Penn State offense stumbles again in 3rd straight loss to Michigan [updated]

STATE COLLEGE — Theo Johnson was one of the last Penn State football players to make his way into the Beaver Stadium interview room.

The disappointment on his face was visible after the Nittany Lions lost another game to an elite Big Ten team.

Johnson was asked Saturday if he could describe his emotions after No. 9 Penn State fell to No. 2 Michigan 24-15 before 110,856 mostly disappointed fans.

He bowed his head as tears rolled down his cheeks.

“There are a lot of people not only counting on me but on this team,” he said. “I just feel like I let a lot of people down. I could have played better. As a captain there are a lot of people who count on you to make plays in big moments.”

The Lions (5-2, 8-2) dropped their 12th straight game to a Big Ten opponent ranked in the top 10, an ignominious seven-year streak. The plot unfolded like it did three weeks ago in a loss at Ohio State. Their defense played solidly; their offense did not against one of the nation’s top defenses.

Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar completed just 10-of-22 passes for 70 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown to Johnson with 1:59 left. He lost a fumble for the first time in his career near midfield in the third quarter, which Michigan (7-0, 10-0) turned into James Turner’s 22-yard field goal that made it 17-9.

“That’s when the game changed, to me,” Allar said. “We were moving the ball. I just can’t put the ball on the ground and give them good field position.”

The Wolverines won despite playing without coach Jim Harbaugh, who spent the afternoon somewhere else in the State College area while serving a three-game Big Ten suspension handed down Friday for Michigan allegedly running a sign-stealing operation.

The university and Harbaugh filed a temporary restraining order to allow him to be on the sidelines, but the case won’t be heard until next Friday.

“We’re one,” running back Blake Corum said. “It made us stronger. We didn’t really have to say too much. Yesterday that was already enough fuel to the fire.”

In his absence, the Wolverines relied on their smothering defense and bruising running game to subdue Penn State for the third straight year. Corum rushed 26 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Michigan ran the ball on 33 consecutive downs from Donovan Edwards’ 22-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to the end of the game. J.J. McCarthy completed 7-of-8 passes for 60 yards without an attempt in the second half.

Franklin decided to go for it on fourth-and-6 from the Lions’ 30 with about 4:30 minutes left and Michigan leading 17-9, but Allar’s pass was incomplete. They had mustered two first downs in the second half to that point.

“They (the Wolverines) had a hard time getting things going offensively, so they went to their heavy package,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “They did a great job of eating the clock in the second half. If you punt at that point against that team, you may not get the ball back.”

On the next play, Corum ran off the left side for a touchdown that made it 24-9 with 4:15 to go.

The Lions cut it to 24-15 on Allar’s touchdown pass to Johnson, but he threw an incompletion on a two-point conversion pass for the second time. That sealed their fate.

Penn State also was hurt by its inability to get into the end zone in the first quarter after driving deep into Michigan territory. The Lions had five snaps from inside the 5-yard line and couldn’t score a touchdown. They settled for Alex Felkins’ 21-yard field goal for the first points of the day.

“I think we had a lot of opportunities,” Johnson said. “We tried to help our defense out. The line played hard today. It’s just tough when you come up short. It’s hard.”

Michigan scored two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 14-3 lead. Corum finished a 75-yard drive with a 3-yard run and set up Donovan Edwards’ 22-yard TD with a 44-yard burst.

Penn State responded with one of its biggest drives of the season, ignited by Kaytron Allen’s 34-yard run.

On fourth-and-6 from the Wolverines’ 37, Allar connected with Kaden Saunders for a 13-yard gain. Then on fourth-and-1 from the 15, Allen took a pitchout and threw back to Allar for a 4-yard play

Allar finished the drive with an 11-yard TD on a quarterback draw with 29 seconds left in the half before his conversion pass fell incomplete, a portent of the second half.

The loss eliminated Penn State from contention for a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth.

“I didn’t say anything in the locker room,” Johnson said. “There really was nothing I could say to make anybody feel better.”