As Mink said, this is Staats taking over for some of the 4Q as Penn State looks to close out its first win at the Big House since 1996.

The UM student section has emptied a little bit as the Lions are up 22 with a third-and-short situation.

It's a battle of the bands right now, between UM's "Hail to the Victors" against the Blue Band's "Hey Baby". It's a close one in terms of which section is louder, as PSU's large lead seems to have helped make up for the difference in the number of fans.

Penn State gets to shorten the game a little bit more as it gets the first down on a Royster run. The Lions keeps the ball on the ground with a Beachum run to net five yards to push the ball to the UM 35. Beachum again gets the call and goes down after an 11-yard gain for a FD.

Zug catches a quick pass from Clark for three yards. That's a close to a running play you can get on a passing down, so more seconds will tick away. Beachum carries again for close to another first down Clark rolls to the right and has plenty of space in front of him for 12 yards and a big third down.

Royster sprints through a hole but a holding penalty set the Lions back to the UM 42. PSU goes to the air but Clark can't connect with Quarless. The holding call really set the Lions back as a Royster run and an INC pass from Clark--he threw the ball away--force a punt. Another penalty against PSU, this time a false start, delays a Boone punt...

But then Penn State gets a break with a roughing the kicker penalty against the Wolverines. That's an automatic first down. There was contact, and Boone made sure the officials saw that one.

Groans from the UM faithful resonated after that one. Michigan needed to get the ball back if it had any hope of getting back into this game.

Two consecutive runs hand Penn State nine yards as we go under nine minutes. The Lions pick up another first down with a run.

Beachum almost breaks free for a big run but the Lions will get two yards and more time off the clock instead.

With that, we head down to the field. Check back to our Web site for a Web update after the game and thanks for following, as PSU ends its five-game losing streak in the Big House.

***

The third quarter winds down and State starts from its own 20. Wayne Staats will take us home to about the 6-minute mark before we head down to the field.

***

Michigan is driving into PSU territory. And it's back in the no huddle. A lot of UM fans in the press box disgruntled after another dropped pass. Lee made a real athletic play, tipping a Forcier pass and then Hull nearly came down with the INT.

***

PSU goes three and out, and Graham blocks and recovers the punt. Adrian Clayborne did the same thing. See how the defense responds.

Well, that answers that. Fumble recovered by Bowman. Crawford caused the fumble.

PSU is getting handicapped by poor field position. Another three and out, but Boone is successful getting this punt off.

***

Robinson's had two drives to himself, and both ended with a turnover. Forcier back in. More UM offensive woes, though. Penn State's defense did an outstanding job adjusting to the no huddle and putting the locks on the UM offense. State gets the ball back. Fans head for the exit.

***

OK. It's appropriate to start looking ahead to the rest of the schedule for PSU. NW had to come back to beat Indiana this afternoon. State actually looks like a better football team on the road this season. Even better is, this team actually looks like it's improving as the year goes along.

Nov. 7 against OSU is looking like the big one. A win there, call a second BCS bowl game in two years a done deal.

***

Back to the action, Robinson is in at quarterback. State has Tate figured out pretty well. The key for Robinson is to avoid the turnover.

As I type that Robinson fumbles and PSU's Sukay recovers, but the play is under review. Gbadyu makes up for his dropped INT by forcing the fumble. The call is confirmed. PSU ball at the UM 22. Anything less than six is pathetic.

Royster takes the carry left and gains five into the UM red zone. Clark finds Zug for his third TD of the game on a crossing pattern in the end zone.

7:55 left 3rd quarter
PSU 32, Michigan 10
Scoring drive: 2 plays, 22 yards, 0:41

***

Crucial drive here for UM to keep the crowd in it.

And, with that, a three and out for UM. PSU can't take its foot off the gas, yet. It's still a two-score game.

Michigan doesn't have the defense to create turnovers and make stops when it needs to. If State puts together a long scoring drive, this place will fall awfully silent.

Royster catches the ball from the slot for the a pick-up of 23 yards to the Michigan 39-yard line.

