Penn State’s offense came up small once again and Michigan leaned heavily on its run game as the No. 3 Wolverines downed the No. 10 Nittany Lions 24-15 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
The Wolverines, who were without head coach Jim Harbaugh following his suspension by the Big Ten on Friday, ran for 227 yards, led by Blake Corum’s 145 and two touchdowns. Penn State’s defense held Michigan in check for much of the game, but gave up four runs of 20 yards or more and succumbed to a Wolverine offense that rattled off 30 consecutive rushes to end the game. Heisman hopeful quarterback JJ McCarthy threw just eight passes, with seven completions, for 60 yards.
Much like it was against Ohio State, Penn State’s offense was dreadful. Quarterback Drew Allar went 10-22 for 70 yards, with a touchdown pass to Theo Johnson late in the game. Kaytron Allen carried 12 times for 72 yards to lead a rushing attack that totaled 164 yards.
In a largely defensive battle, Michigan outgained Penn State 287 to 238.
The Wolverines improve to 10-0, while the Nittany Lions fall to 8-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stout defense ruled the game’s first three possessions. A Dani Dennis-Sutton sack of Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy forced a punt, and Penn State went three and out on its first drive. On the Wolverines’s next possession, third-down pressure from defensive end Chop Robinson forced a McCarthy pass batted down by Abdul Carter and forced a Michigan punt.
Penn State got moving on its next drive. A 19-yard Drew Allar pass across the middle to tight end Tyler Warren and a pair of Nicholas Singleton runs for 11 yards got the Nittany Lions into Michigan territory. After a pass interference call against Michigan’s Will Johnson, two more Singleton runs, an Allar scramble for 11 yards and an Allar push for 1 on third down had Penn State set up with first and goal from the three.
A run for no gain and two incompletions brought on Alex Felkins for the 20-yard field goal, and the Nittany Lions led 3-0 after a 13-play, 66-yard drive that ate up 6:24.
Michigan responded, keyed by big third-down conversions. McCarthy ran for 13 on third and 10 to pick up a first down in Penn State territory as the first quarter ended, and Donovan Edwards opened the second with a 22-yard run to the Nittany Lion 27. Penn State held Michigan to a short run and a pass completion that went for a loss to bring up third and 8, but McCarthy tossed a short pass to Semaj Morgan, who found a hole and ran 19 yards to the Penn State 6.
An illegal substitution by Penn State put Michigan on the 3, and Blake Corum punched it in with a run up the middle. The Wolverines jumped in front 7-0 with 11:56 left in the half following the 11-play, 75-yard drive.
Kaytron Allen rushed for 9 yards on the first play of the Nittany Lions ensuing drive, but a short pass from Allar to Malick Meiga went for a loss and Allar kept it for a one-yard gain on third and 2, forcing a Riley Thompson punt.
Michigan went back to work on offense, with Corum getting the edge for a 44-yard run to the Penn State 21. A Curtis Jacobs tackle for a loss and a McCarthy pass that went for no gain brought up another third and long for the Wolverines, who converted again. Edwards made a cut and raced 22 yards to the end zone as Michigan opened up a 14-3 lead with 6:07 left in the second quarter.
Penn State answered with a big run of its own. Allen found a seam and went 34 yards on the first play of the drive. After three more Allen runs left Penn State with a fourth and 6 at the Michigan 37, Allar connected with Kaden Saunders on a 13-yard pass to keep the drive alive.
The Nittany Lions went back to the run and faced another fourth down at the Michigan 15. Allar pitched to Allen, who lofted a pass back to Allar for a four-yard gain, enough for another first down. Allar then kept the ball and ran 11 yards for the score with 29 seconds remaining in the half.
A two-point conversion attempt failed, and Michigan took a 17-9 lead into the locker room.
Penn State moved the ball well on the opening drive of the second half, but as Allar neared midfield on a keeper for what would have been a first down, Rayshaun Benny stripped the ball and Michigan recovered at the Penn State 49.
The Wolverines embarked on a grinding drive, moving inside the Penn State 10 on 12 runs. But Dennis-Sutton stuffed Edwards for a loss on first down from the 9 got Michigan behind schedule, and the Wolverines ultimately settled for a 22-yard James Turner field goal. The 45-yard drive took more than eight minutes off the clock and extended Michigan’s lead to 17-9.
The Nittany Lions moved the ball to their own 44 but punted on fourth and 2. Riley Thompson’s 51-yard punt was downed by Cam Miller at the 3.
Penn State’s defense forced a three-and-out and a punt, but the Nittany Lions couldn’t do anything with the flipped field. Daequan Hardy’s 10-yard punt return to the Wolverine 49 was nullified by a block in the back penalty. After Michigan was hit with an off-side call on first down, Singleton ran for 1 and Allar had an intentional grounding and an incompletion to bring up another Thompson punt.
Two Adisa Isaac tackles for losses highlighted another strong Penn State defensive effort on the next drive, but after a Michigan punt, the Nittany Lion offense was impotent once again. A one-yard Allen gain and another punt was all the Nittany Lions could muster.
Penn State got another chance after a Michigan punt, but it was more of the same. A Singleton gain of 4 was followed by two Allar incompletions. With 4:30 left in the game, the Nittany Lion offense, inexplicably, stayed on the field for fourth and 6 from their own 30, and Allar threw another incompletion.
Michigan immediately took advantage, with Corum ripping off a 30-yard touchdown run as the Wolverines opened up a 24-9 lead with 4:15 remaining.
Allar threw what looked like his second interception of the year on the first play of Penn State’s next drive, but a review showed the defender trapped the ball and the Nittany Lions stayed alive. A pair of 15-yard penalties against Michigan, an 11-yard completion to Dante Cephas and a couple of Allar runs got Penn State inside the 10, and Allar connected with tight end Theo Johnson on third down for an 8-yard score.
Penn State’s two-point attempt failed, with Allar’s throwing incomplete to Warren, and Michigan held a 24-15 lead with 1:58 left in the game.
The Wolverines recovered the onside kick and picked up a first down to put the game away.
Penn State remains home next weekend to face Rutgers for a noon kickoff.
