Nittany Lions hang on, hold off Denard Robinson, Wolverines
Michigan fans sport Halloween costumes outside of Beaver Stadium before the start of the Michigan-Penn State game.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez introduces his wife, Rita, to Penn State coach Joe Paterno before Saturday's game.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Fourth quarter Penn State 41, Michigan 31: Collin Wagner's 42-yard field goal gave Penn State a 10-point cushion with 5:43 left in the game.
Penn State 38, Michigan 31: Denard Robinson scored on a 4-yard run as Michigan closed within a touchdown. The Wolverines went 72 yards on 11 plays. Robinson has scored three touchdowns and passed for another. He has 190 yards passing and 189 yards rushing.
Third quarter Penn State 38, Michigan 24: Denard Robinson scored on a 1-yard run as the Wolverines pulled within two touchdowns with 1:36 to play in the third quarter.
Penn State 38, Michigan 17: Michael Zordich scored on a 5-yard run as Penn State went 80 yards in seven plays. The big play: A Matt McGloin 34-yard pass to Devon Smith.
Penn State 31, Michigan 17: Kevin Koger was wide open on a 60-yard pass play from Denard Robinson. Robinson has 130 yards passing and 132 yard rushing.
Penn State 31, Michigan 10: Collin Wagner kicked a 31-yard field goal.
Second quarter Penn State 28, Michigan 10: Graham Zugg caught a 20-yard touchdown pass as Penn State took advantage of a short field after Michigan was forced to punt from the end zone. A four-play, 37-yard drive.
Penn State 21, Michigan 10: Matt McGloin scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak as Penn State extended its lead. The Nittany Lions drove 74 yards on 11 plays and has 209 total yards against Michigan.
Penn State 14, Michigan 10: Seth Broekhuizen kicked a 37-yard field - just the second field goal this season for the Wolverines. Michigan's drive covered 55 yards in 15 plays.
First quarter Penn State 14, Michigan 7: All Evan Royster. He scored on a 1-yard run and had runs of 19 yards and 20 yards as he became the all-time leading rusher in Penn State history. At this point, he has 3,434 yards in his career.
Michigan 7, Penn State 0: Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson found a big hole up the middle and raced 32 yards for a touchdown. Michigan answered Penn State's touchdown with an eight-play, 80-yard drive. Robinson already has 62 yards rushing.
Penn State 7, Michigan 0: Evan Royster scored on a 5-yard run as Penn State drove 71 yards on 14 plays. Matt McGloin, in his first start, led the 14-play drive that included three third-down conversions.
Pregame A victory under the lights tonight at Penn State will launch talk of what bowl game bid the Michigan football team will receive later this year.
A victory also will end talk that Michigan is on its way to repeating last season's 5-7 record and 1-7 Big Ten record.
The Wolverines (5-2, 1-2) will play tonight in front of 100,000-plus fans in a Penn State "whiteout." They'll also face a Nittany Lions team (4-3, 1-2) that has struggled this season but beat Minnesota, 33-21, last week.
Join our in-game live chat: Michael Rothstein and Rich Rezler lead the conversation.
This week's mega-guide to our coverage: Our stories from the week and more
Michigan's injury report: Out - Mike Jones (leg), Martavious Odoms (foot), Fitzgerald Toussaint (shoulder), Jared Van Slyke (clavicle), Mike Williams (head), Troy Woolfolk (ankle).
Comments
Michigan_Jayhawk
Sun, Oct 31, 2010 : 8:43 a.m.
About 7:00pm last night, I had to sneak out of the house and capture my MSU flag from flying proudly at the end of the driveway. I hoisted the maize and blue M flag. About 9:30pm, I went out to again play "Capture The Flag." Next week I plan on hoisting the good old "Stars and Stripes." Woops, my wife just reminded me of Al Qaeda.
3 And Out
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 11:14 p.m.
spartyisyourlilsister..... thanks for the shout out, glad you are coming around to see the light. A lot of people think I mindlessly bash RR here just for the fun of it...but nothing could be further from the truth. Coming in to this season, I have looked at every game that RR has coached here and asked a simple question: "did our team play a well coached, disciplined and physical game?" The answer of Yes, has only happened once: The Minnesota win in 2008, 29-6 or something like that....that was the last breath of old school Michigan football in a win on the road in which we played very very well and totally shut the other team down. Other than that one game... the Rich Rod Error has been a complete debacle. Even narrow wins vs. bad opponents like IU, ND have been badly played games which we were very fortunate to win. As it is now we are at the very bottom of the Big Ten and have been for 3 seasons. Michigan and Indiana = worst 2 teams in the Big Ten. nuff said....that says it all.
Shaun
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:54 p.m.