The drive stalls and Penn State is forced to punt. Bizzarre play on the punt return. Warren gets blocked into Hemingway. Hemingway gets the worst of it, appearing to be what I'm calling a season-ending ACL injury. Warren hit Hemingway right in the knee.

***

Powell returns the opening kickoff to the UM 43-yardline. Quarless is a matchup nightmare for UM when he's used as a vertical threat. A big pick-up moves the ball into the red zone less than a minute into the half.

Penn State may have just delivered the knockout blow. Clark finds Zug in the back right corner of the end zone for the TD. The two-point conversion is no good, keeping it at a two possession game

12:48 left third quarter
PSU 25, Michigan 10
4 plays, 43 yards, 2:12

***

A couple minutes to go until the third quarter kicks off. Here are some halftime stats:

Michigan leads the rushing battle, 90-73.
Penn State leads the passing battle, 142-60.
Penn State has more total yards, 215-150.

Each team has three penalties.

Clark has been the best player statistically on the field, completing 10-of-15 passes for 142 yards and a pair of scores. I'll throw the blogging duties over now to Nate Mink.

***
Junior Hemingway fields the punt at his own 42 and returns it 19 yards to the Penn State 39. Quarless made a big stop there, as Hemingway was gaining momentum up the weak side.

On the drive's second play, Forcier shows off his arm, hitting Greg Mathews square in the chest for 18 yards as Lynn and Drew Astorino were closing in on the receiver. Three Minor runs then bring Michigan to the 3, but the Lions catch a huge break as Forcier drops the snap on second-and-goal and loses five yards. Perhaps out of panic, he spikes it on third down with 12 seconds remaining, and on fourth down Jason Olesnavage kicks a 23-yard field goal to cut the Penn State lead to nine.

Hayes, for whatever reason, returns the kickoff to his own 30. Can Penn State at least do the fifth-year senior the small favor of keeping him off special teams plays?

Clark takes a knee to end the half. It's been a good one so far, with the Lions ahead 19-10. It looked like it could have been headed for a shootout after both teams scored touchdowns less than six minutes into the game. Things settled down for awhile, but penalties hindered both teams down the stretch of the half, and each took advantage accordingly.

Halftime
PSU 19, Michigan 10

***
Penn State picks up its first false start penalty on the drive's first play, bringing the Lions back to the 13. The noise level grows in the building as "Welcome to the Jungle" blares. The song then makes its way into the press box via a malfunction, the second such on the day. The first one was a referee whistle. I'll take Guns 'N Roses over a whistle in my ear any day of the week.

Royster runs left for a yard before another false start brings the Lions back to the 9 for a second-and-19. Beachum then takes it left for two yards, bringing up third-and-17 from the Penn State 11.

Royster then runs it for four yards up the middle, bringing up a fourth-and-13. Michigan calls its final timeout before Boone comes on to punt.

***
Forcier and the Michigan offense will start from its own 36, where Lee will make his first first-down appearance of the game. Runs by Minor and Forcier account for just two yards, and on third-and-eight the quarterback goes long over the middle to Koger, who again can't haul it in. It looked like the running Sukay may have got a piece of the ball on that one.

Mesko's punt goes 47 yards to the Penn State 18, where Royster calls a fair catch but Zug tries to return it. I guess you can't do that, but I'm lying if I say I know the rules for such a situation.

***
Powell returns the free kick to the Penn State 40, where the Lions start with three wide plus Quarless.

Did I say Quarless? The under-used tight end, who hadn't touched the ball once all game, is the recipient of a beautiful pass in stride in one-on-one against linebacker Obi Ezeh. Quarless then takes it to the house, 60 yards in all, for the Penn State touchdown. That, my friends, is called exploiting a mismatch.

It's also a 13-second scoring drive, making it the shortest in a game with plenty of them. Blink, and you will miss something. Clark now breaks Zac Mills' school record for total touchdowns. That's 54 now for Captain Clark.

