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[ Monday, Nov. 9, 1998 ]
Annihilation
Wolverines destroy Lions in another blowout
By CHRIS MASSE 
Collegian Staff Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Different place, same result. For the second straight year Penn State headed into its annual battle against Michigan with high hopes, and for the second time in as many seasons, it came away with its tail between its legs. The defending national champions put on a football clinic and humiliated the Nittany Lions 27-0 in front of 111,019 spectators at Michigan Stadium. In the last two games, the Wolverines have pounded No. 19 Penn State (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) by a combined 61-8 score. Saturday, No. 15 Michigan (7-2, 6-0) showcased all its weapons on both sides of the ball, outgaining the Lions 360-200 in total yardage.
PHOTO: Mike Morones
Wolverine linebacker James Hall sacks Nittany Lion quarterback Kevin Thompson, forcing a fumble on the play.
"This was a total team effort. We finally played a complete football game for the first time this season," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "We played with great emotion and great intensity. We played one of our finest games."
And Penn State played one of its worst.
Michigan picked up where it left off from last year's 34-8 victory at Beaver Stadium and took its opening possession 63 yards in eight plays to grab an early 7-0 lead. Quarterback Tom Brady capped the drive by finding a wide-open Aaron Shea for a 26-yard touchdown pass.
It got worse for the Lions moments later when Michigan linebacker James Hall forced a fumble at the Penn State 13-yard line after nailing quarterback Kevin Thompson from the blind side. Jay Feely then kicked an 18-yard field goal and Michigan had a 10-0 lead 6:16 into the game.
"Last year we started out the same way," Wolverine defensive end Juaquin Feazell said. "We wanted to go out there and jump on top of them and attack them."
Penn State had several chances to get back into the game during the first half but squandered each opportunity.
First, Hall blocked a 34-yard Travis Forney field goal attempt. Next, fullback Aaron Harris was stuffed at the Wolverine 1-yard line on a fourth-and-one play. The Lions capped off their missed opportunities with Forney shanking a 32-yard field goal attempt wide right.
Michigan responded to the Lions' offensive struggles by putting together an 80-yard scoring drive in the first half's final minutes. Brady hit Tai Streets for a 7-yard touchdown, giving the Wolverines a 17-0 lead, and Penn State would never come close to threatening the rest of the game.
"We should have scored 10 points in the first half," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "Then you go out in the second half and it's a different game."
The Wolverines played smash-mouth football throughout the second half, preserving the shutout and effectively ending the Lions' alliance bowl aspirations.
"We just got to try to stick together all we can," linebacker Brandon Short said. "As hard as it is going to be for us to put this behind us, we have to move on."
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Penn State vs. Michigan |
