UNIVERSITY PARK — Another game changer, Aaron Maybin blows off the right edge, slams Threet and forces the fumble recovered by Abe Koroma. Clark hits Jordan Norwood down to the 1-yard line, two plays later Clark scores from a yard out. As Green Bay Packers radio announcer Wayne Larrivee would say; “There.is.your.dagger.”
It’s a 29-0 run for the explosive Nittany Lions offense, who have allowed just 33 yards in the second half. Wow. Just wow. Quite a 180-degree turn.
THIRD QUARTER
Amazing how things can change so quickly. Nate Stupar totally abuses Michigan’s Tim North and blocks a Wolverines punt.
This game is all but over….
Royster cuts through the Michigan defense and gets tackled at the one. Clark scores on the next play. 26-17 Nits.
By the way, safety Anthony Scirrotto is done for the night with an apparent injury, according to the radio broadcast.
Jared Odrick sacks Sheridan in the endzone for a safety, PSU is finally up 19-17. It appears Sheridan was flipping the ball to lineman Mark Ortmann, flag was thrown, referee Bill LeMonnier says Sheridan was not throwing the ball, IE was essentially in the grasp….which is not a college football rule.
Never the less, PSU is up 19-17. And they have good field position as the free kick goes out of bounds at the 50.
Kelly field goal, we are tied.
Nick Sheridan is in at QB for the Wolverines.
Clark throws a beautiful fade to Deon Butler in the PSU sideline corner of the endzone. Butler appeared to come down in bounds, but juggled the ball as he was coming down.
Very close call. Very close. It was reviewed and confirmed incomplete.
HALFTIME UPDATE
Some halftime numbers. Evan Royster 10 carries, 114 yards and a touchdown. Clark is 11-17-0, 81 yards and a touch. Butler leads the PSU receivers with four grabs for 48 yards.
On the Michigan side, Threet is 7-11-0, 73 yards. Minor had 96 yards and two scores in the first half and he is really all you need to know about.
SECOND QUARTER
Mike Mauti and Bani Gbadyu are both in the game in place of Josh Hull and Tyrell Sales. That is NOT a questionable decision.
6:00
Very questionable decision to attempt a 45-yard field goal by Kevin Kelly on Penn State’s behalf. The knuckleball hit the upright and bounced back into the field of play giving Michigan, who is still up 17-7, the ball at the Penn State 27-yard line with six minutes to play in the half.
By the way the officials took seven seconds off the clock.
Why do weird things happen when Michigan plays PSU?
Minor scores his second touchdown of the half. Michigan is doing what ever it wants right now and has run the ball so effectively. 17-7.
FIRST QUARTER UPDATES
Evan Royster….helllo…..a 44-yard touchdown run on which he should have been dropped for a two yard gain. Four Wolverine defenders missed him. Oddly enough seconds earlier they announced the Ohio State-Michigan State score to the crowd.
Penn State looks like the ’04 squad more than the ’05 one. They just got nabbed for an illegal substitution on a field goal attempt by the Wolverines. the FG by the way was good, it’s 10-0 UM.
Unless I missed something, Brandon Minor is not Tyrone Wheatley, or Mike Hart. But Penn State can’t seem to wrap him up on any carry. Michigan is doing whatever it wants right now and the worst part, they are running right through the teeth of the Penn State defense.
6:06
And the snowball gets bigger. On a QB draw, Daryll Clark fumbles on a thunderous hit, ball is recovered by the Wolverines.
Ten straight is looking good so far…There was NO review by the way. Clark appeared to fumble before he hit the ground, but it was very close and worth at least a review.
6:45
Michigan moves the ball with the spread, PSU’s Drew Astorino makes a key third down stop, setting up the first gut check moment, a fourth down in which Navorro Bowman slams into Brandon Minor, loses him, giving Michigan a first down. Later the Wolverines score after running the ball nine straight times, 12 plays in all eating up 6:36 of the clock.
Michigan has nothing to lose, and they are controlling this game early.
12:00
The worst start to a game since the Syracuse INT…first play of the game A.Q. Shipley’s snap sails over Daryll Clark’s head, a loss of 16.
What saves the Nittany Lions? Jeremy Boone, a booming kick, 51 yards, fumbled for a loss of three yards.
Paterno is upstairs in the booth. He was down on the sideline before hand and met with RichRod.
PREGAME UPDATES
From the pressbox, a couple of news and notes before kickoff.
First, it appears that offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski will play today. PSU SID Jeff Nelson confirmed that Wisniewski practiced Thursday and is OK to go. Wisniewski went out and warmed up running, doing stretch drills and has a big brace and wrap on his left leg.
Brett Brackett’s status is still up in the air even though head coach Joe Paterno said Brackett would go on his weekly radio show.
As for Paterno…we are hearing he is going to give it a go on the sidelines. How long and if at all remains to be seen.
Evan Royster’s finger is OK and he won’t miss any time.
Has anyone out there noticed what Northwestern is doing to Purdue and what Iowa is doing to Wisconsin? Who would have thought eight weeks ago it would be a good thing that the Wildcats and Minnesota, two tricky and improving Big Ten teams, would be off the PSU schedule?
