FILE - Penn State's Nicholas Singleton (10) carries the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton have long expected opponents to stack extra defenders at the line of scrimmage to stop the hard-charging duo.

It’s made the Penn State running backs’ pursuit of the program’s career rushing record tougher, but also more fulfilling.

“That’s what we came here for,” Allen said after practice on Wednesday. “To make history and win.”

Both senior backs, who turned in 1,000-plus-yard campaigns last season, are just over 1,000 yards shy of Evan Royster’s 3,932 rushing yards. Singleton needs 1,002 yards and Allen is 1,013 yards away from eclipsing the All-American who played for Joe Paterno from 2006-10.

Their chase continues on Saturday against Florida International (1-0) at Beaver Stadium.

But, as FIU’s fellow Group of Five opponent Nevada proved last week, it won’t be easy for Allen and Singleton to simply pad their stats.

The Wolf Pack routinely stacked an extra defender in the box to hold Allen and Singleton to a combined 62 yards on 16 carries. Overall, Penn State averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, although both backs scored touchdowns in a 46-11 win.

Penn State is 8-0 when both Allen and Singleton score.

“The proven commodity is what? Nick and (Kaytron) and the running game,” coach James Franklin said. “So everybody’s model is going to be, we got to do everything we possibly can not to allow the obvious choice to beat us.”

The Golden Panthers had one of the nation’s worst rushing defenses a year ago. They allowed just over 191 yards per game on the ground and 28 touchdowns en route to a 4-8 finish. FIU held Bethune-Cookman to 105 yards on 30 carries in its opener.

Penn State wants to get its ground game going before its showdown with No. 6 Oregon on Sept. 27. That could include getting newcomer Quinton Martin some time on Saturday or next week against Villanova.

Martin was expected to help on special teams initially but was limited late in training camp with an unspecified injury.

The Nittany Lions are idle on Sept. 20 before the Ducks visit Beaver Stadium for a rematch of last season’s Big Ten championship game.

Stacked odds

In his first season leading the Golden Panthers, coach Willie Simmons is trying to improve a program that’s endured three straight 4-8 seasons and hasn’t had a winning campaign since going 9-4 in 2018.

Simmons never had a losing season in his previous head coaching stops at Prairie View A&M and Florida A&M, going 66-24.

Considering the Nittany Lions are 41 1/2-point favorites, Simmons knows his team will have to play mistake-free if it wants to beat an AP Top 25 team for the first time.

“You can’t go in throwing throw haymakers against a guy that outweighs you by 30, 40 pounds,” Simmons said. “You’ll get knocked out pretty quickly. We’ve just got to use the entire dimensions of the ring, move around, have stamina, be willing to stay in there fighting.”

Big foot

Although the Nittany Lions had no need to punt in their opener, they have a punter ready to go.

Gabe Nwosu — all 6-foot-6, 285 pounds of him — is the Nittany Lions’ guy.

The former placekicker, who still handle kickoffs, won a training camp competition with Riley Thompson, the primary punter from a year ago.

Nwosu might have more opportunities to contribute. Franklin said he made a 62-yard field goal when the team practiced in the stadium last month.

“He’s special,” Franklin said. “Probably would’ve been good from 65 or 66.”

In or out

Two Nittany Lions are nearing a return from unspecified injuries.

Franklin said cornerback Zion Tracy is “good to go” after missing the opener while defensive end Zuriah Fisher is also close to being ready after missing last season.

Milestone watch

FIU’s Kejon Owens is a yard shy of 1,000 career rushing yards.