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Penn State Football: McGloin Doesn’t Start, But Finishes with Big Ten Honors

State College - Matt McGloin
Mike Poorman

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Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin soared against the Eagles of Eastern Michigan on Saturday – his second consecutive week with big stats.

As a result, he got big love on Monday.

The junior from Scranton has earned a share of the Big Ten Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week honors with Michigan QB Denard Robinson.

In the Nittany Lions’ 34-6 victory over EMU in Beaver Stadium, McGloin completed 14 of 17 passes for 220 yards and three touchdown passes. It was the sixth 200-yard passing game of his career.

McGloin directed the Nittany Lions on four drives, and they scored on three of them — on TD passes of five and 20 yards to wide receiver Derek Moye and 27 yards to fullback Joe Suhey. On the fourth drive, McGloin connected with Michael Zordich, who fumbled at the EMU 1-yard line and the ball went out of the end zone for a touchback.

Against Temple two weeks ago, in the Lions’ 14-10 win McGloin completed 13 of 19 passes for 124 yards. He has yet to throw an interception in 2011.

NATIONAL RANKINGS

Through the first four games of the 2011 season, McGloin is six pass attempts shy of ranking in the top third of the national quarterback ratings. But his numbers stand up quite well.

McGloin is 34 of 54 for 421 yards, with a 63 percent completion rate, with three touchdown passes. His passing efficiency rating is 146.8.

He would be ranked No. 40 in the country for passing efficiency, a few slots behind John Brantley of Florida and Kirk Cousins of Michigan State, and just ahead of Jarrett Lee of LSU and A.J. McCarron of Alabama. Good company, to be sure.

Rob Bolden, who started the Lions’ first four games of the season, is 33 for 71 for 388 yards, with a 46.5 completion rate, one touchdown and three interceptions. His passing efficiency rating is 88.6.

The 3-1 Nittany Lions travel to Bloomington, Ind., on Saturday to face Indiana (1-3) in the Big Ten season opener for both teams. Kickoff is at noon. Against the Hoosiers in last year’s contest played at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., McGloin completed 22 of 31 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns.

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