Michael Robinson looked awfully open and Matt Schmitt seemed very intent on blocking anyone that came his way.

Penn State's final play, a screen meant for the backup quarterback, unfolded clearly on television, from the stands and from the press box. It looked like the touchdown that would bring further life.

But the guy that mattered couldn't see it. Zack Mills had the ball in his hands and Robinson in mind.

"I was supposed to read the last guy on the line," Mills said. "If he went to Michael, I could turn and go to Larry [Johnson] instead. I thought Michael was covered."

Mills looked off Robinson, who was rolling right behind Schmitt, and turned left, looking for Johnson. He found, instead, Joe Iorio's helmet.

It's tough to say exactly how it happened, and Mills said he'd be able to tell more after watching the tape. But several factors went into that last play.

-- First, Iowa had been keying on Robinson all day. After watching him on tape, they realized that basically, he only ran right. The linebackers were prepared for that and stuffed him for -2 yards on four carries.

The one time Robinson set to throw, Kevin Worthy pounded him before he could even look downfield.

Also, the Nittany Lions continued using him only as a decoy on the play where he lines up as the slot receiver, jogs toward the line before the snap and then breaks around on a reverse. The Lions have given the ball to Robinson on that play only once all year, when he gained 28 yards against Nebraska.

Usually, the ball goes to tailback Larry Johnson up the middle. That very play was the second-to-last play of the game, and Mills kept the ball and found tight end Casey Williams for four yards.

The point is, Robinson had been so well-covered by Iowa, Mills could have almost assumed he would be covered.

-- Then again, maybe Robinson was, in fact, covered. Mills looked off the read so quickly and began running left that any coverage there was supposed to be probably went with him. Iowa's defense reacted well to Mills all day, and may have correctly read that Robinson was not going to get the ball. It's possible the defense thought Robinson was, once again, just a decoy.

-- Finally, it could simply be a case of Mills' greatest strength becoming his downfall. The difference between Mills and the quarterback he replaced, Matt Senneca, was clearly not physical. For whatever reason, Mills was able to make better decisions more quickly. This time, Mills reacted too quickly.

"I probably should have stayed on Mike another second or two," Mills said. "Guys were telling me he was open, so he must have been."

It is his composure and poise that make Mills a Happy Valley favorite. He gets it done in the clutch, too. Last year he rallied the Lions to come-from-behind victories over Northwestern, Ohio State and Michigan State.

This time, he reacted too quickly and couldn't finish the comeback he started.