Wolverines Steamroll Penn State, Hand Lions First Shutout Since 1987

Saturday, November 7

Michigan Stadium

Noon

Michigan

7-2 , 6-0

Penn State

6-2 , 3-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Penn State

Michigan

Wolverines Steamroll Penn State, Hand Lions First Shutout Since 1987

11/7/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

By: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #22 Michigan 27, #9 Penn State 0
Records: U-M (7-2, 6-0 Big Ten), PSU (6-2, 5-2 Big Ten)
Attendance: 111,019
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Nov. 14 -- vs. Wisconsin (Michigan Stadium), 12:10 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team's defense handed Penn State its first shutout in 130 games while the Wolverine offense exploded for a season-high 360 yards in a 27-0 victory at Michigan Stadium. The victory was Michigan's seventh consecutive and its 15th straight win in Big Ten Conference play.

Junior quarterback Tom Brady (San Mateo, Calif./Serra HS) threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns -- to junior fullback Aaron Shea (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa HS) and senior wideout Tai Streets (Matteson, Ill./Thornton Township HS) -- to lead the offense, while Ian Gold (Belleville, Mich./Belleville HS) recorded nine tackles (eight solo) to key the defensive effort.

Michigan won the toss and deferred to the second half. Penn State elected to receive. Penn State took the opening kickoff at its 20-yard line after a 17-yard return by Eddie Drummond. The Michigan defense held strong on the first PSU drive, holding the Nittany Lions to three plays and forcing a punt. The key play was a defensive end Juaquin Feazell (Fort Valley, Ga./Peach County HS) sack of quarterback Kevin Thompson that lost seven yards on third down.

The Wolverines took over at their 37-yard line after a 47-yard punt by Pat Pidgeon. The offense drove down the field against the Penn State defense, scoring on a 26-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brady to fullback Shea. Michigan gained three first downs and scored on its only third-down play of the possession. The TD was the first allowed by the Nittany Lions' defense during the first quarter this season. Michigan's eight-play scoring drive covered 63 yards and took 2:53.

Trailing 7-0, the Penn State offense started its second possession at the 20-yard line after kicker Jay Feely (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit HS) booted the ball into the end zone for a touchback. On the second play of the drive, Thompson was sacked by junior rush linebacker James Hall (New Orleans, La./St. Augustine HS) and fumbled the ball. The ball was recovered by junior defensive tackle Josh Williams (Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek HS) at the PSU 13-yard line.

Michigan took the excellent field position and jumped out to a 10-0 lead on an 18-yard Feely field goal. They managed the score after gaining 12 yards before the drive was stopped at the one-yard line. The six-play drive took 1:31.

Penn State started at the 20-yard line for the third straight drive after freshman kicker Hayden Epstein (Cardiff, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) kicked the ball through the end zone. The Nittany Lions moved 62 yards before the drive was halted at the 18-yard line. Penn State lined up for a 34-yard field attempt by kicker Travis Forney. The attempt was blocked by Hall and recovered by junior safety Tommy Hendricks (Houston, Texas/Eisenhower HS) and returned two yards to the 10-yard line. The missed scoring play was the first opportunity not converted by U-M's opposition this year inside the "red zone".

Taking over at the 10-yard line, Michigan moved out to the 20-yard line, where senior running back Clarence Williams (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech HS) was hit hard and fumbled to PSU defensive end Brad Scioli.

Penn State took over at its 20-yard line and proceeded to move into scoring position, but PSU was pushed away again without any points as Michigan's defense held on fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line. The Nittany Lions converted on a fourth-and-one from the 11-yard line as fullback Aaron Harris gained three yards and a first-and-goal at the eight-yard line. The Wolverines defense held the Nittany Lions on three consecutive plays and forced the unsuccessful fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line.

Taking over at its one-yard line, the Wolverines gained three first downs and moved out to their 39-yard line before the Penn State defense held at the 40-yard line and forced a punt. Senior punter Jason Vinson (Troy, Mich./Troy HS) punted 39 yards to Bruce Branch, who gained zero yards on the return.

The Nittany Lions started at their 36-yard line after the Wolverines were assessed 15 yards for a face-mask penalty on the punt. PSU used the yardage and gained one first down, moving inside Michigan territory before the drive was stopped at the 48-yard line. Penn State used the field position to its advantage though, pinning the Wolverines inside their 20-yard line after a Pidgeon punt.

Michigan started its possession at the 15-yard line after a five-yard return by junior Marcus Knight (Sylacauga, Ala./Comer HS) on the PSU punt. The Nittany Lions' defense held Michigan to three-and-out and forced the punt. Vinson punted 35 yards and Penn State took over at its 41-yard line.