If this doesn't wake up Dave Brandon then I do not know what will.
Blueman Rick
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:43 p.m.
Wait a minute Jim...PSU "hangs on"? I appreciate the positive spin but really. Old Joe showed extreme mercy at the end. The score really should have been 48-31.
ogel1209
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:41 p.m.
I just can't watch Michigan go down in flames anymore. Dave Brandon, please fire RR and let him take Greg Robinson with him. This is getting very embarrassing!! RR has taken away Michigan's storied history. PLEASE get rid of RR!!
loco123
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:40 p.m.
Will RR accept the job as the O Coordinator for our new coach next season?
2bluebyu
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:39 p.m.
Absolutely no improvements in defense.......stupid penalties and poor tackling.......AGAIN!!! I'm with GoBlueinNE_Pa..........RR will probably be gone after they announce the sanctions. Don't want to see it because I like the offense........but this kind of football ain't gonna last in Meeeechigan!!! As the late Ernie Harwell would say..............HE'S LOOOOONG GONE!!! Bye bye Rich.
loco123
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:38 p.m.
All this negativity??? We made a field goal tonight. Can't we see this team is 'showing improvement'?
Blueman Rick
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:37 p.m.
Yes siree! Time to turn the page on this debacle. RIP RR. Denard is an amazing athlete. Just wish he could have been paired up w/ a U of M team that had quality coaching. Defense would not even be an issue. During my college days @ UM (76-80), UM, OSU and ND were programs of integrity and success. They were the envy of the college football world. Sadly, only OSU has continued on that path. One day UM will return to glory but not until the current coaching staff is relieved of command.
GoblueinNE_PA
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:33 p.m.
Yeah, I remember seeing earlier this week how we were going to whip PSU because they had the #10 offense in the Big 10. LOL! When you have the #13 defense in the Big 10, every offense is effective.
blueinohio
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:33 p.m.
What a joke. He has destroyed what took years for a proud program to build. Switch to a 3-3-5 defense with a "D" coach that does not implement this system and then never coach defense but a few mintues a week. RichRod's best coaching is getting kids to leave the program so you can always say your team is young. More years of misery in Ohio, Thanks Richie!
spartyisyourlilsister
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:31 p.m.
3 and Out, Nobowl4blue, Murrow, it may be the beer talking, but I think I am starting to see the light and that light is David Brandon showing Rich Rod the exit door! My Kool-Aid has expired and it has been dumped out!!!
loco123
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:30 p.m.
oh football gods, please forgive me for underestimating the #10 offense in the big 10 and their walk-on qb.
ShadowManager
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:28 p.m.
The bloom is off the rose. The high Michigan fans got from seeing Iowa smoke an underprepared overhyped MSU...was gone mere hours later.
GoblueinNE_PA
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:26 p.m.
RichRod won't be fired until the NCAA sanctions are officially announced. Have to wait til then so he can be terminated for cause. However, it is coming. The King has no clothes.
Jaxon5
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:26 p.m.
Unfortunately, the "new" Michigan fans will see this performance as a victory. We will see posts that say "just a bit more on defense", and "it was only ten points". The reality is this Michigan team was never in the game. Never led the game. Never had the opportunity to lead the game. It was a huge loss, like so many others. Now, Michigan is #6 in the Big 10 over the last 5.5 seasons. Isn't anybody listening? Bottom half -mediocre. And over the last 2.5 seasons - horrible.
Macabre Sunset
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:26 p.m.
Nice going. Allowing a walk-on in his first career start to put up 41 points. We're one step closer to a real coach taking over the program.
clarklaker
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 10:25 p.m.
saline high school could beat michigan.fire rich rod now.
Richard
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 9:20 p.m.
Okay, congratulations to Denard! Now if this DEFENSE can jell and hold the Lions to nothing, this would give the offense a chance to come back and tie it up. So come on Defense, smarten up! Where is the Band? I still think having the band there makes a difference. It has to inspire the fans who are there and the players who hear the fight song. I think the band or a pep band should be there to help the team.
Ben
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 9:19 p.m.
I hope RR is fired immediately after this game. This is disgusting. How is this guy a D1 coach? He cannot even coach proper blocking, proper passing (see first half), he cannot recruit the best players, and for crying out loud, he cannot coach a winning offense. The UM offense is so predictable nowadays, Denard runs or throws a quick screen/slant. That's it.
Richard
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 : 9:05 p.m.
This game is making me sick. Michigan's defense stinks,what is the matter with them. I would have thought halftime the coaches would screamed at this defense. Greg Robinson needs to be fired. This team is never going to a bowl this year. I was so enthused but now forget it. Michigan is the laughing stock of the country.