Skip to main content
Penn State

Three defining moments from Michigan's win over Penn State

IMG_1698 5 (1)by: David Eckert11/13/21davideckert98
penn-state-football-news-views-stage-set-summer
Sean Clifford. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Penn State football’s clash with Michigan started slow, but the two teams cranked up the heat late.

The Nittany Lions and Wolverines traded knockout blows in the final 10 minutes, with Michigan eventually landing the final punch in a 21-17 win.

These are the three moments that defined the game.

1. Erick All goes the distance

Penn State’s defense performed admirably for most of the afternoon, keeping the Nittany Lions in the game while their offense struggled to make things happen.

But, when all the Nittany Lions needed was a stop, the unit made its biggest mistake of the day.

Penn State led 17-14 late in the fourth quarter, but Michigan tight end Erick All wriggled free from the Nittany Lion coverage on a crossing route — and that was that.

Once All got into space, Penn State couldn’t recover.

He went 47 yards for a touchdown, giving the Wolverines a 21-17 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

2. Field Goal folly

It was evident from the onset of this game that points would be at a premium for both teams, and the Nittany Lions played themselves out of three big points in the first quarter.

Penn State attempted a fake field goal from the Michigan 2-yard line that quickly turned into a disaster. A pass to kicker Jordan Stout resulted in a fumble that the Wolverines returned out to their own 29.

The Nittany Lions had already converted on a fake punt earlier in the game, but double dipping into the bag of tricks proved costly.

Stout also missed a 42-yard attempt in the third quarter, ringing it off the goalpost. In total, Penn State missed out on six points that could have made the difference in the game thanks to special teams.

3. Penn State offense goes out with a whimper

Needing to answer the Wolverines after All’s explosive play gave them the lead, Penn State’s offense came up empty.

The Nittany Lions couldn’t move the chains on the first three downs of the drive. They elected to go for it on fourth-and-two from well inside their own territory, but a pass to Cam Sullivan-Brown on the left sideline never had a chance.

Michigan ran out the clock from there, handing Penn State its fourth loss of the season.