It’s official. Kentucky will make its first-ever Citrus Bowl appearance, playing the same team they played in a New Year’s Day bowl game 20 years ago — the Penn State Nittany Lions. Of course, this isn’t Joe Paterno’s Penn State team, just like Tim Couch won’t be quarterbacking the Wildcats. Let’s get up to speed. Here are five things to know about Penn State.

1. How the Nittany Lions got here

Like the Wildcats, Penn State went 9-3 this season, which earned State the 12th spot in the final CFP rankings, two spots ahead of the Wildcats and apparently a notch low to end up in a New Year’s Six bowl. Penn State was 4-0 to open the season and actually had a 26-14 lead over Ohio State at home in Week 5. They lost that game 27-26, and after a bye week, they lost to Michigan State 21-17. Penn State’s other loss was at Michigan (42-7). PSU’s best win was probably over Iowa, as they beat no teams that ended the year in the AP (or CFP) top 25.

2. Their best offensive player is Miles Sanders

Going into the season, senior quarterback Trace McSorley would have been the favorite for this spot, but McSorley regressed from his outstanding form of the past two seasons, although he is still the school’s all-time leading passer and a capable runner (2,288 passing yards and 16 passing TDs, 723 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs).

Sanders took over for now-NFL star Saquon Barkley and the team barely missed a beat, as the junior rushed for 1,223 yards and 9 touchdowns. Ohio State and Michigan each held Sanders under 50 yards, so that may be a key to watch for Kentucky.

3. Their best defensive player might be Yetur Gross-Matos

Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State lost nine starters from last season and had few experienced pass-rushers. Gross-Matos is a sophomore who went from 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks last year to 54 tackles, an astounding 20 tackles for loss and 8 sacks.

In the past four seasons, PSU has registered 46, 40, 42 and now 41 sacks, so Kentucky needs to be prepared to work on pass protection. Another outstanding defender is cornerback Amani Oruwariye, who broke up 12 passes this season in addition to intercepting 3.

4. Their history with the SEC

Penn State and Kentucky have played five times, with all five meetings coming during the Paterno era at PSU. The two schools played a four-year home-and-home series from 1975 to 1978, with Kentucky winning in Lexington in 1976 and at Happy Valley in 1977. That was the last Kentucky team to win 10 games in a season, which the current squad would do with another bowl win. The two teams faced off in the 1998 Outback Bowl, Couch’s final game at Kentucky, which UK led early, but Penn State rallied in the second half to win 26-14.

Penn State is 19-21 all-time against the SEC (including games when Georgia Tech was in the SEC, but not pre-SEC games against South Carolina, Missouri, etc.), with plenty of big bowl moments included. Most notably, Penn State lost to Alabama 14-7 in the Sugar Bowl with a national title on the line back on Jan. 1, 1979. Penn State is coached by none other than James Franklin, the former Vandy head coach who rolled up wins and enemies during a short but successful run in Nashville.

5. Worth noting

The only current SEC team Penn State has faced more than Kentucky is Alabama. The two faced off in the Sugar Bowl following the 1975 and 1978 regular seasons, then played a yearly home-and-home series from 1981-90. Paterno was at the helm of the Nittany Lions for all of those games (and for every game in the 15-game history between the schools except the 1959 Liberty Bowl, when he was a PSU assistant coach). But the series spanned the Tide’s coaching changes from Bear Bryant to Ray Perkins to Bill Curry to Gene Stallings. PSU is 5-10 all-time against Alabama, and UK and Tennessee have the second-most matchups with PSU from the SEC, with each going 2-3 against the Nittany Lions.