Field goals in red zone plague Nittany Lions in loss

On the first drive of the game, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley was running down the sideline on his way to the end zone.

Michigan safety Jarrod Wilson chased him down after a 56-yard gain, setting up first-and-goal for the Nittany Lions at the 9-yard line. Three plays later, Penn State’s field-goal unit took the field.

On the final play of the third quarter, Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin beat cornerback Jourdan Lewis to convert on fourth down.

Godwin hauled in the pass, then dragged a group of four defenders more than 10 yards and drove his legs toward the end zone before going down after picking up 38 yards, setting up first-and-goal for the Nittany Lions at the 3-yard line on their second trip inside the 10-yard line. Three plays later, Penn State’s field-goal unit took the field.

Penn State made a third and final trip inside the 10-yard line, but again settled for a field goal in the fourth quarter.

The Nittany Lions’ failures in the red zone proved crucial in a 28-16 loss to No. 14 Michigan on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Penn State was in position to build early momentum and to cut into Michigan’s lead in the fourth quarter and to go for a chance to tie the game late. But each time, Tyler Davis kicked a short field goal.

“Too many field goals,” Penn State coach James Franklin said.

The offense’s struggles weren’t limited to the red zone.

Barkley’s run and Godwin’s catch were the Nittany Lions’ most explosive plays, accounting for 83.9 percent of the team’s 112 yards after three quarters and 45.4 percent of the team’s 207 total yards.

But those plays gave Penn State a chance to change the game at different points.

Barkley’s run highlighted the opening possession. But he picked up just 3 rushing yards over the next three plays. And Davis hit a 23-yard field goal to give the Nittany Lions a 3-0 lead.

Godwin’s play injected some life into Penn State going into the final quarter. It came on fourth-and-9, and the wide receiver ran through a hit by Michigan safety Delano Hill before Lewis, Wilson and safety Jabrill Peppers surrounded him.

Quarterback Christian Hackenberg couldn’t connect with Geno Lewis on first-and-goal. Barkley lost 3 yards. And Hackenberg’s third-down pass sailed out of the back of the end zone.

Davis connected on a 24-yard field goal to pull Penn State within 21-13 with 14:02 left.

“Things obviously don’t always go your way,” said wide receiver Saeed Blacknall, who scored the team’s lone touchdown in the second quarter. “You would like to have a perfect drive and go down there and score every time you’re in the red zone.”

Still, the Nittany Lions had a third chance at the 6-yard line trailing by eight points.

Peppers broke up Hackenberg’s pass for Brandon Polk on first-and-goal. Polk took a handoff from Barkley out of the Wildcat on second down and raced toward the left corner of the end zone, but Wilson closed off his path and made the stop at the 1-yard line.

After Hackenberg’s third-down pass was incomplete, Franklin and his staff had a decision to make.

Take the points. Or go for the touchdown and two-point conversion.

The Nittany Lions coaches discussed the options and sent Davis on the field for an 18-yard field goal.

“At that point, we felt like that was in the team’s best interest,” Franklin said.

But Michigan put the game out of reach with a touchdown on its ensuing possession.

Penn State couldn’t overcome its missed opportunities.

“It’s definitely a little frustrating because we know that we’re a better offense than that,” Godwin said. “Like I said, it comes down to us executing. We didn’t do that well enough to come away with touchdowns.”

But he also credited the Michigan defense.

“They’re gonna man you up outside on the perimeter, and they’re gonna put guys in the box and kind of force you to make plays,” Godwin said. “And we didn’t make enough plays to come up with the victory today.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 6:38 PM with the headline "Field goals in red zone plague Nittany Lions in loss."