Just a handful of bright spots for Lions
ANN ARBOR, MICH. – Michigan overwhelmed Penn State 42-7, with the Lions scoring a late touchdown to avoid their first shutout in 17 years. Here’s what we learned.
How it happened
After its first play of the game, a 25-yard completion from Trace McSorley to tight end Pat Freiermuth, Penn State lost the grip of a competitive game. Michigan’s defense overwhelmed a game-but-gimpy McSorley, who ceded the game late to Tommy Stevens.
Michigan’s pass rush, coupled with McSorley’s lack of mobility, left the Lions no time to throw. And when he did have time, McSorley was off. He completed just 5 of 10 first-half passes, missing a wide-open DeAndre Thompkins for a touchdown late in the first half. At one point, Michigan had more sacks (3) than Penn State had completions (2).
Penn State’s defense kept the game within reach into the third quarter, holding Michigan to 6 total yards on four drives bracketing halftime. But Michigan reverted to a successful early play (quarterback Shea Patterson tucking on a zone-read) to convert 3rd and 6 midway through the third quarter.
That led to a punishing 13-play, 90-yard drive that Patterson capped with a touchdown pass to tight end Zach Gentry, giving Michigan a 21-0 lead. After that, the game derailed.
Penn State coach James Franklin inserted Stevens at quarterback on the next series. On his second play, Stevens threw a pass directly to Michigan’s Brandon Watson, who returned it for a touchdown. It marked the second consecutive game in which the Lions have allowed a pick-6. Their last one prior came in 2015.
The big play
Senior Nick Scott, who has made several big plays the past three weeks, blocked a second-quarter field goal that Penn State nearly turned into a reboot of the Marcus Allen/Grant Haley touchdown from the 2016 win over Ohio State. Fellow safety Garrett Taylor scooped the ball, turned the left corner and went 74 yards for an improbable touchdown.
This time, though, the magic was squelched. As Taylor ran, a flag appeared, with Penn State’s Zech McPhearson getting called for an illegal block. Penn State’s drive ended with a punt when the game still was competitive.
Who came through
Michigan running back Karan Higdon broke down the Lions, rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown turned his crew loose, and it produced four sacks and two interceptions. It also held Penn State to under 200 total yards; the Lions’ previous low this year was 312.
Penn State linebacker Jan Johnson had a solid game, leading the team in tackles and forcing a fourth-down stop by breaking up a pass.
In one of the offense’s few bright spots, freshman receiver Jahan Dotson (Nazareth) made two catches, including one with a toe-tap on fourth down late in the fourth quarter. That play helped Penn State avoid its first shutout loss in 17 years. Dotson has five catches this season, all for first downs.
What we learned
Penn State’s offensive identity is Trace McSorley. When he’s not at full strength, this team doesn’t have a secondary answer against top-tier defenses. And if he’s still injured next week, the Lions have to devise a way to scheme around their issues.
That said, Penn State took itself out of the game with a cascade of mistakes and bad decisions in the first half. A first-half fumbled exchange between McSorley and Miles Sanders led to a touchdown. Michigan later turned a tipped-pass interception into a touchdown.
Franklin had a chaotic first half with timeouts. He used one to prevent a delay-of-game penalty on a punt and one late in the half prior to another punt, giving Michigan a minute for its last series.
Attendance: 111,747
Up next: Penn State (6-3) hosts Wisconsin on Nov. 10 at Beaver Stadium.
mwogenrich@mcall.com Twitter @MarkWogenrich 610-820-6588