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Penn State 27, Michigan 17
Ace • November 28, 2020 • 3:58pm
I've reached the point where I'm running out of things to say that haven't been covered here ad nauseam already. Oh, look, another disaster so holistic in nature that it's difficult to tell which macro-level issue is causing each of the myriad micro-level problems. It's time to yell, or feel too resigned to yell, whatever makes you feel something.
Here are some stats from today's loss to a previously winless Penn State team.
PSU, down to their fourth- and fifth-string running backs, rushed for 272 yards on 5.9 per carry before three late kneeldowns out of the shotgun made the numbers look slightly less catastrophic.
The Nittany Lions scored on their opening drive for the first time all season. They covered 75 yards in ten plays.
They also recorded a stop on their opening defensive drive for the first time all season.
As far into the game as the third quarter, PSU QB Sean Clifford had more total yardage than Michigan's entire team.
Quarterback Cade McNamara threw for 91 yards on 25 attempts, but at least there was some explanation: he hurt his throwing shoulder late in the first quarter, had to come off for two drives, and then played the better part of two quarters despite being clearly limited in his ability to pass downfield. He pulled himself after nearly throwing an interception on M's final, desperation drive.
The Wolverines rushed for 6.4 yards per carry and still held the ball for under 24 minutes.
PSU defensive end Jayson Oweh, who committed two offsides penalties that gained ten yards for Michigan, would've been the seventh-most productive non-quarterback for the Wolverines.
James Franklin botched the end of the first half with an unnecessary spike on first-and-goal, leading to a field goal instead of a touchdown. This easily could've been worse.
Then again, Jim Harbaugh called for a first-half punt on fourth-and-three from PSU's 43-yard line.
The offense finally ran an under-center QB sneak. It didn't work.
From The Athletic's Jason Starlett: this is the first time in 1,350 games of Michigan football that the Wolverines lost to an opponent with an 0-5 or worse record.