Penn State moved quickly into Wolverine territory on the second play of its drive as running back Chris Eberly gained 18 yards. The Nittany Lions gained two first downs before the drive was stopped at the 15-yard line and PSU was forced to attempt a field goal. The Forney 32-yard attempt sailed wide right and preserved the 10-0 lead for the Wolverines.

Taking over at their 20-yard line, the Wolverines moved down the field and went up 17-0 on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Streets. Junior wide receiver DiAllo Johnson (Detroit, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's HS) chipped in two clutch third-down receptions that kept the drive alive (nine yards on both plays) while sophomore Anthony Thomas (Winnfield, La./Winnfield HS) caught a screen on second-and-nine from the PSU 49-yard line that he turned into a 41-yard gain, moving the ball to the eight-yard line. The scoring drive covered 80 yards in 10 plays and took 3:33.

Michigan headed into the half with a 17-0 lead and did not allow the opposition to score any points in the first half for the first time this year.

The Wolverines, who opted for the second half kickoff, started at their 33-yard line after a 29-yard kickoff return by freshman Justin Fargas (Encino, Calif./Notre Dame HS). Michigan gained two first downs and moved inside PSU territory before the drive was stopped at the 36-yard line. Vinson punted for 41 yards, after a five-yard delay of game penalty was assessed to the Wolverines. Vinson's punt traveled into the end zone for a Penn State touchback.

Penn State took over at the 20-yard line and gained an initial first down before being forced into a third-and-long. Thompson dropped back to pass and threw deep down the right side of the field, where his pass intercepted by sophomore free safety DeWayne Patmon (San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry HS) at the U-M 47-yard line.

Feely increased the lead to 20-0 on a 49-yard field goal. The big play in the drive came on a 21-yard pass from Brady to Shea that moved the ball to the Penn State 32-yard line. The scoring drive went five plays and 22 yards in 56 seconds.

The Nittany Lions started their second possession of the third quarter at the 34-yard line after a 24-yard kickoff return by Eric McCoo. Penn State got inside Michigan territory and up to the 32-yard line before the drive stalled at the 39-yard line. On third-and-25, Thompson was forced to scramble and gained seven yards before being tackled by Gold, forcing fourth down.

Michigan gained possession at its 12-yard line after a 27-yard punt by PSU's Pidgeon. After the first two plays gained six yards, Streets kept the drive alive with a 16-yard circus catch on third-and-four from the U-M 18-yard line. Michigan was hit with a 15-yard face mask on the first play of the next series but again came through with a third-down conversion as Brady hit Knight for 25 yards to the 50-yard line. The Wolverines were unable to convert another third down on the play and were forced to punt. Vinson's 27-yard punt was fumbled by Branch and the ball was recovered by junior Rob Renes (Holland, Mich./West Ottawa HS) at the PSU 19-yard line, giving the Wolverines possession inside the "red zone."

Michigan could not take advantage of the turnover, however, as David Macklin intercepted Brady's attempted pass to tight end Jerame Tuman (Liberal, Kan./Liberal HS) on a leaping play at the goal line and PSU took over on its one-yard line.

Penn State moved out to its 34-yard line by gaining three first downs. The Lions could not sustain the drive, moving backwards to the 15-yard line, where they were forced to punt. Pidgeon punted 31 yards out of bounds.

The Wolverines took over at Penn State 46-yard line and went in for their third touchdown of the day, a one-yard run by Thomas. The time-consuming drive took 7:15 in 11 plays and covered 46 yards. Michigan gained three first downs on the scoring drive.

Epstein kicked the ensuing kickoff deep into the end zone and McCoo returned its nine yards before being hit hard by redshirt freshman Eric Brackins (Pigeon Forge, Tenn./Gatlinburg-Pittman HS). Taking over deep inside its territory, Penn State threw two incompletions on its first two plays. Backup quarterback Rashard Casey's third-down pass was intercepted by senior linebacker Clint Copenhaver (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) at the PSU 23-yard line.

After Michigan ran four plays and lost six yards, Penn State took over at its 29-yard line and got out to the 50 before time expired.

Brady was named the ABC Player of the Game after hitting on 17-of-30 passing for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Williams led the rushing attack with 24 attempts for 83 yards. Shea equaled his career best with three receptions and set a career high with 58 receiving yards, while Streets hauled in three passes for 38 yards and caught a TD pass for the sixth straight game.

Defensively, Feazell finished with three tackles for loss (21 yards), including two sacks (18 yards), while Hall ended up with five tackles, two sacks (16 yards), a forced fumble and the block field-goal attempt.

Michigan will close out its home slate with seventh-ranked Wisconsin next Saturday, Nov. 14, at Michigan Stadium. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN beginning at 12:10 p.m. EST.