4:26, second quarter
PSU 19, Michigan 7

***
Forcier is back in for the Wolverines now, who can't be too happy with left tackle Mark Ortmann. He held Jack Crawford on Michigan's first play, a three-yard loss, and he then picked up a false start penalty. Forcier is then nearly taken down in the end zone by Odrick, who would have loved to have had another safety against Michigan.

Forcier is then whistled for a delay of game, bringing Michigan back to its own 2. The next snap then goes nowhere near him and rolls out of bounds for a Penn State safety. Something tells me safeties in two straight games against Michigan will sit just fine with Odrick, regardless of who gets credit. Truth be told, he gained last year's on a penalty anyway, though Nick Sheridan would have been a dead man had he not thrown the ball away.

4:39, second quarter
PSU 12, Michigan 7

***
Derek Moye already has six catches for 53 yards. The six catches tie a career-high, and we've got more than five minutes remaining here in the first half.

***
Following a Powell drop, Moye makes another grab in the flat, this one for seven yards, bringing up a third-and-three at the Michigan 33.

Ako Poti does a nice job of picking up the rush, but it doesn't matter as Clark's pass to Zug is incomplete. Boone now on to punt with the wind against him. Donovan Warren makes the fair catch at his own 8.

***
Let's see how Penn State's defense fairs on this drive, as Michigan unveils a new wrinkle: Denard Robinson. The quarterback takes it seven yards up the middle on the drive's first play, then hands off to Minor for seven again and a first down.

If I'm the Lions, I bring the house every time Robinson's in. His arm is a question mark, but his legs aren't. He goes up the middle for six before again handing it off to Minor, who goes for 14. An illegal formation penalty, however, brings Minor's run back, making it second-and-nine from the Michigan 32.

Hull gets into the Wolverine backfield again and brings down Robinson for a loss. That's taken away, however, with a holding penalty on Bowman. Michigan gets the first down at the 42, and Joe Paterno is none too pleased with the call.

After Bowman stops Robinson for two, a wide open Kevin Koger drops a Robinson pass in Penn State territory. A big break for Penn State that time, and it makes Michigan pay on the next play, as Bowman more than makes up for his earlier gaffe with a pick he returns to the Michigan 40, sparing us another minute-long touchdown run.

***
That Moye fella is getting to be a pretty good football player, isn't he? The former track star is clearly Clark's favorite target, as he takes another pass in the flat for eight yards.

...but he is still human, after all. Clark underthrew him to the left, and as Moye slipped, his legs went up in the air and kicked the ball out of bounds for an incompletion.

On third-and-two, Stephfon Green gets the carry and gets 11 yards for the first down. Wait? That wasn't Green? The scoreboard said so. It was actually Powell, who looked a lot like Green on the play. Many wondered if Powell could be used in a Green-like role with the speedster from the Bronx out today, and he did his best impression on that run.

Royster and Brandon Beachum runs combine for a loss of one, which is actually better than a loss of four, which is exactly what happened to Clark on third-and-11. He was destroyed by the Michigan defense on a sack. Boone's punt rolls to the Michigan 17.

***
Brown goes right up the middle for 17 yards on Michigan's first play. He follows with a five-yarder, and Forcier then gets two on a keeper, bringing up third-and-three at the Michigan 36.

Hull then comes up with maybe his nicest play of the season, sacking Forcier seven yards behind the line of scrimmage and forcing a Mesko punt. Zug fields the beauty at his own 18 and returns it 10 yards to the Penn State 28.

***
Clark gets rushed and dumps it off to Royster, who looks like he has room ahead of him. But Michigan defensive tackle Ryan Van Bergan just gets to Royster's legs in time, accounting for a huge stop and a three-yard loss. Boone's punt goes to the Michigan 12, where the Wolverine offense will start with the wind on its side.

***
Clark finds Moye twice for a total of 10 yards and a Penn State first down. He then goes for the home run ball to Chaz Powell, who was double-covered and taken down. The Penn State sideline wanted a flag, but that pass was not catchable.

Clark then heads up the middle on what looks like a busted play and he gains just a yard to end the first quarter. It will be third-and-nine for Penn State at the Michigan 46 when play resumes.

