense | 4–3 |
Captains |
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Home stadium | Beaver Stadium (Capacity: 106,572) |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Penn State xy$ | 8 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 6 Ohio State x^ | 8 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 10 Michigan | 7 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 4 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maryland | 3 | – | 6 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan State | 1 | – | 8 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rutgers | 0 | – | 9 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Wisconsin xy | 7 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 6 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nebraska | 6 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 5 | – | 4 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern | 5 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 2 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 1 | – | 8 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Penn State 38, Wisconsin 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2016 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by third-year head coach James Franklin and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were a member of the Big Ten East Division of the Big Ten Conference. They lost to Pitt and Michigan in early September but then had a winning streak that included signature victories over Ohio State and Wisconsin en route to a Big Ten championship. Despite their Big Ten title, the Nittany Lions just missed a playoff berth. They represented the Big Ten in the 2017 Rose Bowl, losing to USC on a game winning field goal.
Background
2016 NFL Draft
Round | Pick (Overall) | Player | Team | Position |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 43 | Austin Johnson | Tennessee Titans | Nose Tackle |
2 | 51 | Christian Hackenberg | New York Jets | Quarterback |
3 | 65 | Carl Nassib | Cleveland Browns | Defensive end |
6 | 202 | Anthony Zettel | Detroit Lions | Defense Tackle |
6 | 204 | Jordan Lucas | Miami Dolphins | Safety |
Schedule
Overview
Penn State announced its 2016 football schedule on July 11, 2013. The 2016 schedule consists of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Nittany Lions hosted Big Ten foes Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Ohio State, and traveled to Indiana, Michigan, Purdue, and Rutgers.
The team hosted two of the three non-conference games against the Kent State Golden Flashes from the Mid-American Conference (MAC), Pittsburgh Panthers from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and the Temple Owls from the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 3 | 3:30 p.m. | Kent State* | BTN | W 33–13 | 94,378 | ||
September 10 | 12:00 p.m. | at Pittsburgh* | ESPN | L 39–42 | 69,983 | ||
September 17 | 12:00 p.m. | Temple* |
| BTN | W 34–27 | 100,420 | |
September 24 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 4 Michigan | ABC | L 10–49 | 110,319 | ||
October 1 | 3:30 p.m. | Minnesota |
| BTN | W 29–26 OT | 95,332 | |
October 8 | 12:00 p.m. | Maryland |
| BTN | W 38–14 | 100,778 | |
October 22 | 8:00 p.m. | No. 2 Ohio State |
| ABC | W 24–21 | 107,280 | |
October 29 | 12:00 p.m. | at Purdue | No. 24 | ABC/ESPN2 | W 62–24 | 33,157 | |
November 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Iowa | No. 12 |
| BTN | W 41–14 | 106,194 |
November 12 | 12:00 p.m. | at Indiana | No. 10 | ABC/ESPN2 | W 45–31 | 40,678 | |
November 19 | 8:00 p.m. | at Rutgers | No. 8 | BTN | W 39–0 | 51,366 | |
November 26 | 3:30 p.m. | Michigan State | No. 7 |
| ESPN | W 45–12 | 97,418 |
December 3 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 6 Wisconsin | No. 7 | FOX | W 38–31 | 65,018 | |
January 2, 2017 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. No. 9 USC* | No. 5 | ESPN | L 49–52 | 95,128 | |
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- Schedule Source:
Roster
2016 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Coaching staff
Position | Name | Alma mater |
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Head coach | James Franklin | East Stroudsburg (1994) |
Defensive coordinator/linebackers | Brent Pry | Buffalo (1993) |
Offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks | Joe Moorhead | Fordham University (1995) |
Safeties/co-defensive coordinator | Tim Banks | Central Michigan University (1994) |
Running backs/special teams coordinator | Charles Huff | Hampton (2005) |
Tight ends/passing game coordinator | Ricky Rahne | Cornell (2002) |
Wide Receivers/offensive recruiting coordinator | Josh Gattis | Wake Forest (2006) |
Cornerbacks/defensive recruiting coordinator | Terry Smith | Penn State (1991) |
Offensive line | Matt Limegrover | University of Chicago (1990) |
Defensive line/run game coordinator | Sean Spencer | Clarion (1995) |
Strength and conditioning | Dwight Galt | Maryland (1981) |
Graduate assistant | Joe Brady IV | College of William & Mary (2013) |
Graduate assistant | Tommy Galt | Maryland (2009) |
Graduate assistant | Andrew Jackson | LIU Post (2011) |
Graduate assistant | Ryan Smith | College of William & Mary (2014) |
Rankings
Week | ||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
AP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 20 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 |
Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | — | RV | — | RV | 23 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 |
CFP | Not released | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | Not released |
Game summaries
Kent State
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Kent State | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Penn State | 6 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 33 |
- Date: September 3
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C); sunny and clear
- Game attendance: 94,378
- Referee: Greg Blum
- TV announcers (BTN): Scott Graham, Chuck Long
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Pittsburgh
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Penn State | 7 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 39 |
Pittsburgh | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
at Heinz Field
- Date: September 10
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C); partly cloudy
- Game attendance: 69,983
- Referee: Jerry McGinn
- TV announcers (ESPN): Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Temple
