Penn State football made its second appearance on a Sports Illustrated cover in as many seasons this week following its overtime victory over Appalachian State.

Miles Sanders’ game-winning touchdown in overtime is featured on the cover, which features the caption “IT’S LIT!”

The accompanying story focuses on Trace McSorley’s pivotal role in the game-tying drive in regulation and the game-winning sequence of events in overtime, including Sanders’ touchdown and Amani Oruwariye’s interception in the end zone.

Sanders made the cover following his first game as the Nittany Lions’ featured tailback; he rushed for 91 yards and two scores in Penn State’s 45-38 victory over Appalachian State.

Prior to this week’s cover, Saquon Barkley made two appearances on the front of the prestigious magazine. He was on the cover as part of the magazine’s pre-NFL Draft coverage in April and featured on a commemorative cover ahead of last season’s matchup with Ohio State.

This week’s cover adds to a long list of past Penn State covers in the magazine’s history. Miles Sanders joins a select list of Nittany Lions to appear on the cover that includes Barkley, legendary linebacker LaVar Arrington, and Joe Paterno, who made three appearances on the cover during his tenure in Happy Valley.

About the Author

Mikey Mandarino

In the most upsetting turn of events, Mikey graduated from Penn State with a digital & print journalism degree in the spring of 2020. He covered Penn State football and served as an editor for Onward State from 2018 until his graduation. Mikey is from Bedminster, New Jersey, so naturally, he spends lots of time yelling about all the best things his home state has to offer. Mikey also loves to play golf, but he sucks at it because golf is really hard. If you, for some reason, feel compelled to see what Mikey has to say on the internet, follow him on Twitter @Mikey_Mandarino. You can also get in touch with Mikey via his big-boy email address: michael.p.mandarino@gmail.com

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