Michigan Falls at No. 3 Penn State in Big Ten Clash

Saturday, October 18

State College, Pa.

4:30 PM

Michigan

2-5 , 1-2

Penn State

8-0 , 4-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Penn State

Brandon Minor

10/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Photo Gallery

By: David Ablauf

Site: State College, Pa. (Beaver Stadium)
Score: #3 Penn State 46, Michigan 17
Records: U-M (2-5, 1-2 Big Ten), PSU (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 110,017
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Oct. 25 -- vs. Michigan State (Michigan Stadium), 3:30 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- No. 3-ranked Penn State University scored 39 unanswered points to end a nine-game losing streak to the University of Michigan football team with a 46-17 victory on Saturday evening (Oct. 18) at Beaver Stadium. The announced crowd of 110,017 fans was the fourth-largest in stadium history and the largest road crowd played in front of by the Wolverines in school history.

Junior tailback Brandon Minor (Richmond, Va./Varina HS) led the rushing effort with his second career 100-yard rushing effort. Minor rushed 23 times for 117 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. Redshirt freshman quarterback Steven Threet (Adrian, Mich./Adrian HS) completed nine-of-13 passes for 84 yards and led three first-half scoring drives.

Michigan gained a 7-0 lead on a five-yard touchdown run by Minor at 6:51 of the first quarter. The scoring drive covered 86 yards in 14 plays and consumed a season-best 6:36. Minor rushed a season-high six times for 42 yards on the possession and Threet added five carries for 21 yards and completed all three his passes for 23 total yards. U-M converted a fourth-and-one play at PSU's 29-yard line on a second effort play by Minor to get the first down by inches.

The Wolverines increased their lead to 10-0 on a 27-yard field goal by senior kicker K.C. Lopata (Farmington, Mich./Farmington HS) at 3:39 of the first quarter. Michigan gained possession at its 45-yard line following a fumble by Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark. Fifth-year senior linebacker John Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Crockett Technical HS) forced the miscue and senior safety Brandon Harrison (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Juliene HS) recovered at U-M's 45-yard line.

Penn State took 33 seconds following Michigan's field goal to cut the deficit to 10-7 as tailback PSU Evan Royster scored on a 44-yard touchdown run. The career-long run for Royster, with 2:50 remaining in the opening stanza, came after he broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and raced through the middle for the score. The two-play, 52-yard scoring drive started at PSU's 48-yard line after a 43-yard kickoff return by Chaz Powell.

Michigan answered Penn State's score with Minor's second touchdown run of the game, a one-yard run over the right side at 13:13 of the second quarter. The 10-play, 78-yard scoring drive consumed 4:37, with Threet completing passes of 21 yards to sophomore James Rogers (Madison Heights, Mich./Lamphere HS) and 28 yards to freshman Martavious Odoms (Pahokee, Fla./Pahokee HS). Threet added four carries for 23 yards on the drive, including a 14-yard run that set up the first-and-goal opportunity from PSU's five-yard line.

Penn State chipped into the U-M lead with 23 seconds left before halftime on a three-yard touchdown pass from Clark to wide receiver Jordan Norwood in the left flat. The Nittany Lions' scoring drive covered 74 yards in nine plays and took 98 seconds. It was aided by a 15-yard late-hit penalty on the Wolverines following a punt.

After holding Michigan at midfield on the opening possession of the third quarter, Penn State tied the score at 17 on a 42-yard field goal by Kevin Kelly. The Nittany Lions moved 61 yards in 14 plays with Royster and Clark gaining all of the team's yards. Royster rushed four times for 21 yards and Clark had three completions for 31 yards and had a nine-yard run.

Junior/sophomore Nick Sheridan (Saline, Mich./Saline) entered the game on Michigan's next possession and was sacked in the end zone by defensive tackle Jared Odrick for a safety. The play gave the Nittany Lions their first lead of the game, 19-17, at 4:39 of the third quarter.

After the ball was placed at midfield following the free kick out of bounds, Penn State punched the ball across the goal line on a one-yard keeper by Clark. The four-play scoring drive gave Penn State a 26-17 lead. Royster had a three-yard run and a 21-yard carry to the one-yard line following a 25-yard pass from Clark to wideout Deon Butler.

Penn State continued to take advantage of excellent field position and scored on its third straight drive as Kelly added a 32-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter. Nathan Stupar partially blocked a punt that traveled 12 yards and gave PSU possession at U-M's 37-yard line.

Threet returned at the outset of fourth quarter but was stripped of the ball by defensive end Aaron Maybin, and Abe Koroma recovered at U-M's 19-yard line. Clark tossed a 15-yard pass to Norwood on a crossing route that was initially called a touchdown but was overturned and placed at the one-yard line. Clark scored a one-yard run on the second-down play to increase the Lions lead to 35-17.

Penn State added a 20-yard field goal by Kelly and a late 80-yard touchdown pass from Pat Devlin to Stephfon Green to create the final score.

Michigan returns to Ann Arbor for a matchup with in-state rival Michigan State at the Big House next Saturday (Oct. 25). The Wolverines and Spartans will battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy in a 3:36 p.m. EDT start. The game will be televised by ESPN on ABC.