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Temple | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
Penn State | 14 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
- Date: September 17
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C); mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 100,420
- Referee: Mike Roche
- TV announcers (BTN): Eric Collins, Glen Mason, Rick Pizzo
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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#4 Michigan
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Penn State | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
#4 Michigan | 14 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 49 |
- Date: September 24
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C); mostly sunny
- Game attendance: 110,319
- Referee: Daniel Capron
- TV announcers (ABC): Dave Flemming, Brian Griese, Todd McShay
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Minnesota
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
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Minnesota | 3 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 26 |
Penn State | 0 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 29 |
- Date: October 1
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C); cloudy, showers
- Game attendance: 95,332
- Referee: Don Willard
- TV announcers (BTN): Brandon Gaudin, Chuck Long
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Maryland
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Maryland | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Penn State | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
- Date: October 8
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C); rain, mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 100,778
- Referee: John O'Neill
- TV announcers (BTN): Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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#2 Ohio State
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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#2 Ohio State | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 21 |
Penn State | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 24 |
- Date: October 22
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C); cold, windy, brisk
- Game attendance: 107,280
- Referee: Michael Cannon
- TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Sam Ponder
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Purdue
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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#24 Penn State | 7 | 10 | 24 | 21 | 62 |
Purdue | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
- Date: October 29
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C); partly sunny
- Game attendance: 33,157
- Referee: Jeff Servinski
- TV announcers (ABC/ESPN2): Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht, Rocky Boiman
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Iowa
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Iowa | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
#20 Penn State | 7 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 41 |
- Date: November 5
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C); clear, pleasant
- Game attendance: 106,194
- Referee: Ron Snodgrass
- TV announcers (BTN): Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Indiana
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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#12 Penn State | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 45 |
Indiana | 0 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
- Date: November 12
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. ET
- Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C); sunny
- Game attendance: 40,678
- Referee: Michael Cannon
- TV announcers (ABC/ESPN2): Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Rutgers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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#9 Penn State | 6 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 39 |
Rutgers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at High Point Solutions Stadium
- Date: November 19
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C); cloudy, rain later, wind
- Game attendance: 51,366
- Referee: Don Willard
- TV announcers (BTN): Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Michigan State
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Michigan State | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
#8 Penn State | 0 | 10 | 21 | 14 | 45 |
- Date: November 26
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C); cold, cloudy
- Game attendance: 97,418
- Referee: John O'Neill
- TV announcers (ESPN): Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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#6 Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship Game)
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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#6 Wisconsin | 14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
#8 Penn State | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
- Date: December 3
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Game weather: indoors, roof closed
- Game attendance: 65,018
- Referee: Michael Cannon
- TV announcers (Fox): Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Shannon Spake
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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#9 USC (Rose Bowl)
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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#9 USC | 13 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 52 |
#5 Penn State | 0 | 21 | 28 | 0 | 49 |
at Rose Bowl
- Date: January 2, 2017
- Game time: 5:00 p.m. ET
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C); cloudy
- Game attendance: 95,128
- Referee: Duane Heydt
- TV announcers (ESPN): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Samantha Ponder
- ESPN Box Score, GoPSUsports.com
Game information | ||
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Awards and honors
Players
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Coaches
Coach | Award | Date Awarded | Ref. |
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James Franklin | Dave McClain Coach of the Year (media vote) | November 22, 2016 | |
James Franklin | Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year | December 7, 2016 |