It has definitely been most exciting first quarter of a Penn State game this season. After looking like a confused child on Michigan's first drive, the Lion defense responded with two big third down stops. The Lion offense, meanwhile, has had its way thus far with the Wolverine defense and will look to capitalize here.

***
Forcier hits Odoms for 7 before fooling the Lion defense with a four-yard run to the left for a first down at the Michigan 31.

The defense answers back, however, as Jared Odrick and Josh Hull lead a group of Lions who stop Brown a yard behind the line of scrimmage. Forcier then throws a pass right to Gbadyu, who drops it. If you want to be known as a great defense, you need to capitalize on those opportunities. I can count a bunch of drops like that off the top of my head from this season alone, notably D'Anton Lynn's similar drop last week.

Lee and Stephfon Morris check in on third down, as Forcier scrambles out of the pocket and is met by Navorro Bowman for a loss. Zug fields the punt at his own 37.

***
Wagner's kick is good, putting Penn State up 10-7 early. That drive went 48 yards in nine plays and took a more methodical 4:17. This could be a very interesting game.

Wagner then follows up his field goal with a touchback, so Michigan will start from its own 20.

3:58, first quarter
Penn State 10, Michigan 7

***
Zug is then the recipient of an 18-yard pass from Clark on Penn State's first play of its second drive, which takes it to the Michigan 47.

After a five-yard Royster run, Clark feels the pressure and hits hard up the middle for 11 yards and a Penn State first down at the 34.

With Royster split wide, Joe Suhey gets the call up the middle for 7. Royster then follows Andrew Quarless' block left four yards for another Penn State first down, this one at the 23.

Royster then gets drilled again by Graham for a two-yard loss. Those two are getting to know each other pretty well back there. Clark goes to Moye in the flat on second-and-12, which takes Penn State to the 17 and sets up a big third-and-four.

Clark then just overthrows Moye one-on-one down the sideline in the end zone, bringing out Wagner for a 34-yard attempt, but not before a "media" timeout. Odd timing, if I do say so myself.

***
Michigan starts its drive at its own 28, where Forcier tosses an incomplete pass before Minor takes it for 4 yards to the left. That brings up third-and-six, along with Sean Lee's first action of the game. Forcier underthrows a wide open Kelvin Grady, and Zug makes a fair catch at his own 35-yard line after a Zoltan Mesko punt.

***
Penn State responded accordingly to Michigan's quick drive, scoring on a four-play, 63-yard drive that lasted just 1:54. Clark tied the Penn State record for most touchdowns responsible for in a career, as his 33rd career touchdown pass gave him 52 total touchdowns for his career.

If I'm Penn State I'm just worried its defense didn't get enough of a rest on that drive, which isn't a terrible problem to have since the offense looked in top shape just now.

I must ask, though, is this the Big Ten we're watching?

***
Dailey is all over special teams this season, which isn't saying too much for Penn State. Still, the safety returns a very short kickoff to his own 37. Daryll Clark rolls right and hits his new favorite target, Derek Moye, for 14 yards on the Lions' first play.

No Stephfon Green, no problem. Evan Royster takes the carry for 41 yards on the next play to silence this crowd pretty quickly. First-and-goal now for the Lions at Michigan's 8.

The Wolverines brought the house on that play, drilling Royster two yards behind the line of scrimmage. Royster's best friend Brandon Graham gets credited with that stop.

Clark responds the next play with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Graham Zug in single coverage in the corner of the endzone. Wagner's kick is good to tie it at 7.

9:17, first quarter
PSU 7, Michigan 7

***
Brandon Minor takes a pair of handoffs for a total of 11 yards as action resumes. Forcier then takes it eight yards to the Penn State 28 before Carlos Brown goes for 6.

Forcier then finds Martavious Odoms for 20 after Odoms got around Nick Sukay. Two plays later Minor takes it in from a yard out for the score to put Michigan up 7-0. So much for that first-half touchdown streak by Penn State's defense. It has never seen anything like this Michigan offense, which went 70 yards in 11 plays and three minutes, 49 seconds.

