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By the Numbers: Michigan defense stifles Penn State, holds Lions to lowest point total since 2014
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Michigan’s defense was supposed to be challenged by the high-powered Penn State offense on Saturday. Instead, the Wolverines sent the Nittany Lions back to Happy Valley battered and bruised.
The 42-7 loss for Penn State was one of the worst all-around offensive performances for the program since James Franklin arrived. There were some lows this team hadn’t seen in the last four seasons.
And at the end of the day, Chase Winovich, Devin Bush and Rashan Gary were all smiling.
Michigan had another dominant defensive performance. But just how overpowering was Don Brown’s group against the Nittany Lions? Here’s a breakdown by the numbers:
186: Total yards Penn State registered against Michigan’s defense. It was the lowest total for the Lions since 2015, when they were held to 183 against Temple.
77: Yards Trace McSorley was responsible for. It’s the only time the senior QB has been held under 100 yards since taking over the starting job in 2016.
22:04: Penn State’s time of possession against the Wolverines. The Lions were not on the field very long in Ann Arbor.
8: Number of drives that ended with a three-and-out or a turnover for Penn State. It had just 12 possessions in the game.
7: Total points the Nittany Lions scored. That was the lowest total since 2014, when they scored just six points in a loss to Northwestern.
5: Sacks Michigan registered on Saturday. It’s just the second time this season the Wolverines have recorded five or more sacks in a game.
5: Completions for McSorley. Yep, that’s another low for the Penn State starter.
3: Turnovers. Michigan recorded two interceptions and recovered a fumble in the win. It really was a nightmare day for Penn State.
2.3: Average yards per carry for the Nittany Lions. Saturday marked the first time all season they hadn’t hit at least three yards per carry. PSU finished with just 68 yards on the ground.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB