NO. 4 MICHIGAN 17 PENN STATE 10
Defense lifts Michigan
Wolverines make enough stops vs. Nittany Lions to help keep team
unbeaten
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Genaro C . Armas
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mike Hart scores a touchdown for Michigan as he is tackled by Anthony Scirrotto during the second half.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ? Rondell Biggs flew in off the edge for one of Michigan?s seven sacks, then flexed his biceps to celebrate his mighty deed.
The Wolverines defense provided plenty of muscle, Adrian Arrington and Mike Hart each scored a touchdown and Michigan stayed unbeaten with a 17-10 win last night.
"Our defense really showed that all year," Wolverines quarterback Chad Henne said. "They played spectacular tonight and they gave us the ball in favorable positions and sometimes we didn?t capitalize."
Henne was without one of his best weapons in big-play threat Mario Manningham, who had knee surgery.
But last night, the defense grabbed the spotlight, holding Penn State to 186 total yards. The Lions finished with minus-14 rushing yards, with much of the negative yardage coming on sacks
Michigan?s front seven was too tough and fast for Penn State (4-3, 2-2), getting into the backfield often to pressure or sack Nittany Lions starting quarterback Anthony Morelli, who was knocked out early in the third quarter after what appeared to be a helmet-tohelmet hit from Alan Branch.
Backup Darryl Clark left, too, after getting hit on a scramble. Yet Michigan still got a late scare after Tony Hunt turned a screen pass from third-stringer Paul Cianciolo into a 43-yard touchdown, energizing a crowd eager to see Penn State end its decade-long, seven-game losing streak to the Wolverines (7-0, 4-0).
Michigan was forced to punt on its next drive, but Cianciolo ran out of magic. A incomplete pass on fourth down sealed it with a minute left.
Branch, defensive end LaMarr Woodley and their fellow linemen had a field day, holding the tough Hunt in check on the ground and blanketing the Lions? fast receiving corps.
Seven Michigan defenders were in on sacks, led by Woodley?s 2 1 /2 and two by Biggs.
With Manningham out, Arrington stepped up, slipping out of the reach of freshman cornerback A.J. Wallace to grab a pass from Henne down the left seam and run in the end zone for 25-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines a 7-0 lead in the second quarter.
"We all knew we had to pick up his slack, that was big-time production missing this week," Arrington said. "We came out here and executed pretty well. It was definitely the loudest stadium we played in all year."
Hart?s 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave Michigan a 17-3 lead. Hart had 112 yards on 26 carries. Henne was 15 of 30 for 196 yards.
