No. 6 Michigan Holds Off Penn State for Narrow Win
For the first time since 2018, Michigan is off to a 9-1 start after escaping Beaver Stadium with a 21-17 victory over Penn State.
The Wolverines have rebounded well since their loss to Michigan State two weeks ago, with another win following last week's easy home victory over Indiana. They came into this game on the fringes of the College Football Playoff at No. 6 in the CFP rankings.
Penn State has given Jim Harbaugh's squad problems recently. The Nittany Lions won the previous two meetings against their Big Ten rivals, including a 27-17 victory last year.
Since starting the season 5-0, Penn State has lost four of its past five games. Three of those losses have come against teams ranked in the Top 10 of the Associated Press poll at the time (Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan).
Erick All was the hero with a 47-yard touchdown catch with 3:29 remaining to help put Michigan up by four points. That came after Penn State scored 11 points in the span of 100 seconds to take the lead.
Hassan Haskins carried the ball a career-high 31 times in the win. He broke the 150-yard barrier for the second consecutive game.
Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford struggled to find a rhythm against the Wolverines defense. He only completed 23 of 43 attempts for 205 yards and one touchdown. The Nittany Lions were held to 2.6 yards per carry on 42 rushing attempts.
Notable Game Stats
- Cade McNamara (MICH): 19-of-29, 217 yards, 3 TD
- Hassan Haskins (MICH): 31 carries, 156 yards; 5 receptions, 45 yards
- Erick All (MICH): 4 receptions, 64 yards, TD
- Sean Clifford (PSU): 23-of-43, 205 yards, TD
- Keyvone Lee (PSU): 20 carries, 88 yards
- Parker Washington (PSU): 4 receptions, 92 yards
Haskins, McNamara Save Michigan's Playoff Hopes
The Wolverines' style of play tends to stand out in contrast to those of other top programs. Harbaugh still depends on the running game and defense to do most of the work, with McNamara making smart, efficient throws.
This is how Harbaugh's best teams have won games dating back to his time with the San Francisco 49ers.
For three quarters, this game followed that script perfectly. Haskins finished with over 100 rushing yards for the fourth time in the past five games. He was, by far, Michigan's go-to player on offense.
At one point in the third quarter, Haskins had more than 10 times as many touches as anyone else on the team.
The defense held Penn State to six points going into the fourth quarter.
Things looked like they would fall apart for the Wolverines late, though. Penn State put together a 53-yard drive that took 15 plays to get a touchdown and two-point conversion that tied the score at 14.
Michigan's ensuing drive ended with a turnover when McNamara fumbled on a sack by Arnold Ebiketie, who recovered the ball at the Wolverines' 16-yard line.
Penn State took the lead on Jordan Stout's 31-yard field goal with 5:55 left to play. Things looked bleak for Michigan. The offense gained a total of 36 yards on three drives after Roman Wilson's touchdown on the first possession of the second half.
Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis played things safe with five consecutive runs by Haskins. They finally got a big play when All found an opening after a quick pass from McNamara.
As has been the case virtually all season, Michigan's defense came through in a crucial moment. The unit forced a turnover on downs when Clifford threw an incompletion with pressure bearing down on him on a 4th-and-2 play with 2:52 remaining.
Penn State still had all three timeouts, so there was still work to do. Haskins iced the win five plays later with a 12-yard run on 2nd-and-7 for a first down that allowed Michigan to burn the rest of the clock.
This wasn't a highlight-reel win for a Wolverines team trying to make its case to the playoff selection committee.
There's still work for Michigan to do over the final two weeks of the regular season. But a conference road victory against a quality opponent late in the season is an impressive statement.
Special Teams Mistakes Doom Penn State's Upset Bid
There are certain ways in which Penn State very much mirrors Michigan. Both teams are carried by strong defenses that help put the offense in more favorable positions to get points.
The Nittany Lions' passing attack has been stronger overall than that of the Wolverines. A lack of consistency on that side of the ball, though, has been their undoing during this recent rough patch.
They needed nine overtimes just to score 18 points in that infamous game against Illinois three weeks ago. Clifford rebounded the following week against Ohio State with 361 yards, but his interception early in the fourth quarter set up a Buckeyes field goal to put them up 30-24.
Saturday was a poor effort by Clifford. The senior averaged just 4.8 yards per attempt. He did make two big throws on consecutive plays in the fourth quarter. The first one was a touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson, followed by a two-point conversion to Tyler Warren.
Ultimately, though, Franklin and Penn State will think back on the mistakes and missed opportunities on special teams.
After driving deep into Michigan territory late in the first quarter, Penn State lined up for a field goal from the 2-yard line. Franklin opted to call for a fake, having Rafael Checa toss the ball to Jordan Stout, hoping to catch the Wolverines off guard.
The play blew up in spectacular fashion for the Nittany Lions.
Midway through the third quarter, Stout missed a 43-yard field goal to keep the score at 14-6.
For all of the struggles that Penn State's offense had during the game, two blunders on special teams cost the team at least six points in a 21-17 loss.
The Nittany Lions' four losses this season have come by a total of 18 points. This suggests the team is good enough to compete with anybody, but the handful of key plays that will often decide games aren't going in their favor.
On Saturday, Penn State turned out to be its own worst enemy. Next week's game against Rutgers is an opportunity for the team to get back on track.
What's Next?
Michigan will play its final road game of the regular season at Maryland next Saturday. Penn State will wrap up its home schedule against Rutgers the same day.
