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The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | October 23, 2017
The new reality
A loss to Penn State has
forced Michigan to accept
that the College Football
Playoff is out of reach,
as is a conference title. »
SportsMonday Column, Page
2B
Heisman worthy
Saquon Barkley has been
a star all year, but his
performance against
Michigan could go down to
as his Heisman moment.
» Page 3B
Saquon Barkley took the
direct snap, cut away from the
teeth of the defense and ran off
into the night.
All week, Michigan’s vaunted
defense was billed as a potential
roadblock for one of the nation’s
most electric players.
Barkley stomped all over that
notion on the second play from
scrimmage.
On a play where he and
Penn State quarterback Trace
McSorley swapped spots in
the backfield, Barkley made it
clear the Wolverines wouldn’t
dictate
the
terms
Saturday
night. He ran it right at them —
and then blew right past them
for a tone-setting touchdown in
the Nittany Lions’ 42-13 win in
Happy Valley. The loss dashed
any realistic Big Ten title hopes
for Michigan and closed the
curtain on any pretense that
2017 wouldn’t be a rebuilding
year.
“They made the big plays,”
said Wolverines’ quarterback
John O’Korn, “and we didn’t.”
Michigan’s
top-ranked
defense
entered
Saturday
having shut down any and
all comers. But none of those
teams had McSorley or Barkley.
Before
Saturday,
the
Wolverines allowed an average
of 85.8 rushing yards per game.
It took Barkley three carries to
eclipse that.
Michigan entered the game
with
the
nation’s
second-
ranked
passing
defense.
McSorley threw for 282 yards
and one touchdown, while also
rushing for 76 yards and three
more scores.
The two were dangerous on
their own. McSorley hit tight
windows all night, exposing
Michigan’s secondary for the
first time all year. Barkley
was
simply
unstoppable,
averaging over seven yards per
carry while leaving defenders
grasping at air.
The
Wolverines
had
no
answer when the two worked
in
tandem,
either.
On
the
second drive, McSorley drew a
defender in before pitching the
ball to Barkley, who waltzed
in for a score. Later, in the
third quarter, McSorley saw a
linebacker isolated in coverage
and lofted a ball down the
sideline into Barkley’s hands
for a 42-yard touchdown.
“I
thought
their
offense
played extremely well — (that’s
an)
understatement,”
said
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
“They were hitting on all
cylinders. Their back (Barkley)
is really good, as advertised,
and the quarterback, McSorley,
played
extremely
well.
Quarterback
was
hot
and
receivers made plays downfield.
It was impressive.”
There was a slight glimmer
of hope in the second quarter,
when sophomore cornerback
David
Long
intercepted
an
errant McSorley pass. Michigan
drove down the field, capping
off an impressive 59-yard drive
with a one-yard touchdown
from
running
back
Karan
Higdon on 4th-and-goal.
Two
possessions
later,
running back Ty Isaac followed
his blockers into the endzone,
cutting Penn State’s lead to one
point and temporarily quieting
the home crowd.
The
Wolverines
wouldn’t
score again.
Led by McSorley, Penn State
put together an impressive
response. A well-placed throw
to DaeSean Hamilton picked up
36 yards. A back-shoulder fade
to Gesicki gained 17. And then
McSorley kept it himself and
ran in unscathed for a three-
yard touchdown that stretched
the lead back to eight entering
halftime.
As the Nittany Lions picked
up steam, Michigan’s offense
ran out of gas. Dropped passes,
missed blocking assignments
and
poorly-timed
penalties
ended several promising drives.
McSorley continued dealing,
Penn State’s defense clamped
down and the rout was on.
After the game, O’Korn drew
a comparison. Last fall, it was
the Nittany Lions who were left
reeling after a blowout loss at the
hands of the Wolverines.
That Penn State team would
go on to win the Big Ten. This
Michigan team, O’Korn argued,
could do the same.
But with two devastating losses
in conference play already, it’s
difficult to envision a scenario
where
the
Wolverines
still
accomplish their preseason goals.
Contenders
don’t
usually
get third chances after they’ve
already been knocked out twice.
Michigan’s season was irreparably
damaged by its loss Saturday
night, and based on cornerback
Lavert Hill’s glum reaction, it’s
safe to say many Wolverines
already understand that.
When asked what he had left to
play for, Hill didn’t mention a Big
Ten Championship or the College
Football Playoff.
He and his teammates have
nothing left to play out but
the string — and that’s a cold,
unfamiliar
reality
that
the
Wolverines will have to learn
how to deal with for the rest of
the year.
ORION SANG
Daily Sports Editor
Penn State deals Michigan knockout blow in 42-13 rout
Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley proved too much for the Wolverines’ top-ranked defense to handle Saturday.
MICHIGAN 13
PENN STATE 42
AMELIA CACCHIONE/ZOEY HOLMSTROM/DAILY
BARK