Michigan vs. Penn State: What we’re seeing and wondering
Follow along as Centre Daily Times writers Josh Moyer and Johnny McGonigal critique the Penn State vs. Michigan game. The 14th-ranked Nittany Lions face their biggest remaining regular season challenge against the No. 5 Wolverines. Stay with us all day and check back after the game for more from the players and coaches.
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With less than 5 minutes left in the first half, Penn State has 35 total passing yards and minus-2 rushing yards.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Maybe John Donovan sneaked his way into the coaches booth ...
Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown and line coach Greg Mattison dial up a perfect stunt
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Wolverines' front-four overmatching Penn State's OL
James Franklin wanted KJ Hamler to get his chance to break a big one
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
That did not happen
A Robert Windsor penalty helps extend Michigan's drive -- and, on third-and-long, Patterson tosses a 23-yard TD to Peoples-Jones.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
It's 14-0 Michigan midway through the second quarter. And, if PSU's O doesn't show some signs of life, it's going to look like 2016 soon.
To be honest. These are the games that show you what position coach needs to be fired.
— Larry Johnson (@2LarryJohnson7) November 3, 2018
Touchdown, Michigan
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Shea Patterson steps away from the pressure and slings it 24 yards to Donovan Peoples-Jones in the corner of the end zone
14-0 Wolverines w/ 6:52 to go in the second quarter
Penn State's offensive series/mistakes so far:
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Drive 1 -- Needs to take a timeout after the playclock hits "one second" during a punt
Drive 2-- Dropped pass by Polk AND bad spot that went unchallenged by Franklin
Drive 3 -- None ... ran 4 plays and punted
Drive 4 -- Fumble
Mistakes, everywhere pic.twitter.com/WxM4VMIkG0
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Annnnd there goes that momentum.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
For the 2nd straight week, McSorley-Sanders bobble the exchange and it turns into a fumble recovered by Michigan.
Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes. Two plays after a blocked FG, PSU turns it over.
That's two weeks in a row where Trace McSorley and Miles Sanders haven't been on the same page
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
The result? Another handoff exchange fumble
So we've got two blocks below the waists -- one on Michigan; one on PSU -- and unsportsmanlike conduct on U-M's bench.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Penn State will take over on its own 35. Nittany Lions definitely got the short end of that penalty stick ... but still a big play.
Garrett Taylor returns a blocked field goal for a touchdown...but flag on the play
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Could be coming back
PSU needed some momentum. And it just got some.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Safety Garrett Taylor scooped up a blocked field goal and took it back to the house. But looks like it's probably coming back.
Even if it does, still a huge play by PSU to keep points off the scoreboard.
That was a matter of time
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Shea Patterson goes deep on the play-action for a 53-yard gain
Hey, there's Blake Gillikin
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Beautiful coffin corner punt pins Michigan at the 5-yard line
Penn State clearly expecting run that play, so give Jan Johnson a lot of credit for breaking up that pass. Think he's been the biggest surprise on the defense this season.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Now, can Penn State's offense get anything going? OL been getting beat bad early on.
Job well done by Penn State middle linebacker Jan Johnson, swatting the ball away on 4th down
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Now we'll see if the Nittany Lions get something going w/ solid field position
Doesn't make too much sense https://t.co/RazFJzzAqJ
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Brandon Polk has to catch that
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Mistakes plaguing the Nittany Lions early, in a game where they can't afford 'em
Well, it took almost 8 minutes for the first dropped pass this week. Think it took less than a minute last week. #progress
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Well, that was easy
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
8 runs, 76 yards and early control
Michigan 7, Penn State 0
Penn State played lousy to start the game last week, but Iowa didn't make them pay for it. Michigan's punching the Nittany Lions in the mouth.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Michigan 7-0 early in the 1st #PSUvsMICH
Trace McSorley sacked on back-to-back plays
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Michigan front-seven proving dangerous already — and a bad start by Penn State's offensive line
It took nearly 3 minutes for the first special-teams mistake of the day -- PSU was forced to a call a timeout on the punt when the playclock was down to one second.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Freiermuth with a 25-yard catch on Penn State's first play... https://t.co/aDFdKEVdFJ
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Back-to-back sacks for Michigan there. Think that'll likely be a theme today ...
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Rashan Gary is starting for Michigan, and Will Fries got the call at RT for Penn State.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Mac Hippenhammer also making his first career start for PSU.
The Wolverines have Michigan grad James Earl Jones voicing their pregame hype video pic.twitter.com/UgXkDyqCp3
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Whether you look at traditional statistics or advanced analytics, one thing is clear: #Michigan has the best defense in the country
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 2, 2018
Here's a comprehensive breakdown of what Trace McSorley and #PennState are going up against tomorrow in Ann Arborhttps://t.co/c92GRQuGh6
Whether you look at traditional statistics or advanced analytics, one thing is clear: #Michigan has the best defense in the country
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 2, 2018
Here's a comprehensive breakdown of what Trace McSorley and #PennState are going up against tomorrow in Ann Arborhttps://t.co/c92GRQuGh6
Juwan Johnson is not on #PennState's travel roster
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 3, 2018
Looking like a Cam Sullivan-Brown day on the outside
True freshman Justin Shorter made the trip, too
Some pregame reading before #PSUvsMICH:
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 3, 2018
Trace McSorley's right knee: https://t.co/OrilOZdpz1
2 key matchups: https://t.co/3FhaGqYVzL
Breaking down U-M's D: https://t.co/1QuK9BmlVj
TE Pat Freiermuth on a roll: https://t.co/GgKg90LEW7
This story was originally published November 3, 2018 at 3:38 PM.