Penn State stunned as tired defense falters in final seconds, 21-17, to Michigan State

Frank Bodani
York Daily Record
Penn State wide receiver KJ Hamler runs with the ball after a catch as Michigan State safety David Dowell defends during the first quarter on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, in University Park, Pa.

STATE COLLEGE — Time and again, the Nittany Lion defense was asked to win the day on Saturday.

Just like it was two weeks ago against Ohio State.

This defense forced 10 more punts. It tormented the quarterback who beat them with every possibly throw last year in East Lansing, Michigan.

It even snuffed out a late, wild fake field goal attempt with its homecoming stadium rocking.

And when it sacked Michigan State QB Brian Lewerke with two minutes left, when it absolutely mattered the most, it seemed to have done enough work.

And yet none of it would matter at the end.

In astonishing fashion, Lewerke and the Spartans got the ball one final time and passed and picked their way down the field for so much more than the tying field goal. His 25-yard pass down the left side found No. 1 receiver Felton Davis III open near the goal line.

Davis turned around the Lions' top cornerback, Amani Oruwariye, before catching the ball and jogging the final couple of yards into the end zone. Oruwariye couldn't hold onto a potential game-clinching interception earlier on the drive.

Touchdown. Game over: the biggest goals of the season washed away with back-to-back excruciating home defeats.

The heavy underdog Spartans won it 21-17 on that most improbable score with 19 second left at Beaver Stadium.

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“Our margin for error is small, our margin for defeat is small, and we've got to get all of those little things corrected," coach James Franklin said after this was over.

He was much more straight-lined this time, not showing near the emotion that boiled up after the one-point defeat to the Buckeyes. 

"There are things showing up on Saturday that we do not do during the week," he said, searching for answers. "So we need to make sure we are approaching Sunday through Friday (like game day). Because we do something all week long and on Saturday we do something different."

He meant that in all facets, offense, defense and special teams. 

But the defense, not nearly as heralded as the other side of the ball, once again produced enough to win, overall. It harassed Lewerke into 7-of-21 passing in the first half for only 57 yards.

Strangely enough, it didn't get much help from Trace McSorley and the offense. The Lions' first impressive drive ended prematurely when McSorley was hit from behind as he prepared to throw, fumbling the ball away.

From then on, it was frustrating starts and stops, particularly in the passing game.

Michigan State Spartans running back Connor Heyward (11) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium.

Nothing seemed as it was supposed to be.

The Spartans came into the game with the nation's No. 1 rushing defense, but Penn State running back Miles Sanders blew big holes in it early, starting with his 78-yard breakaway all the way to the 5-yard line.

Later, Sanders made like protege Saquon Barkley, who was in attendance with his New York Giants off this weekend. Sanders bounced off a few tacklers, jumped-cut past another defender and outraced everyone into the end zone.

Sanders enjoyed a fine day in barely one half of work: 8 carries for 146 yards and a score. 

The theme continued in the second half as the defense immediately provided an energy boost. Safety Garrett Taylor made his second interception in as many games, this time returning it half of the field.

But the offense could do nothing with it, McSorley slipping to the grass on fourth-and-4.

Actually, the offense all but vanished midway through the game. Over nine straight possessions, it mustered more than 17 yards just once. This coming against a Michigan State pass defense that had been shredded all season, mostly recently by Northwestern.

Even when the Lions seemed to wake up, rookie kicker Jake Pinegar's fluttering field goal attempt from 36 yards bounced harmlessly off the right upright.

Through three quarters, those two huge Sanders runs gained 126 yards, and the Lions' other 37 plays amounted to only 133.

It wasn't until the most promising Penn State drive in hours ended on the 2-yard line did a chip-shot field goal slip inside the right upright for the 17-14 lead that it couldn't hold.

Once again.