EVANSTON, Ill. – Penn State (2-1) visits Northwestern for a Friday night matchup as the Wildcats dedicate their new Ryan Field in the stadium’s debut game. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on FOX.
Northwestern is 2-1 this season after falling 29-23 at No. 5/4 Indiana in its Big Ten opener last Friday. The Wildcats brought the game within two, 22-20, with 5:10 remaining but the Hoosiers responded with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left. Aidan Chiles threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score. Griffin Wilde hauled in two touchdown receptions, while Luke Dehnicke contributed seven catches for 140 yards.
Penn State meanwhile is coming off a deflating 24-20 loss to Wisconsin in last Saturday’s Big 10 opener.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Northwestern for the 23rd time in program history. The Nittany Lions own a 16-6 advantage in the series, including a 7-3 mark on the road. Penn State won three-straight games in the series (31-7 in 2017, 17-7 in 2022 and 41-13 in 2023) before falling 22-21 in 2025. Last season, Kaytron Allen rushed for 90 yards and an 11-yard touchdown. Nicholas Singleton and Drew Allar added rushing touchdowns.
FRIDAY NIGHT: The Nittany Lions will play their 95th non-Saturday regular season game on Friday. PSU has a 44-44-6 record in non-Saturday regular season games and a 17-8-1 mark in Friday games. Penn State has won all three of its Friday night games against Big Ten opponents, winning 63-24 at Illinois in 2018, 59-0 at Maryland in 2019 and 42-0 at Michigan State in 2023. PSU also earned a 35-31 win over Purdue on a Thursday night in 2022.
CREATING TAKEAWAYS: Penn State picked off three passes against Wisconsin to move its total to eight takeaways this season (three fumbles, five interceptions). PSU ranks 12th in the country in takeaways and 17th in interceptions. In the second quarter, Josiah Zayas jumped a route and took an interception 51 yards for a touchdown. On the next possession, Daryus Dixson recorded an interception. Tony Rojas added his second pick of the year in the fourth quarter.
BARKER CLIMBING THE RECORDS LISTS: Ryan Barker continues to move up the career kicking records at Penn State. In his third season as PSU’s kicker, Barker sits seventh in extra-point percentage (98.2), tied for seventh in field goals made (40) and eighth in extra points made (109), while ranking first all-time in field goal percentage (88.9; min. 25 attempts).
NUMBERS TO KNOW
2,000 – On a 22-yard catch against Wisconsin, Chase Sowell went over 2,000 career receiving yards. He now has 2,019 career yards.
51 – Josiah Zayas picked off a pass in the second quarter against Wisconsin and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. It was his first career interception and return for a touchdown.
40.8 – Penn State ranks third in the nation in three-and-out percentage, holding opponents to a three-and-out in 40.8 percent of their possessions.
17 – The Nittany Lions are 17-8-1 all-time in Friday games and have won each of their three Friday night games against Big Ten opponents.
6 – After picking off a pass against Wisconsin, Tony Rojas leads all current FBS linebackers with six career interceptions.
SERIES HISTORY VS. NORTHWESTERN
- The Nittany Lions will take on Northwestern for the 23rd time in program history.
- Penn State holds a 16-6 advantage in the series, including a 7-3 mark in road matchups.
- The Nittany Lions had won three-straight matchups in the series (31-7 in 2017, 17-7 in 2022 and 41-13 in 2023) before falling 22-21 in 2025.
- In 2025, Kaytron Allen rushed for 90 yards and an 11-yard touchdown, while Nicholas Singleton added a 2-yard touchdown rush and Drew Allar had a 1-yard touchdown rush.
- Devonte Ross contributed seven catches for 115 yards.
- Zane Durant and Zuriah Fisher each recorded a sack, while Audavion Collins recovered a fumble and Dani-Dennis-Sutton blocked a punt.
FRIDAY NIGHT
- The Nittany Lions will play their 95th non-Saturday regular season game in program history and has a 44-44-6 record in those games.
- Penn State holds a 17-8-1 record during regular season games played on Friday.
- Penn State has won all three of its Friday night games against Big Ten opponents, earning a 63-24 win at Illinois in 2018, a 59-0 victory at Maryland in 2019 and a 42-0 win at Michigan State in 2023.
- The Nittany Lions also earned a 35-31 win over Purdue on a Thursday night in 2022.
