2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Penn State defeated the Youngstown State Penguins by a score of 37-3 on September 16, 2006 at Beaver Stadium.

September 23: Ohio State

Penn State defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers 28-27 in overtime. Tony Hunt rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns (2 rushing), the last in overtime for the game-winning touchdown. Anthony Morelli threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns despite playing with a dislocated ring finger on his left (non-throwing) hand. The game, tied at overtime, was decided by two factors, a missed extra point kick, and a pass interference penalty on Penn State's drive to give them a fresh set of downs. Both proved critical, as Penn State soon converted the touchdown and kicked the extra point to escape with the win.

October 14: Michigan

]

Punter Jeremy Kapinos was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season, averaging 45.6 yards per punt, with a long of 57 yards. He pinned Illinois inside its own 20 yard line four times. He also surpassed Ralph Giacomarro to become first all-time in career punting yardage (9,578). Linebacker Paul Posluszny was also named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, notching a season-high 13 tackles and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. []

November 4: Wisconsin

]

November 11: Temple

The 2007 Outback Bowl featured Penn State against the Tennessee Volunteers of the SEC. Penn State last participated in the game in 1999, when they won over the Kentucky Wildcats by the score of 26-14. Tennessee last played in Tampa in the 1993 Hall of Fame Bowl, defeating the Boston College Eagles 38-23.

Penn State defeated the favored Tennessee 20-10 for Joe Paterno's record 22nd bowl win. Tony Hunt led the PSU offense running for 158 yards on 31 carries. Tony Davis returned a fumble 88 yards for the game winning touchdown. First Team All-Big Ten Conference strong safety Anthony Scirrotto also recorded his sixth interception of the season.

Rankings

Awards

* Jay Alford::Third-team Associated Press All-Americancite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2695097|title=2006 AP All-America Team|publisher=ESPN.com|date=2006-12-12|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::Second-team All-Big Ten (conference coaches selection)cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112106aaa.html|title=Big Ten Announces 2006 football All-Conference Teams And Individual Honors|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-11-21|accessdate=2007-01-22]

* Levi Brown::Second-team Walter Camp All-Americancite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120806aaa.html|title=Big Ten Earns Eight National Awards|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-12-08|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::Second-team "Sporting News" All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=11455|title=Trio of Nittany Lions Earn All-America Honors From The Sporting News|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2006-12-14|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::Third-team Associated Press All-American::Second-team All-Big Ten

* Dan Connor::First-team "Sporting News" All-American::Second-team Associated Press All-American::Second-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Sep. 2)cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090406aaa.html|title=Five Players Share Weekly Conference Honors After Undefeated Opening Week for Big Ten|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-09-04|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 28)cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/103006aaa.html|title=Indiana's Lewis, Penn State's Connor and Wisconsin's Mehlhaff Named Football Players of the Week|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-10-30|accessdate=2007-01-22]

* Maurice Evans::"Sporting News" Big Ten All-Freshman Teamcite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=158253|title=Sporting News 2006 Big Ten All-Freshman Team|publisher=Sporting News|date=2006-12-12|accessdate=2007-01-22]

* Tony Hunt::Second-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 11)cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111306aac.html|title=Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and Penn State Earn Weekly Football Accolades|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-11-13|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::Most Valuable Player, 2007 Outback Bowlcite web|url=http://www.outbackbowl.com/pressbox/release.html?release=140|title=Penn State Post-Game Notes|publisher=Outbackbowl.com|author=Outback Bowl|date=2007-01-01|accessdate=2007-03-28] ::Most Valuable Player, 2007 Senior Bowlcite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9958159|title=Smith leads North to victory in rainy Senior Bowl|publisher=NFL.com|author=Associated Press|date=2007-01-27|accessdate=2007-01-27]

* Jeremy Kapinos::Third-team Associated Press All-American::Second-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (Sep. 23)cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092506aaa.html|title=Michigan, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin Earn Weekly Football Honors|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-09-25|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 21)cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102306aab.html|title=MSU, OSU and PSU Earn Weekly Big Ten Football Honors|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2006-10-23|accessdate=2007-01-22]
* Justin King::Second-team All-Big Ten (conference coaches selection)

* Nolan McCready::Second-team CoSIDA Academic All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=11364|title=Posluszny Selected Academic All-American of the Year; Shaw & McCready Also Honored|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2006-11-30|accessdate=2007-01-22]

* Paul Posluszny::2006 Bednarik Award winnercite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=2690462|title=Posluszny repeats as Bednarik Trophy winner|publisher=ESPN.com|date=2006-12-07|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year::First-team Associated Press All-American::First-team Walter Camp All-American::First-team All-Big Ten::Second-team "Sporting News" All-American::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21)::National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete fellowshipcite web|url=http://live.psu.edu/story/20431|title=Posluszny earns Scholar-Athlete Fellowship|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2006-10-26|accessdate=2007-01-22] ::NCAA Defensive Player of the Yearcite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=11568|title=Posluszny Selected NCAA Defensive Player of the Year by Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2007-01-12|accessdate=2007-01-22]

* Andrew Quarless::"Sporting News" Big Ten All-Freshman Team

* Anthony Scirrotto::First-team All-Big Ten (conference media selection)::ESPN.com All-Bowl Teamcite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=11593|title=Scirrotto Selected to ESPN.com All-Bowl Team |publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2007-01-15|accessdate=2007-01-22]

* Tim Shaw::First-team CoSIDA Academic All-American

All-star games

External links

* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/ Official Penn State Athletics website]
* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/psu-m-footbl-body.html Official Penn State Athletics football subsite]
* [http://www.gopsf.com/ Penn State Football website]
* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2006-2007/teamstat.html Season statistics]

References