Michigan (3-2, 1-2) turned three Rocco Becht turnovers into touchdowns to defeat Penn State 21-18 Saturday in Ann Arbor and hand the Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4) their fourth consecutive loss.
Penn State led 3-0 at halftime and shut down Bryce Underwood the struggling Wolverine offense through the first 30 minutes, intercepting the Michigan QB twice before he was benched. The second half was a different story.
Becht threw interceptions on consecutive possessions in the third quarter and a Nittany Lion defense that had been stout in the first half became, as has been the case since the start of conference play, porous against the run. Backup quarterback Tommy Carr and the Wolverine ground game scored touchdowns after both picks to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
The Nittany Lions responded with a touchdown drive and two-point conversion early in the fourth, but after the Penn State defense clamped down again, Becht fumbled while being sacked and the Wolverines converted it into their decisive third touchdown.
A late touchdown pass from Becht to Chase Sowell wasn’t enough, as Michigan recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
Becht, who was sharp in the first half, went 28-44 for 267 yards with the two picks and one touchdown. Sowell was again Penn State’s best offensive player with 11 catches for 151 yards and a score.
The Nittany Lion rushing attack was, as usual, mostly toothless, totaling 65 yards (77 sack-adjusted).
Penn State has a bye next week and returns to action on Oct. 31 at Purdue.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st quarter
Penn State put together a methodical opening drive that went 69 yards and took more than nine minutes off the game clock. But after Rocco Becht completed his first seven passes to help move the Nittany Lions to the Michigan 6, his pass into the end zone on third down fell incomplete. Penn State settled for a 24-yard field Ryan Barker field goal to take the lead.
Penn State 3, Michigan 0 (1Q 5:58)
Michigan advanced to the Penn State 35 on its first possession before the Nittany Lion defense clamped down, with defensive end Caleb Bacon blowing up a short pass and a run on consecutive plays to force a punt.
A 7-yard Carson Hansen run to the Michigan 21 set up a second-and-3 for Penn State to close out the first quarter.
End of 1st Quarter: Penn State 3, Michigan 0
2nd Quarter
Becht completed a 13-yard pass to Sowell for a first down to open the second, but the receiver went down with an apparent lower leg injury on the play. Penn State couldn’t do much else from there and punted it away after Becht was sacked on third down.
Michigan went three-and-out, and Sowell returned to the game to haul in a 26-yard pass down the sideline that moved Penn State into Michigan territory. The Nittany Lion offense sputtered again, though, and Nathan Tiyce came on for a punt that was downed at the Wolverine 7.
Cornerback Zion Tracy had Michigan’s Bryson Kuzdzal wrapped up in the end zone for an apparent safety, but officials gave the Wolverine forward progress to the 2. After a Bryce Underwood pass to Andrew Marsh, an Underwood run and a personal foul penalty, Michigan was suddenly out to its 36.
But Tracy got the big play this time as he picked off an Underwood pass when it was broken up by Jahmir Joseph, and Penn State took over at its own 15. The Nittany Lions punted it back after a six-play drive that netted 15 yards.
The Michigan offense continued to struggle, with Underwood throwing two incompletions and running for 2 yards before kicking it back to the Nittany Lions after the two-minute timeout.
Sowell picked up a first-down on an athletic 14-yard reception, and appeared to move the chains again on a 27-yard gain. A questionable illegal pick call against Penn State, though, moved it back, and the Nittany Lions ultimately had to punt for the fourth time.
With Michigan on the move as the half wound down, advancing to the Penn State 36, Nittany Lion freshman corner Josiah Zayas made a one-handed interception of an Underwood pass to end the threat and maintain the visitors’ lead heading into the half.
Becht’s 15-of-19 passing accounted for 123 of the Nittany Lions’ 159 first-half yardage, with six of those completions going to Sowell for 79 yards. Michigan had 80 yards in the half, 43 passing and 37 rushing.
End 2nd Quarter: Penn State 3, Michigan 0
3rd Quarter
Tommy Carr took over at quarterback for Michigan to start the second half and immediately completed an 11-yard pass to JJ Buchanan. The Wolverines couldn’t convert on the next series and punted.
Becht’s first pass of the ensuing series was picked off by Michigan’s Rod Moore at the Penn State 43 and the Wolverine offense was right back on the field in Nittany Lion territory. Michigan cashed in when Kuzdzal burst through a big hole up the middle and went 43 yards for a touchdown to give the Wolverines their first lead of the day.
Michigan 7, Penn State 3 (3Q 11:58)
Keyed by a 26-yard pass from Becht to Sowell, Penn State drove to the Michigan 32. But on third and short, Michigan’s Chris Bracy picked off a Becht pass at the 26 and the Nittany Lions came away empty-handed again.
Penn State’s defensive breakdown continued on the Wolverines ensuing drive. Carr completed a 22-yard pass to Logan Hansen, and the Wolverines ran nine times for 61 yards capped off by a 1-yard Jordan Marshall carry for a touchdown that gave Michigan a two-possession lead.
Michigan 14, Penn State 3 (3Q 2:14)
Becht completed two first-down passes to Sowell and ran for a 9-yard gain as the third quarter ended with the Nittany Lions at the Michigan 39.
4th Quarter
Highlighted by a 20-yard catch-and-run by tight end Gabe Burkle, the Nittany Lions drove to the Michigan 2. Hansen punched it in from there for the touchdown, and tight end Ben Brahmer caught a shovel pass for the two-point conversion to pull within a field goal.
Michigan 14, Penn State 11 (4Q 11:40)
The Penn State defense tightened up on Michigan’s next possession, forcing a three-and-out and a punt that gave the Nittany Lions the ball at their own 41.
Penn State couldn’t capitalize on the field position and Tiyce came out for a punt that was downed at the Wolverine 7 with 9:20 remaining.
Savion Hiter ripped off a 41-yard run on Michigan’s first play, but the Penn State defense shut down the drive near midfield as Tony Rojas sacked Carr on third down to force a punt.
Becht completed a 12-yard pass to Brett Eskildsen to get the Nittany Lions out to their own 25. On the next play, however, Becht fumbled while being sacked by Bracy and the Wolverines recovered at the 13.
On third and 9 from the 12, Carr kept it and ran in for the Wolverines third touchdown off a turnover.
Michigan 21, Penn State 11 (4Q 2:58)
Becht, aided by two Wolverine penalties for first downs, led the Nittany Lions downfield and found Sowell wide open in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown. Barker’s point after made it a three-point game with with 1:11 remaining.
Michigan 21, Penn State 18 (4Q 1:11)
Michigan recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
Final: Michigan 21, Penn State 18
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