Penn State signaled early and often that it intended to be aggressive against Michigan on Saturday afternoon but that aggressivness ultimately did more harm than good in a close 21-17 final.
The Nittany Lions got aggressive on key downs right away on their very first drive opting for a fake punt that saw punter Jordan Stout complete an 18-yard pass on fourth-and-six on Michigan’s 39. According to Stout the original plan was to punt the ball, but a Michigan timeout prior to the play and a little lobbying on the sidelines resulted in a change of plans.
“It was so cold,” Stout said moving his arms in circles after the game. “I was in the huddle [on the sidelines] warming up.”
And it worked.
Penn State would get three points out of that gamble, Stout hitting a 42-yard field goal just four plays later, but it was a decision to try a fake field goal on Penn State’s following drive that drew far more attention.
In this case the Nittany Lions found themselves just six feet from Michigan’s end zone, and while kicking a field goal may have drawn the ire of some fans as a matter of principle, the resulting failure would loom large as a missed scoring opportunity as the game ticked along. Michigan would punt on the ensuing possession but three points would have changed the course of the game come the fourth quarter.
“Once I caught it, I was going to run in and score a touchdown,” Stout said after the game, stating as well that they played had worked in practice.. “[The ball] was behind me. I saw that [the defense] was there and I had to step back and see what I could do.”
Asked about the decision after the game, Penn State coach James Franklin was steadfast in the decision to not only be aggressive on Saturday but with the call on the Nittany Lions’ second drive as well, so close to Michigan’s end zone.
“I’d make the call again, but obviously it wasn’t successful,” Franklin said. “We were going to call the game today in an aggressive way to give us the best chance to win.”
It was something of a full circle moment for Franklin who was criticized in 2016 for opting to kick a field goal down 28-0 against Michigan in Ann Arbor. At the time the Nittany Lions were outnumbered and injury laden against the then No. 4 ranked Wolverines – Penn State would lose that game 49-10.
The Nittany Lions would go on to win the Big Ten Title that year, no such luck is in store for Penn State now in 2021.
All told Saturday’s game featured eight total attempts on fourth down with Penn State converting three of six, while Michigan would convert one of its two attempts.
“Coach Yurcich and coach Franklin have a mindset that we want to be aggressive,” Penn State receiver Parker Washington said after the game. “Sometimes we execute, sometimes we don’t.”
Stout was exceptional as a punter Saturday, booting all four of his punts inside Michigan’s 20 including one that was downed at the one – and eventually resulted in a short field and a Penn State touchdown – but a missed field goal in the third quarter with Penn State trailing 14-6 would loom large as well on a list of special team’s gaffes.
Michigan would add two more punts over 50 yards in addition to a punt downed at the Penn State two on a wild special teams afternoon.
