Grading all aspects of Michigan's 42-7 blowout of Penn State:
Rushing Offense: A
Senior running back Karan Higdon nearly had 100 yards at the break (99), aided by a 50-yard run to set up Michigan’s first touchdown. The Wolverines controlled the ball for 19:31 and Higdon averaged 7.1 yards per carry on his 14 rushes in the stanza.
The Wolverines racked up 259 rushing yards total, led by Higdon’s 132. Junior Chris Evans provided a spark with a 32-yard run, and junior Shea Patterson continues to be a weapon with the read option. He added 42 yards, and the Wolverines possessed the ball for 38:08.
Passing Offense: B+
The numbers weren’t huge — 11-of-17 passing for 144 yards — but Patterson was very good, and so was his protection. He threw for two scores, one on a key third-down play to put U-M up 14-0, and he ran the offense to near perfection, being sacked only once.
Only a mistimed jump by Higdon on a high screen pass prevented a big play on what was a great call in the first quarter.
Rushing Defense: A+
Penn State ran for five yards in the first quarter and minus-11 in the second, dominated up front by U-M’s defensive line. The Nittany Lions had one run of 10 yards on a draw from quarterback Trace McSorley, but no other carries for more than four in the half.
PSU backup quarterback Tommy Stevens was the Nittany Lions’ leading rusher. He picked up 52 yards, all when the game was out of reach. Starting running back Miles Sanders only managed 14.
Passing Defense: A+
With 9:49 remaining and Michigan up 35-0, Penn State’s Trace McSorley stood 5-of-12 passing for 83 yards and backup Tommy Stevens had thrown one pass — a pick-six by U-M fifth-year senior Brandon Watson. The Wolverines then added another pick seconds later when junior David Long snagged a tipped ball and returned it deep into PSU territory to set up another score.
Michigan’s pass defense played above its No. 1 national ranking in stifling a very good (albeit wounded) McSorley. The Nittany Lion’s biggest play in the passing game came on a 25-yard slant to the tight end on their first possession. They got next to nothing after that. U-M’s pass defense excelled when defensive coordinator Don Brown rushed only four and also when it blitzed.
Penn State finished with 118 yards passing.
Special Teams: B+
Sophomore Donovan Peoples-Jones returned a punt 28 yards in the first half — while it didn’t lead to points, it did help U-M win the field position battle for the remainder of the half up 14-0. Blocking looked poor on redshirt sophomore kicker Quinn Nordin’s blocked attempt in the first half, and sophomore Ambry Thomas had a big return called back on a questionable holding penalty to open the second half.
Peoples-Jones added a 26-yard return in the second half, and U-M’s coverage teams were great again. The long kick return allowed was only 17 yards.
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