The Penn State football program is being lauded for its graduation rates. Again.

Today, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) awarded the Nittany Lions an honorable mention recognition as part of the AFCA’s annual Academic Achievement Award survey.

The honorable mention citation is given to programs who boast a 75 percent graduation rate or higher. In the 26 years that Penn State football has been eligible for the survey, it has received honorable mention recognition 22 times. Only Notre Dame has been recognized more (23).

Penn State, along with with 18 other schools, earned a special recognition for having a gradation rate above 90 percent.

According to data released in October, Penn State football set a program record with a 91 percent graduation success rate, putting it 23 percent above the national Division One average. The football team’s 2005-06 entering class earned a program record 93 percent Federal Graduation Rate, which is 33 points above the Division 1 average. To put that in perspective, Penn State’s graduation rate for non-athletes is 85 percent.

With players like the studious mathematician John Urschel leading the way, this latest academic of achievement is no surprise as Penn State football annually ranks toward the top in terms of scholastic accomplishments.