Running back Nick Singleton joined Penn State’s elite 3,000-Yard Club on Saturday vs. FIU in Beaver Stadium on a 10-yard run to the left on a second-and-6 in the third quarter. He’s now at 3,007 yards and counting.
A quarter later, on his final carry of the day, Singleton’s teammate and roommate — Kaytron Allen — also joined the club, on a 67-yard TD run on a first-and-10 with 3:29 left in the game, to give the Nittany Lions a 27-0 lead. 3,046 yards and counting.
It was the longest run of the 583 carries of Allen’s four-year Penn State career. (Singleton has 520.)
“I still can’t describe it. I can’t believe it. Great run,” Allen said after the game. “But I couldn’t do it without them boys up front and Luke [Reynolds] and [Khalil] Dinkins and the receivers. They were all blocking for me. I’m glad I have those boys on my team.”
On Penn State’s next drive, Singleton had one final carry of the day, when he ran five yards up the middle for a touchdown and No. 2 Penn State’s final margin of victory, 34-0. It was Singleton’s career rushing TD No. 35, moving him to fourth all-time at PSU for running touchdowns, behind Curtis Enis (36), Lydell Mitchell (38) and Saquon Barkley (43). Singleton ranks No. 2 in career touchdowns (44), trailing only Saquon Barkley (53).
On the day, Allen finished with 16 carries and 144 yards (9.0 yards per carry), while Singleton was 14 for 76 (5.8 ypc). In the process, they vaulted to No. 7 and 8 on the all-time Penn State career rushing list:
The Penn State 3,000-Yard Club
1. Evan Royster (2007-10) – 3,932
2. Saquon Barkley (2015-17) – 3,843
3. Curt Warner (1979-82) – 3,398
4. Tony Hunt (2003-06) – 3,320
5. Blair Thomas (1985-86, 89) – 3,301
6. Curtis Enis (1995-97) – 3,256
7. Kaytron Allen (2022-25) – 3,064
8. Nick Singleton (2022-25) – 3,002
Allen and Singleton have been Penn State’s 1-2 in the backfield since they were freshmen in 2022, edging out more veteran players as the duo quickly earned the bulk of the carries each of the past four seasons. (In 2024, they accounted for 89.8% of all carries by a PSU running back.)
Last week against Nevada, neither had a stellar game, as the Wolf Pack plugged up the line of scrimmage with extra players and added pressure, and the veteran Penn State O-line had trouble adjusting. Together, they had an uncharacteristic 16 carries for 62 yards, though they did combine for three touchdowns when it mattered.
After the Nevada game, a 46-11 victory, Penn State head coach James Franklin said: “We didn’t have the explosive runs like you’d hope for. And I think there’s a reason for that. I think that was kind of part of their plan. Soft coverage, get an extra hat in the box, don’t allow the two running backs to beat you. Last year that would happen sometimes, and we weren’t able to distribute the ball enough, and we were able to do that today. So, things that we got to get cleaned up, there’s no doubt about it.”
The RB duo — and their offensive line — had a slow start against FIU as well, rushing for only 33 on nine carries, for a 3.67-yard average. But, in the second half on Saturday, they turned it on, gaining 187 yards on 20 carries — 9.35 yards per carry.
“There are so many things I could have done better on the field in the first half,” Allen said. “There are still things we still need to work on.”
As does the much-hyped Penn State offensive line. After the victory over FIU, Franklin: “I haven’t watched this tape yet, but based on last week and what I saw today out on the field, I think there’s a lot of meat left on the bone. I think we have the chance to be a dominant front, but I wouldn’t say we have played like that up to this point. We have to get that figured out and playing up to our potential is going to be important to us moving forward.”
With Allen and Singleton, Penn State has shown a bit of wrinkle in the early part of the season. On Saturday, Allen and Singleton opened up the game against FIU in a Wildcat set-up. QB Drew Allar was flanked to the side, as Allen took the snap and handed off to Singleton for a 9-yard gain on the Nittany Lions’ very first play.
“Do you have the option to keep the ball in that situation? Will we see that down the road?” I asked Allen after the game.
Allen flashed a huge smile. “Of course. We’ll see. We’ll see.”
ALLEN’S FRIEND OF RECORD
Both Allen and Singleton came back for a final season at Penn State in 2025 for myriad reasons — to win a national title, for lucrative payouts via NIL deals and a share of Penn State’s $20.5 million House vs. NCAA settlement payroll, to gain some personal records and to enhance their stock in the 2026 NFL Draft. If Allen has his way, he’ll share one big record with his best friend.
“We’re trying to make sure we’re helping each other,” Allen said of Singleton on Saturday, “to keep growing and helping each of us get better. That’s my dog, man. I hope at the end of the year we can be tied.”
