Michigan 24, Penn State 15: Run Out of Beaver Stadium

The Wolverines lean on their run game and defense to outlast the Nittany Lions.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Penn State football fans booed Michigan into Beaver Stadium, then booed their offense at times and then booed the officials proudly Saturday, as the Wolverines constricted Penn State 24-15 to cap the wildest week of the Big Ten season.

Playing without suspended head coach Jim Harbaugh on-site, the Wolverines ground out the Lions on both sides of scrimmage. Michigan ran on 33 consecutive plays, with quarterback J.J. McCarthy going more than two quarters without a pass attempt. The only ball he put into the air in the second half resulted in pass interference on Penn State. After that, the Wolverines were more than content to run clock and lean on their defense, which withered the Lions, particularly on second down.

The recap from a unique day in State College.

The Turning Point

Beaver Stadium buzzed pregame regarding whether a temporary restraining order would clear Harbaugh to coach after the Big Ten suspended him Friday. The crowd then welcomed the Wolverines with a drowning chorus of boos and puffed briefly as Penn State took a 3-0 lead. But Michigan controlled gameplay from there, asserting its advantage early in the third quarter.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who capped the first half with a daring 11-yard touchdown run, fumbled on Penn State's opening drive of the second half. Michigan turned that into a field goal, without attempting a pass. 

The Michigan Strategy

By the second half, Michigan showed no fear of Penn State's offense. The Wolverines, again, technically did not attempt a pass. Instead, they ran clock, forced the Lions into unfavorable field position and let their defense work.

Penn State ran for 22 yards in the second half before its final series. Allar went 5-for-10 passing. The Lions converted two first downs before their final series. They tried a flea flicker, which didn't work, and couldn't get Allar any room to set his feet.

McCarthy went 7-for-8 passing for 60 yards in the first half. Those were his final totals.

A Withering Day on Second Down

Penn State coach James Franklin said third down decided the team's loss at Ohio State (the Lions were 1-for-16). On Saturday, it was second down. The Lions actually delivered one of their bigger plays on an early second down, when Allar hit Tyler Warren for 19 yards. But after that, Penn State had a miserable and chaotic second-down day. Among the issues:

A high swing pass to Malick Meiga on 2nd-and-1 that went for a loss.

A two-yard completion to Theo Johnson in the third quarter that Michigan covered well, forcing an unconverted 3rd-and-long.

An attempted flea flicker that produced an intentional grounding penalty, leading to 3rd-and-13. 

Frantic fourth-quarter incompletions to tight ends Tyler Warren and Theo Johnson, the last of which set up Michigan running back Blake Corum's clinching touchdown.

Chasing points proves costly

Penn State failed on two fourth-down conversions, the last of which was a head-scratcher. Allar hit Johnson for a late touchdown, cutting Michigan's lead to nine points. An extra point would have made it a one-possession game. Instead, Franklin went for two, the trick-play formation failed, and Penn State trailed by nine.

The Lions also failed on a two-point conversion late in the first half instead of going into halftime down 14-10.

Penn State's defense stumbles early 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 early

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 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

Michigan loaded the offense onto Blake Corum's back. He carried 26 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Donovan Edwards added 52 yards on 10 carries. The Wolverines ran for 227 yards.

Allar finished with a season-low 70 yards passing, completing 10 of 22 attempts.

Penn State allowed third-quarter points, a Michigan field goal, for the first time this season.

Injury Updates

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.

Up Next

Penn State hosts Rutgers for its Senior Day game at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 17. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET.