All About Michigan
Penn State travels to Ann Arbor on Saturday for its fifteenth meeting with the Wolverines. Michigan is 10-4 versus Penn State and holds a 2-5 record against the Nittany Lions at the Big House.
Last Meeting – 2008
Third-ranked Penn State delivered a tremendous final three quarters after a slow start en route to a 46-17 victory over Michigan before a raucous Homecoming crowd of 110,017 on Oct. 18, 2008. The fourth-largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history saw the Wolverines take leads of 10-0 and 17-7 before the Nittany Lions came storming back, scoring the final 39 points. After Michigan took a 17-7 lead with 13:13 left in the second quarter, the swarming Penn State defense allowed just 87 yards the remainder
of the game for a total of 291. Evan Royster gained a career-best 174 yards on just 18 carries, for a superlative 9.7 average, and one touchdown. He made one of the game’s momentum changing plays when he broke away from several would-be tacklers for a 44-yard TD run in the second quarter to draw the Lions within 10-7. Michigan gained 185 yards in the first quarter and added 19 yards early in the second for 204 total and a 17-7 lead. But, from there, the Penn State defense was relentless, recording a season-high 13 tackles for loss, with three sacks (one resulting a safety), forcing two fumbles (recovering one) and partially blocking a punt. Linebacker Navorro Bowman tied his then career-high with 11 tackles, with one TFL and Tyrell Sales made 10 stops. Defensive tackle Jared Odrick made a career-best six stops, with 2.5 TFL and a huge sack in the end zone with 4:39 left in the third quarter to give PSU a 19-17 lead. DE Aaron Maybin made four stops with 2.0 TFL, a sack and a forced fumble. Kicker Kevin Kelly made three field goals to become the Big Ten career kick scoring leader.
At the Big House
Any Penn State fan knows about the Nittany Lion’s recent road game woes at Michigan. In 2002, the Lions fell in overtime after some questionable officiating, while in 2005, the then-undefeated Nittany Lions lost on the final play of the game. In that one, then-Michigan coach Lloyd Carr pleaded with the officials to add 18 seconds to the game clock, which was just enough time for the Wolverines to win. Finally, in 2007, the Lions lost by just five points. Amazingly, Penn State won the first two meetings at Michigan (1994, 1996), but have now lost five in a row.
Penn State at Michigan
10/15/1994 – PSU 31, @ Michigan 24
11/16/1996 – PSU 29, @ Michigan 17
11/07/1998 – @ Michigan 27, PSU 0
11/11/2000 – @ Michigan 33, PSU 11
10/12/2002 – @ Michigan 27, PSU 24 (OT)
10/15/2005 – @ Michigan 27, PSU 25
09/22/2007 – @ Michigan 14, PSU 9
Coach Rich Rodriguez
In just his second season at Michigan, Coach Rodriquez is 0-1 against Penn State and has compiled na 8-10 overall record and 3-8 record in the Big Ten. This season, the Wolverines are 5-0 at home, but 5-2 overall having lost to Michigan State (in overtime) and to Iowa.
Fourth Quarter Madness
Penn State and Michigan are meeting for just the 15th time, but eight of the initial 14 meetings have been decided in the fourth quarter or overtime and defined by one series or play:
1993 – Penn State saw a 10-0 lead disappear, as Derrick Alexander’s 48-yard punt return TD helped UM to a 14-10 lead. Late in the third quarter, the Lions had first and goal at the Michigan 1, but four rushes (two in the third quarter; two in the fourth) produced nothing and the Wolverines won 21-13 in Beaver Stadium.
1994 – In their first visit to Michigan Stadium, the unbeaten Lions opened a 16-0 edge, but Michigan took a 17-16 lead in the third stanza. Each team scored again, with State converting a two-point pass, for a 24-24 tie. Ki-Jana Carter’s 26-yard burst set-up a 16-yard Kerry Collins to Bobby Engram TD pass with 2:53 to play for a 31-24 PSU lead. Brian Miller’s theft sealed the huge win en route to the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl win, as Penn State became the first Big Ten team to earn a 12-0 record.
1995 – Leading 20-17, Lion TB Stephen Pitts scampered 58 yards to the UM 8 late in the game.On fourth down at the 2, holder Joe Nastasi zipped untouched into the end zone on a fake field goal with 2:40 to play to clinch Penn State’s 27-17 win. The game was played in Beaver Stadium three days after an 18-inch snowstorm.
