Rushing TD Leaders
Penn State’s All-time Rushing TD Leaders—
The Career Rushing TD List—
All of the Rushing Touchdown totals are “Modified/Complete” stats which means that they are updated to include all Bowl game stats considered “unofficial” by NCAA prior to 2002 season—
Now outdated “official” TD numbers are in parentheses where necessary—
Nick Singleton—45 TDs (2025—career best 13 TDs)—All-Purpose Career TDs: PSU record 55 with 9 receiving/1 kick return—332 career points scored/PSU scoring record for non-kickers—Kickers’ record: Kevin Kelly (2005-08) 425 total points scored (417 via kicking) including a rushing TD & a 2 pt. conversion run
Saquon Barkey—43 TDs—1 TD in OT in 2016—All-Purpose Career TDs: 53 with 8 receiving/2 kick returns—318 career points scored
Kaytron Allen—39 TDs (2025—career best 15 TDs)—1 TD in OT in 2025—All-Purpose Career TDs: 43 with 4 receiving—258 career points scored—tied with Mitchell
Lydell Mitchell—39 TDs (38)—All-Purpose Career TDs: 43 with 4 receiving—258 career points scored—tied with Allen (Mitchell had PSU record 30 total TDs in 1971 season on 27 rushing/3 receiving-including bowl rushing TD)—CHOF
Curtis Enis—39 TDs (36)—All-Purpose Career TDs: 42 with 3 receiving-including bowls—256 career points scored (with two 2-point conversions)
Ki-Jana Carter—39 TDs (34)—no career receiving/return TDs—CHOF
Charlie Pittman—31 TDs (30)—1st at PSU to rush for 15 TDs in a single season (1968)
Trace McSorley—30 TDs (PSU QB career record)
John Cappelletti—30 TDs (29)—CHOF
Richie Anderson—30 TDs (29)
Evan Royster—29 TDs
Curt Warner—29 TDs (24)—CHOF
Matt Suhey—28 TDs (26)
DJ Dozier—27 TDs (25)
Larry Johnson—26 TDs (no career Bowl TDs)
Tony Hunt—25 TDs—1 TD in OT
Franco Harris—24 TDs (24)
Lenny Moore—23 TDs (no Bowls played)—1st at PSU to rush for 10 TDs in a single season (11 in 1954)
Daryll Clark—22 TDs (2nd QB behind McSorley)
Blair Thomas—22 TDs (21)
Zach Zwinak—21 TDs
Booker Moore—21 TDs (20)
Michael Robinson—20 TDs (RB & QB)—1st PSU QB to rush for 10 TDs in a single season (11 in 2005)
No others at 20 career TDs
The Single Season Rushing TD Leaders—
All stats are “Modified/Complete” including all Bowls/Post-Season games—
Lydell Mitchell—27 TDs (26) in 1971 (1st at PSU to rush for 20 & 25 TDs in a single season)
Ki-Jana Carter—26 TDs (23) in 1994
Larry Johnson—20 TDs in 2002
Curtis Enis—19 TDs in 1997 (Missed Bowl due to eligibility issues)
Saquon Barkley—18 TDs in 2016
Saquon Barkley—18 TDs in 2017
Richie Anderson—18 TDs in 1992
John Cappelletti—18 TDs (17) in 1973
Most Multiple Rushing TD Games in a Single Season—
Lydell Mitchell—8 in 1971
Saquon Barkley—7 in 2017
Ki-Jana Carter—7 in 1994
Nick Singleton—5 in both 2022 & 2025
Most Rushing TDs in Single Season by a QB—
Trace McSorley—12 TDs in 2018
Trace McSorley—11 TDs in 2017
Michael Robinson—11 TDs in 2005
Daryll Clark—10 TDs in 2008
Most Rushing TDs in Overtime in Career—
Bill Belton RB-2 (2013 win vs. Michigan & 2014 loss vs. Ohio State)
Rashard Casey QB-1 (2000 loss vs. Iowa)—First QB & first overall to rush for OT TD at PSU
Austin Scott RB-1 (2006 Orange Bowl win vs. Florida State)—First to rush for OT TD in PSU win & in Bowl game
Tony Hunt RB-1 (2006 win at Minnesota)—First to rush for OT TD in road game
Saquon Barkley RB-1 (2016 win vs. Minnesota)
Miles Sanders RB-1 (2018 win vs. Appalachian State)
Kaytron Allen RB-1 (2025 loss vs. Oregon)
Note: Noah Cain RB is only PSU player to rush for a 2-point conversion in OT (2021 loss vs. Illinois in 9-OT)
Running Back Duos with 10+ Rushing TDs in Same Season—
2025—Kaytron Allen 15 & Nick Singleton 13 (both totals were their single season bests)
2022—Nick Singleton 12 & Kaytron Allen 10
1969—Charlie Pittman 10 & Franco Harris 10
Two QB/RB duos have also rushed for 10+ TDs in same season—2017-Trace McSorley 11 & Saquon Barkley 18 / 2008-Daryll Clark 10 & Evan Royster 12
Players with 10+ Rushing TDs in Back-to-Back Seasons—
Nick Singleton (12 in 2024 & 13 in 2025), Trace McSorley QB (11 in 2017 & 12 in 2018), Saquon Barkley (18 in 2016 & 18 in 2017), Curtis Enis (15 in 1996 & 19 in 1997), Richie Anderson (11 in 1991 & 18 in 1992), Curt Warner (10 in 1981 & 10 in 1982), John Cappelletti (12 in 1972 & 18 in 1973), and Charlie Pittman (15 in 1968 & 10 in 1969)
Most Total Rushing TDs in Consecutive Seasons—
Saquon Barkley—36 (2016-2017)
Ki-Jana Carter—35 (1993-1994)
Curtis Enis—34 (1996-1997)
Lydell Mitchell—33 (1970-1971)
John Cappelletti—30 (1972-1973)
Nittany Notes:
Most Rushing TDs in a single game—This remains one of Penn State’s oldest and longest standing records.
In 1917, halfback Harry Robb scored 6 touchdowns in an 80-0 win over Gettysburg which will always be the New Beaver Field record.
There’s a group with 5 TDs in a game: Shorty Miller vs. Carnegie Tech in 1913, Lydell Mitchell vs. Maryland in 1971 (which set the Beaver Stadium record), and Ki-Jana Carter vs. Michigan State in 1994 (which set the PSU Big Ten game record & tied the Beaver Stadium mark).
For the record, the 1913 Shorty Miller 5 TD total is a number that does not appear in “official” stats in the Media Guide. The Media Guide also offers conflicting TD stats on Fullback Carl Forkum who either scored 4 or 5 TDs in the 1903 59-0 win at Western University of Pa. (now known as Pitt)—some of those TDs could have been via “non-rushing means” such as returns, but this was an era where the forward pass was still technically not legal, so that limits defensive scoring options to a possible fumble recovery and return, in addition to kick/punt returns for scores. Pitt’s game stats suggest the correct rushing TD total for Forkum is 4 not 5 (at 5 points each); plus, Forkum kicked 9 successful goals after touchdown to account for 29 of the 59 points.
Note: Confusing players with each other, and consequently their stats, was also a common issue in the “pre-jersey numbers” era.