Yesterday, Joe Paterno said he would like this weekend's game between his Nittany Lions and No. 4 Michigan to be a battle decided with each team's top players.

However, Michigan's top wide receiver, Mario Manningham, will miss this weekend's game against Penn State after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee yesterday, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.

According to a report that ran in The Detroit News Monday, the surgery was to repair a partially torn meniscus and a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his knee that Manningham suffered during Michigan's win against Michigan State last week.

Carr would not talk specifically about Manningham's injury and gave no timetable for his return.

"We got great news as far as the injury," he said. "He'll miss this week, but we're very excited about the news we received."

Last year, Manningham caught the game-winning touchdown pass against the Lions that led to Penn State's only loss of the year. The defeat knocked the Lions out of national championship contention.

Though Penn State fans may look at Manningham as the villain of last year, Paterno called the injury "a shame."

"I feel sorry for the kid," he said. "When they say surgery, it always makes you nervous, but I hope it's not that serious."

Penn State's team doctor, Wayne Sebastianelli, said he couldn't speak specifically about Manningham's injury, but said players can be sidelined anywhere from 10 days to a month with those types of injuries.

The announcement came less than 24 hours after Manningham's father, Gerald Simpson, said his son was fine.

Michigan football spokesman David Ablauf declined comment on Manningham's status for the second day in a row, again referring to Carr's statements as the only public report concerning Manningham.

Twice named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week in September, Manningham has 24 catches for 527 yards and leads the nation with nine receiving touchdowns. Averaging 22 yards a catch, Manningham is Michigan's best deep threat.

Carr said Manningham's absence would not affect his team's gameplan.

"I don't think it's going to change what we do because we do have a number of receivers that are very capable," he said, citing Carl Tabb as a receiver who may see an increased role.

Junior Adrian Arrington, who missed most of last season with an injury, likely would replace Manningham as quarterback Chad Henne's favorite downfield target. Little-used freshman Greg Matthews, who has only three catches, also could be used.

Senior Steve Breaston will continue to be Henne's main target for short passes.

Tony Hunt, senior running back, echoed Paterno's thoughts when he said he'd like Manningham to be involved in such a big game.

"I wasn't really sure that he wasn't going to be playing until just now," Hunt said yesterday afternoon. "You never really like to see guys get injured like this."