Chance at 10th win meaningful to Mustipher, Lions

No. 11 Penn State closes out regular season with visit from Michigan St.

PJ Mustipher has experienced much during his five college football seasons, from going 11-2 and winning the Cotton Bowl in 2019, to back-to-back mediocre records in 2020-21 and his season-ending knee injury last year.

Mustipher knows his time at Penn State is coming to a close, but he has some unfinished business.

“To be here at 9-2 and to get this 10th win would mean the world because we’re getting this program turning in the right direction,” he said. “The future is bright. We just gotta finish this year strong. That means the most to me.

“One of the reasons why I came back (from his injury) was to win football games. We’ve done that this year. We just gotta keep it up.”

The 11th-ranked Nittany Lions (6-2 Big Ten, 9-2) have much at stake besides regaining the Land Grant Trophy when they play Michigan State (3-5, 5-6) Saturday at 4 p.m. (TV-FS1, WEEUAM/830) at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State can post a 10-win season and strengthen its case for a New Year’s Six bowl berth. It would be the first time in three years and the fourth since 2016 that the Lions did both.

“Being a senior and sitting here at nine wins, that’s special,” Mustipher said, “even though our goal is not to go 9-2; it’s to win every game. Hats off to the locker room and everybody who’s putting in the work.”

The 6-4, 318-pound Mustipher, a defensive tackle and a team captain, has started every game after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter at Iowa in October 2021. He calls his decision to return “worthwhile” and something he wouldn’t “trade for the world.”

“When you get in a locker room like ours, I’m telling you,

WORLD CUP

BARRY REEGER - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Penn State defensive tackle PJ Mustipher is pointing to a victory over Michigan State in his final home game Saturday at Beaver Stadium.