Everyone has a plan until he gets punched in the face. Penn State just took 11 quick jabs; let's see how it responds.

11:11, first quarter,
Michigan 7, PSU 0
***
Carlos Brown returns the kick from the 4 to his own 30, where he's met by Andrew Dailey. Jerome Hayes gets the start at end, as does Bani Gbadyu.

Michigan is showing early why it has the Big Ten's No. 1 offense and is No. 10 in time of possession. Tate Forcier runs a no-huddle on four straight plays, and Michigan has moved the ball to the Penn State 47. There's an injury timeout on the field for Michigan's David Molk, who is helped off the field.

***
Michigan plays a pump-up video before the team enters. I'll give Penn State's gladiator-themed ones the edge in that department. Both teams take the field, with the Nittany Lions going around the sideline and into the endzone. Michigan has no mascot, and so Jerome Hayes' and Navorro Bowman's pregame prayers went uninterrupted.

Two jets flew over the stadium after the national anthem, and Penn State has just won the toss and deferred to the second half. Smart choice with the wind conditions here if you ask me. Collin Wagner will kick it off.

***
...and now comes Michigan's band, it of the second-most popular college fight song. (I'm sorry, but Notre Dame takes the cake.)

It does its "Hail to the Victors" routine, which the crowd claps along to. I'll give Penn State's band the edge in formation, as the P-S-U it spells out is easier on the eyes than the awkward looking 'M' Michigan's does.

The "Go Blue - M Club Supports You" sign is out, and the Wolverines will take the field any second now.

***
The Blue Band has taken the field right now to a chorus of boos. Blue sapphire P.J. Maierhofer performed her normal routine, as did the drum major. "Hail to the Lion" was performed before the inevitable "Hail to the Victors," which a few fans joined in singing to.

The band then immediately went back to its normal Penn State routine, drawing more boos.

Fifteen minutes to kickoff...

***
For the third straight week, Penn State's top three right tackles were warming up together before the game. That likely won't matter, however, since Joe Paterno said on Tuesday that Ako Poti will start.

Sean Lee was warming up regularly with the linebackers and looked as close to full strength as I could possibly tell.

"Hell's Bells" is now playing with under a half-hour to go until kickoff, and the Wolverines just did their "all-in" routine, with the players forming a circle around half the field before jumping into a pile together. Needless to say, the crowd loved it.

Both teams are heading into the locker rooms now. I'll be back with more updates in a few.

***
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Hey folks, Matt Fortuna here to take you through the first half of Penn State's clash with Michigan inside the Big House. We're about an hour and a half away from kickoff, and both teams are starting to get loose out on the field.

I've got to say, this town has impressed me. I, like many, was under the impression that the fans here weren't as raucous and rowdy as others in the Big Ten. I was also under the impression that Michigan fans don't care about this game as much as Penn State fans do. I was wrong on both counts. This town is fired up, and there is definitely a good amount of Penn Staters here as well, including a few I happened to know and run into by chance. The walk over to the stadium from our place of stay (thank you for the hospitality, Killian) was adventurous, and I got to know from a t-shirt that Terrelle Pryor has swine flu, along with other unflattering things about Joe Paterno and Michael Rosenberg, which I'll refrain from posting on this blog and which were just low -- especially in the case of Rosenberg, a highly respected journalist who got heat for simply doing his job.

Speaking of the Detroit Free Press, I'd also like to give a big shout-out and thanks to its Tigers beat writer, John Lowe, who treated us to a lovely Italian dinner at the Cottage Inn last night.

And speaking of this town, colleague Nate Mink, who, contrary to his bio, is actually of age, was disappointed to discover that Zanzibar closed down. He did, however, take up the offer of Annarbor.com's Michael Rothstein and try to go to The Blue Leprechaun, but the line was too long.

The way into the stadium was a bit unnerving. Instead of just getting our bags checked like we do at most venues, we had to open them completely on the ground while a canine sniffed them.

The stadium is slowly starting to fill up, and I'll be back with game updates in a few.