UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A quartet of Penn State players have earned mid-season honors as college football begins the second half of the 2014 campaign.
Senior linebacker Mike Hull (Canonsburg) earned first-team mid-season All-Big Ten accolades from ESPN.com and Phil Steele’s College Football. Hull is No. 2 in the conference at 10.7 tackles per game and has led the Nittany Lions in tackles in all six games this season.
Joining Hull on ESPN.com’s All-Big Ten team were redshirt freshman wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton (Fredericksburg, Virginia) and junior defensive tackle Anthony Zettel (West Branch, Michigan). ESPN.com selected one team. Hamilton leads the Big Ten in receptions (7.2 avg.) and has broken Penn State freshman records for receptions in a game (11) and season (43). Zettel leads the Nittany Lions with 7.0 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead with three sacks.
Hamilton and Zettel were named second-team Mid-Season All-Big Ten by Phil Steele’s College Football and were joined by senior placekicker Sam Ficken (Valparaiso, Indiana). Ficken leads the Big Ten and tied for No. 5 nationally in field goals made per game (two average), having made 12 of 14 field goal attempts this season.
Also, junior Jesse James (Glassport) was named to the John Mackey Award Mid-Season Watch List. James has 18 receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Mackey Award is presented to the nation’s top tight end.
Hull and Zettel have been instrumental in Penn State being ranked in the Top 5 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense (fifth, 15.2 ppg), rushing defense (second, 60.8 ypg), total (fifth, 283.3 ypg) and Red Zone defense (fourth, 63.2 percent). The Nittany Lions are the nation’s only team ranked in the Top 5 in all four categories.
Coach James Franklin’s Nittany Lions (4-2) are idle this week and host Ohio State for a Penn State White Out on Oct. 25, with all fans encouraged to wear white for the 8 p.m. kickoff in sold out Beaver Stadium. The Big Ten East Division clash will be an ABC national telecast and also will air on the Penn State Sports Network (6:30 p.m. airtime) and www.GoPSUsports.com.
Tickets are available for Penn State's final three home games of the season: Nov. 1 vs. Maryland (All-University Day and THON Day); Nov. 15 vs. Temple (Military Appreciation Day/Seats For Soldiers) and the Nov. 29 Senior Day clash with Michigan State. The kick times for all three games are to be determined.
For information or to purchase single game and group tickets, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 800-NITTANY (weekdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office (weekdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.).
For gameday sales, the Beaver Stadium ticket office near Gate E opens four hours before every game.
Pre-paid single game parking passes for the general parking lots ($10) are also available at www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets.
Penn State Football is on Twitter (@PennStateFball) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PSUFball).