By Danielle Rumore
Daily Sports Editor
STATE COLLEGE - Chants of "It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!" bellowed from the winners' lockerroom after yesterday's game, as silence and disappointment seeped from the Penn State side.
| Michigan 34 |
| Penn State 8 |
Behind a dominant offensive line and stellar defensive performance, No. 4 Michigan (6-0 Big Ten, 9-0 overall) rolled to a convincing 34-8 victory over No. 2 Penn State (4-1, 7-1) in front of a record crowd of 97,498 at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night.
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| SARA STILLMAN/Daily Michigan's Charles Woodson is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the Wolverines' second touchdown in Michigan's 34-8 victory over Penn State. |
"Honestly, it wasn't easy. It was a matter of preparation," Michigan safety Marcus Ray said. "You watch our offensive line, the guys up front - they dominated. If our offense continues to play like that, we'll be very, very successful."
Michigan dominated the Nittany Lions from the opening drive to the end of the game, due in large part to a renewed offense. The Wolverines cut down on the turnovers and penalties that have ailed them throughout the season to turn in their best offensive performance to date.
"It was the best performance we had at Michigan in a long time," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.
Michigan quarterback Brian Griese, who paced the Wolverines with short pass patterns, passed for 151 yards and two touchdowns while running backs Chris Howard and Anthony Thomas and fullback Chris Floyd combined to add finesse and power to the rushing attack. In total, the three backs accounted for 195 of the Wolverines 265 rushing yards and added two touchdowns.
But the story of the day was again Michigan's defense, which entered the game ranked No. 1 in the nation. Yesterday, with the exception of a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, Michigan's defense entirely shut down Penn State's usually potent offense.
Penn State came in averaging 240.7 yards rushing per game and 223.9 yards passing. The Lions were eighth nationally in total offense (464.6 yards per game) and ninth in scoring offense (37.3 points). At the head of Penn State's success was its star tailback Curtis Enis, who entered the game averaging 118.6 yards rushing.
The Wolverines held the Lions to 101 yards on the ground and 68 yards passing. Enis carried the bulk of the load to gain 103 yards rushing; the rest of the team had -2 yards on the ground. Enis had just 35 yards at halftime as Michigan raced to a 24-0 lead, the Lions' biggest halftime deficit at home ever under Penn State coach Joe Paterno.
The defense rattled Penn State quarterback Mike McQueary all day, sacking him twice in the first four plays of Penn State's first drive. He was sacked a total of five times, accounting for 20 lost yards. All in all, the Lions did not convert any of their 12 third-down opportunities.
"They completely dominated us all game. They flat out took it to us," McQueary said.
The Lions only managed to break out of their end of the field twice, and the touchdown in the fourth quarter accounted for their only points. That touchdown broke Michigan's streak of not allowing a touchdown in the second half this season.
"Obviously, in the fourth quarter, they scored on us," Ray said. "We didn't like that. We really, really did not like that."
The Wolverines opened the game with a 29-yard field goal by Kraig Baker, 3-0, and took a quick 10-0 lead on their next possession. On first-and-10 from the Michigan 45-yard line, Griese rolled right on the option and passed to wide-open tight end Jerame Tuman for an 18-yard gain.
Howard ran the ball on the next three of four plays before running back Anthony Thomas carried the ball around right tackle for a 12-yard touchdown run. The extra point made it 10-0.
On the Lions' first drive of the game, the Wolverines showed why they have the nation's best defense after Michigan defensive end Glen Steele sacked McQueary on first down and defensive end Juaquin Feazell sacked him on third down.
"The first play of the game (the first sack) dictated how the game was going to go," Ray said.
In the second quarter, Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson capped off an 80-yard drive in 1:12. Griese rolled right and after a block by tight end Aaron Shea, he raced up the left sideline for a 40-yard gain on first down. Howard carried on the next possession before Griese hit Woodson over the middle for the score.
Enis gave Penn State its only touchdown on a one-yard run to cap off an 11-play, 82-yard drive.
"The plays they beat us with are the ones they've been making all year," Paterno said. "They're very good, and few people can do it consistently."
11-10-97
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