1996 – Penn State forced five turnovers and blocked a punt for a touchdown on six consecutive Michigan possessions in the second half to secure a 29-17 win in Ann Arbor. David Macklin blocked his second punt of the day, at the UM 18, and LB Ahmad Collins scooped up the ball at the two and scored for a 22-17 PSU lead with 3:45 left in the third quarter. Kim Herring’s second theft gave the Lions the ball at the UM 38 and on first down, TB Curtis Enis burst for a TD and a 29-17 lead with 4:42 to play. Penn State earned its third straight win over Michigan, becoming the first Big Ten team to do so since Michigan State from 1965-67.
1999 – Michigan scored 14 points in the final 3:26 to earn a 31-27 victory over the Lions. A 46- yard interception return for a touchdown by Bhawoh Jue gave Penn State a 27-17 lead with with 9:44 to play. But, Tom Brady’s five-yard run with 3:26 left made it 27-24. The Lions used only :28 on their enusing possession. Brady hit Marcus Knight on an 11-yard TD pass with 1:46 to play for the game-winner. Kevin Thompson drove PSU to the UM 34, but fumbled when hit by Ian Gold and Michigan recovered and ran out the clock.
2002 – Four times the Nittany Lions took the lead. And four times the Wolverines came back to tie the contest or take the lead. But, the fourth time Michigan came back was in overtime and it resulted in a 27-24 win on Oct. 12, 2002 in Ann
Arbor. Penn State took a 21-14 lead with 7:46 to play on a 19-yard scoring strike from Zack Mills to Bryant Johnson. Mills then hit Johnson on a twopoint pass. Mills completed 11 consecutive passes from late in the third quarter into the final drive of
regulation. Michigan responded and tied the game at 21 with 3:24 to go. With :49 to play, Mills lofted a pass to a leaping Tony Johnson, who came down with the ball at the UM 23, but was ruled out of bounds and the Lions were forced to punt. In overtime, Robbie Gould made a 20-yard field goal to give Penn State a 24-21 lead, but Chris Perry scored on a three-yard run for the game winner.
2005 – Mario Manningham hauled in a 10-yard pass from Chad Henne with no time left on the clock to hand Penn State a heartbreaking 27-25 setback in Ann Arbor on October 15, 2005. The loss was the only blemish for Penn State, as the Nittany Lions won their last four regular season games to claim a share of the Big Ten title and finished 11-1 with an Orange Bowl win over Florida State. Michigan led 10-3 entering the fourth quarter, but the offenses exploded in the final stanza, with Penn State scoring 22 points and UM tallying 17. Quarterback Michael Robinson’s four-yard run, following a 61-yard run by Tony Hunt, knotted the score at 10-10 with 11:56 to play. On Michigan’s next play, cornerback Alan Zemaitis ripped the ball away from Henne and sprinted 35 yards for the score just 17 seconds later. Freshman placekicker Kevin Kelly then ran for two points after a bobble snap to give PSU an 18-10 lead with 11:39 to play. Michigan responded with a 33-yard TD pass from Henne to Manningham and Mike Hart ran fortwo to make it 18-all with 9:32 to go. The Wolverines took a 21-18 lead with 3:45 to play on a 47-yard FG. The PSU defense forced a three-and-out after an interception and Robinson led a heroic go-ahead scoring drive, marching the Lions 81 yards with no timeouts. Robinson’s three-yard run with :53 left gave Penn State a 25-21 lead. Steve Breaston returned the kickoff to the UM 47 and the Wolverines advanced to the PSU 10. On fourth down with :01 left, Henne connected with Manningham for the game-winning score.
2007 – Michigan’s Mike Hart carried the ball a record-setting 44 times for 153 yards and the Wolverines controlled the clock en route to a 14-9 win over Penn State on Sept. 22, 2007 in Ann Arbor, handing the No. 10 Nittany Lions their first loss of the season. Michigan held the ball for 34:52 and ran 86 plays compared to Penn State’s 60. Hart’s 44 carries were a career-high and broke the record by a Penn State opponent of 42, previously set by Indiana’s BenJarvus Green-Ellis in 2003. The Penn State defense permitted only three drives of 40 yards or more, forced two turnovers and limited Hart to 3.5 yards per carry. Ten Lion defenders recorded a tackle for loss. The Nittany Lions had two turnovers, both of which were critical. Michigan took a 7-0 lead 9:35 left in the first quarter, following an Anthony Morelli fumble at the Penn State 10-yard-line. Penn State trailed 7-3 midway thorugh the third quarter and put together a productive drive. But, Austin Scott fumbled and the Wolverines recovered at their own nine. Kevin Kelly was 3 of 3 on field goals, the last of which drew the Lions within 14-9 with 6:04 to play. But, UM gained three first downs and ran 4:36 off the clock, forcing Penn State to use all of its timeouts. The Lions got the ball at their own 13 with 1:28 to play, but could not get a first down and the Wolverines ran out the clock.
Next Meeting – 2010
The Nittany Lions host Michigan on October 30, 2010
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