Michigan 14, Penn State 9: Halftime Breakdown From Beaver Stadium
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Penn State football fans booed Michigan into Beaver Stadium on Saturday, when the Wolverines arrived without suspended head coach Jim Harbaugh. Then they briefly booed Penn State's offense before a huge play before halftime.
As the legal process regarding Michigan's allegations of in-person scouting and sign-stealing rage on, they're still playing. Here's the first-half breakdown from Beaver Stadium, where Michigan leads Penn State 14-9.
Penn State's defense stumbles on third down
The Lions got off to a good start, stuffing Michigan on its first two third-and-long attempts. The Wolverines answered resoundingly, hitting three straight third-and-longs, one for a touchdown.
J.J. McCarthy converted a perfectly timed and executed keeper, against a back-side blitz, on 3rd-and-10, then threw a cross-body pass to Semaj Morgan for 19 yards on 3rd-and-8. That led to Michigan's first touchdown.
In the second quarter, Donovan Edwards crashed an inside cut on another 3rd-and-long, scoring from 22 yards to give Michigan a 14-3 lead.
Penn State responds
The Lions' offense was fizzling, accepting a field goal after first-and-goal at the Michigan 3-yard line and giving up two 3-and-outs. Facing 4th-and-6 at the Michigan 37-yard line, the offense even drew some of the crowd's booing from the Wolverines. Then quarterback Drew Allar calmly hit his best pass of the game so far, a 13-yarder to Kaden Saunders for a key first down.
After that, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich went to the trick-play package for another fourth-down conversion, with Kaytron Allen throwing a halfback option pass to Allar for 4 grueling yards. Allar scored on an impressive 11-yard run on the next play, giving the Lions a crucial boost into halftime.
Allen also jumpstarted the offense with a 34-yard carry, his longest rush of the season and a play that energized the crowd.
Noteworthy
McCarthy opened 7-for-8 passing, throwing away his incompletion on third down. The Lions need to make him more uncomfortable on early downs.
Donovan Edwards has been a huge problem for Penn State's defense, with 43 yards and the touchdown on five carries. Blake Corum also bounced a 44-yarder among his nine carries.
Allen should be the second-half back, though Nicholas Singleton began with a few decent runs. Allen (7 carries, 48 yards) has more hop today.
Injury Update
Defensive ends Chop Robinson and Amin Vanover returned for Penn State after missing the past two games. Receiver Harrison Wallace III was out for the second consecutive week.
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