Michigan defeats Penn State in Big Ten toughee, 21-17
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – The No. 23/23 Penn State football team lost to No. 9/8/6 Michigan, 21-17, in a Big Ten matchup at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. In losing for the fourth time in their last five games, Penn State could not hold a late lead and fell to 6-4 overall. Michigan is now 9-1.
In a close defensive contest, the teams would remain within one possession for the entirety of the matchup. Penn State would tie the game and take the lead midway through the fourth quarter, before Michigan would pull ahead in the closing minutes to earn the victory.
Several members of the Nittany Lions defense had strong games, highlighted by Ellis Brooks who led the unit with 12 tackles and Arnold Ebiketie who recorded 7 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Quarterback Sean Clifford completed 23-of-43 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Warren was on the receiving end of the score, the first receiving touchdown of his Penn State career. Parker Washington was the team’s leading receiver with 92 yards, while Keyvone Lee tallied 88 yards on 20 carries on the ground.
Penn State will wrap up its home schedule on Saturday, Nov. 20 when the Nittany Lions host Rutgers at noon at Beaver Stadium.
Special Teams trickery set the Nittany Lions up in the red zone on their opening drive when punter Jordan Stout completed an 18-yard pass to linebacker Curtis Jacobs. Stout would later put Penn State on the board with a 42-yard field goal.
Michigan would force a turnover on another trick play attempt by Penn State late in the first. The Nittany Lions faked a field goal attempt and Michigan’s Vincent Gray forced a rushing Jordan Stout to fumble. The fumble was recovered by Michigan’s Daxton Hill.
The Wolverine’s would jump in front in the second quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Cade McNamara to Roman Wilson.
After the Penn State defense forced Michigan to turn the ball over on downs late in the fourth, Sean Clifford would find Parker Washington deep over the middle for 44-yards to set Penn State up in the red zone. Jordan Stout would then connect on a 52-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-6 at the half.
Michigan would extend their lead on the opening drive of the second half on a 1-yard pass from McNamara to Wilson.
Midway through the fourth quarter Penn State would fight to even the score, going on a 15-play scoring drive that was capped off with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Sean Clifford to Tyler Warren. The Nittany Lions tied the game at 14-14 when Clifford found Jahan Dotson in the end zone for the 2-point conversion.
The Penn State defense would force a turnover on the following drive on a strip sack by Arnold Ebiketie that was recovered by Derrick Tangelo at the Michigan 16-yard line. The Nittany Lions would jump ahead, 17-14, on a 31-yard field goal.
Michigan regained the lead on the ensuing drive on a 47-yard touchdown pass from McNamara to Erick All. The Wolverines would hold on to win 21-17.
