Michigan
5-2 , 3-2
Penn State
7-0 , 4-0
Late Michigan Comeback Falls Short at No. 7 Penn State
10/19/2019 11:55:00 PM | Football
Site: State College, Pa. (Beaver Stadium)
Score: #7 Penn State 28, #16 Michigan 21
Records: U-M (5-2, 3-2 B1G), PSU (7-0, 4-0 B1G)
Attendance: 110,669
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 26 -- vs. Notre Dame (Michigan Stadium), 7:30 p.m. (TV: ABC)
• Postgame Press Conference: Coach Harbaugh
• Kornacki: Wolverines Found Offensive 'Rhythm' While Never Quitting at Penn State
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan football team had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter but came up three yards shy in a 28-21 loss to No. 7 Penn State on Saturday night (Oct. 19) at Beaver Stadium.
With 6:54 left in regulation, Michigan forced a Penn State three-and-out and, after a punt, began its drive at the PSU 47-yard line. Quarterback Shea Patterson moved the offense to the Nittany Lion 3-yard line, but pass attempts to Donovan Peoples-Jones and Ronnie Bell were incomplete on third- and fourth-and-goal, and the U-M drive ended with 2:01 left in the fourth quarter. Penn State gained a first down and ran out the clock to secure the win.
Penn State took a 7-0 lead on a 17-yard pass from quarterback Sean Clifford to tight end Pat Freiermuth with 5:59 remaining in the first quarter. On the ensuing drive, Michigan went 50 yards in 11 plays but stalled at the PSU 36-yard line when the Wolverines were unsuccessful on a fourth-and-3 attempt and turned the ball over on downs.
The Nittany Lions took over, and on their first play Ricky Slade carried the ball 44 yards to put Penn State in the red zone at the Michigan 20-yard line. Three plays later, Clifford ran for 10 yards on third-and-8 to keep the drive alive. Back-to-back offside penalties gave PSU a second-and-goal at the 2-yard line, and Clifford plunged into the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 14:56 remaining in the second quarter.
Michigan and Penn State traded punts on the next two possessions. On the following drive, Patterson was intercepted at the Michigan 37-yard line, and five plays later, Clifford connected with KJ Hamler for a 25-yard touchdown pass to extend the PSU lead to 21-0 with 7:22 left in the first half.
The Wolverines responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a 12-yard scoring run by Zach Charbonnet to reduce their deficit to 14 points, 21-7, with 2:55 remaining in the half. Michigan marched down the field as Patterson completed a 30-yard pass to Nico Collins on second-and-9 and gave U-M good field position at the Penn State 44-yard line. Runs of 10 and six yards from Hassan Haskins, a four-yard scamper by Patteron, and a PSU pass interference call helped put Michigan on the doorstep for Charbonnet's score.
The Michigan defense stiffened in the third quarter, keeping the Nittany Lions scoreless in the stanza, and the Wolverine offense took advantage. Charbonnet scored his second touchdown of the game on another 12-yard run to get U-M to get within seven points at 21-14 with 1:05 on the clock. The scoring drive went 65 yards on eight plays.
Penn State answered immediately when Clifford hooked up again with Kamler, this time on a 53-yard touchdown pass as part of a six-play drive to increase its lead to 28-14 just under three minutes into the fourth quarter.
The Wolverines countered with a Patterson quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line on fourth-and-goal to bring Michigan within seven once again, 28-21, with 8:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. The big play was a 35-yard pass from Patterson to Bell down to the Penn State 6-yard line.
Patterson finished 24-for-41 passing for 276 yards and ran for 34 yards and one touchdown. Charbonnet led the rushing attack with 81 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns, and Collins caught six passes for 89 yards.
The Michigan offense racked up 417 total yards, well above Penn State's average of 259.7 per game, while the defense held Penn State to 283 total yards. Kwity Paye led the Wolverines with 10 tackles, and Josh Uche and Cameron McGrone each collected a sack, with McGrone registering 2.5 tackles for loss.
The Wolverines will be back at Michigan Stadium next Saturday night (Oct. 26) when they host No. 8 Notre Dame. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC.
Team Stats
MICH 0, PSU 7
PSU - Freiermuth, Pat 17 yd pass from Clifford, Sean (Pinegar, Jake kick) 5 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:19
MICH 0, PSU 14
PSU - Clifford, Sean 2 yd run (Pinegar, Jake kick), 6 plays, 64 yards, TOP 1:49
MICH 0, PSU 21
PSU - Hamler, KJ 25 yd pass from Clifford, Sean (Pinegar, Jake kick) 5 plays, 49 yards, TOP 2:21
MICH 7, PSU 21
MICH - Charbonnet, Z. 12 yd run (Moody, Jake kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:27
MICH 14, PSU 21
MICH - Charbonnet, Z. 12 yd run (Moody, Jake kick), 8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:10
MICH 14, PSU 28
PSU - Hamler, KJ 53 yd pass from Clifford, Sean (Pinegar, Jake kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:46
MICH 21, PSU 28
MICH - Patterson, Shea 1 yd run (Moody, Jake kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:26
