Penn State receiver Robinson a key against Michigan
Posted: Sunday, October 13, 2013, 3:01 AM
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Bill Belton raced around left end for a 2-yard touchdown run at the end of the fourth overtime Saturday night to give Penn State a wild 43-40 victory over 18th-ranked Michigan in front of a Beaver Stadium 'whiteout' crowd of 107,884.
The Nittany Lions (4-2 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) forced the overtime with an improbable drive to the tying touchdown - scored on Christian Hackenberg's 1-yard quarterback sneak - that began from its own 20-yard line with 50 seconds remaining in regulation and no timeouts left. The TD, with 27 seconds left, made it 34-34.
After a scoreless first overtime, the two teams exchanged field goals in the second extra period and did not score in the third. Michigan (5-1, 1-1) led off the fourth overtime with a 40-yard field goal by Brendan Gibbons, who missed one field goal attempt and had another blocked in overtime.
Penn State took over and had a fourth and 1 from the Michigan 16, but Belton sliced over the right side for the first down. The Nittany Lions also capitalized on a pass interference penalty against the Wolverines that put the ball on the 2, and Belton, the former Winslow Township High star, ended it on the next play.
The Lions took possession for the start of the third overtime and turned the ball over on its first play when Allen Robinson fumbled a handoff from Hackenberg on a reverse and defensive end Frank Clark recovered for the Wolverines.
Michigan picked up 9 yards in three plays and Gibbons came out for what was to be a 34-yard game-winner, but his attempt went wide left and the game continued.
Trailing 34-27, the Nittany Lions began their game-tying drive with a 14-yard pass from Hackenberg to Robinson that was reversed from an incomplete pass upon review. Hackenberg also threw a 29-yard pass to Brandon Felder and a 36-yard jump ball to Robinson, who made a leaping catch at the Michigan 1.
The Wolverines moved from their own 35 to the Lions 35 in the final seconds, but Gibbons' 52-yard field goal attempt fell short.
The only scoring of overtime prior to the fourth extra period was field goals of 25 yards from Gibbons and 36 yards from Penn State's Sam Ficken.
Michigan was in control for much of the second half after silencing the frenzied crowd with Clark's 24-yard fumble return for a touchdown on Penn State's first play of the second half. Zach Zwinak had the ball poked from his grasp on a seemingly innocuous run over the left side.
The Nittany Lions had gone into the locker room at halftime with a 21-10 lead with the help of three turnovers by the Wolverines, and were to receive the second-half kickoff.
Hackenberg was intercepted a short time later by Raymon Taylor, who returned the turnover to the Penn State 26. Michigan's Devin Gardner gained 18 yards on the first play but the Wolverines stalled, and Gibbons' 23-yard field goal made it a one-point game.
After a 45-yard field goal by Ficken gave the Nittany Lions their only points of the period, the Wolverines took the lead on a 73-yard drive capped by Gardner's 16-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Gallon in the final minute of the quarter.
Ficken missed a 47-yard attempt on Penn State's next possession and Michigan responded with a 70-yard drive, with Gardner connecting for a touchdown with Devin Funchess for the second time, this one a 37-yard pass play that gave the visitors a 34-24 lead.
Ficken made it a one-score game on a 43-yard field goal with 6:35 left in the fourth quarter. Michigan then chewed up time on the clock with one first down, and got its second first down on a controversial pass interference call against Lions safety Adrian Amos that gave the Wolverines the ball at the Penn State 38.
Penn State coach Bill O'Brien argued the call, claiming the ball would have been well over the head of intended receiver Jeremy Gallon.
But Michigan stalled and had to punt, and Penn State took over at its own 20 with 50 seconds to play and launched its game-tying drive.
The Nittany Lions forced three turnovers in the first half, all committed by Gardner - interceptions by Jordan Lucas and Anthony Zettel, and a fumble that was recovered by DaQuan Jones. They converted the picks into touchdowns.
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