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Best and worst from Michigan's win over Penn State

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•11/11/23•

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Sherrone Moore James Franklin
(Photo by Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports)

Michigan Wolverines football didn’t have its head coach but still beat Penn State, 24-15, Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Here are the best and worst from the game.

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Wildest 24 hours

Michigan found out after landing in State College Friday that head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten for the remainder of the regular season. The team was prepared for some sort of unfair (in their eyes and the eyes of many) punishment from the league, but that was harsh and probably shocking for a group of guys ready to play their biggest game of the season to that point. Harbaugh’s motion for an injunction didn’t go through before kickoff, and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore took over.

If someone would’ve presented the script of how the last few weeks have played out, nobody in Ann Arbor would have believed it. It’s too good to write, really.

Best moment

After everything that this season and the day before brought, Moore let the emotions — and some expletives — fly in his postgame interview. He had tears dripping down his face as he left the field. His passion is always there, but this was a different side of Moore than the public typically sees.

Biggest changeup

Michigan’s run game had struggled at times this season and was adequate in others, but it hasn’t been as dominant as it was a season ago. Facing the No. 1 rushing defense in the country, many expected the game, at least from the Michigan offense’s standpoint, to come down to junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s ability to make plays, especially on third downs, situations he’s been so good at this season.

They (and we) were wrong. Dead wrong, in fact.

Michigan attempted only 8 passes, the first time the program has done that since last century (1987), including none in the second half.

The Wolverines were predictable on first down, throwing only 2 passes to begin a sequence, and averaged 3.5 yards on 21 first-down rushes.

It wasn’t that the run game was overly effective on a down-to-down basis, but it was crucial in Michigan controlling the clock — the 8-minute drive in the third quarter was huge — and popping some big plays. The Wolverines had four runs of 20-plus yards, including a 22-yard touchdown from junior Donovan Edwards and a 44-yard score from senior Blake Corum that all but sealed the win.

Warrior

Early on in the game, Corum’s face started bleeding. He embraced it and wore it as war paint during his 145-yard performance.

Warrior, and a Michigan football legend.

Momentum-changing play

Penn State had the momentum after a long touchdown-scoring drive at the end of the first half, pulling within five points (14-9). The Nittany Lions had the ball out of the locker room, too. But on third-and-2 and the sixth play of the drive, Michigan junior defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny forced a fumble that junior safety Makari Paige recovered at the PSU 49-yard line.

The Michigan offense chewed a bunch of clock, scoring a field goal after possessing the ball for 8:04, and suddenly it was late in the game. U-M had the momentum, and PSU carried the pressure.

Biggest chip on the shoulder

The Michigan offensive line had been ridiculed all season long, especially for its run blocking, but the group had something to prove in hostile territory Saturday, against an outstanding Penn State defensive front.

Graduate left guard Trevor Keegan said that the line wanted to put the team on its back. It paved the way for some of the aforementioned big plays and 227 rushing yards, the second-most Michigan has put up in a game this season.

No threat

Penn State picked up first downs via passes on only two third-down attempts. The vibe inside the stadium was interesting, with the fans having seemingly no confidence that the offense would move the chains on third (PSU went 4-of-14 overall).

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar made a few plays, including a touchdown run on a QB draw, but he really didn’t pose much of a threat for a Michigan defense that played tight coverage against the Nittany Lions’ average receiving corps. Allar had just 1 completion of 15-plus yards and went 10-of-22 passing for 70 yards and a score.

Bonehead decision

Penn State head coach James Franklin is known for making questionable in-game decisions. He pulled the trigger on another one late in the second quarter after a touchdown, opting to go for two, not getting the conversion and seeing his team down 14-9 at the break. After Michigan’s late-third-quarter field goal, it led by 8 points for the majority of the rest of the game. The way the PSU offense was playing, that was a fairly comfortable advantage, knowing that to even tie the Nittany Lions would need a touchdown and two-point conversion.

Biggest mistake

Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz mocked Michigan amid its allegations into off-campus scouting and ‘sign stealing’ in a video urging fans to show up and be loud for Saturday’s game.

Best believe the Michigan players saw it and took it personally.

In fact, the Michigan players were checking the time after some of their best plays, most notably Corum’s 44-yard touchdown run late. This team continually finds ways to add fuel to the fire. That fire is burning hot right now.

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