Duquesne knew it would have to live or die by the 3-pointer against Penn State.
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The Nittany Lions were penalized three times for 30 yards. Our three seniors really came out and set the tone for us tonight. But the first got the Lions within eight, and the second made it 21-16, which meant if they could cash in just once with a touchdown, they had the lead.
The 26-point margin of victory was Duquesne’s largest in series history. “We were getting knocked back into the backfield, and by the time the ball carrier got the ball, there was somebody in his face”. It was an equal opportunity ineffective offense. He finished the day with 256 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. We tried to do a few new things with the jet sweep off the wildcat. “Their guy had enough speed to keep it to a minimal gain. We’ve been able to connect a lot better and a lot more and you’re starting to see the results of that”. Nine plays. Four yards. “I’m disappointed in the situations we were put in and I wish it all played at differently”.
Penn State dropped to 7-4 with the loss.
Davis added two more field goals for Penn State, but a late kickoff return across midfield by Jourdan Lewis followed by a 20-yard run on first down set the Wolverines up again. Sione Houma and De’Veon Smith scored on 1-yard rushes while Michigan’s defense stymied Penn State’s running game and sacked quarterback Christian Hackenberg four times.
MI heads to State College to take on MI. Hackenberg threw an incompletion on third down, and Franklin chose to have Davis kick.
“In that situation we were going to have to score a touchdown and then go for two (points)”, Franklin said. That was the discussion on the headset with all the coaches.
“There are a few issues, no doubt about it”, Franklin said. He’s caught all seven of his touchdowns in the last three weeks while Amara Darboh continues to be a reliable target, using his 216-pound frame to outmuscle defensive backs. Faced with a third-and-14 from the MI State 36, he connected down the left sideline with wide receiver Aaron Burbridge for 36 yards.
He came to a program with an ideal image and a reputation for churning out exemplary citizens, superior students and fantastic football players – in that order – under the refrain “Success with honor”.
“Those four are playing as well as anybody the Big Ten conference as a group”, he said. Earlier in the season, that was the case with Hackenberg as well. A special shoutout goes to Blacknall, who hauled in Penn State’s only touchdown on the afternoon. Rudock was 33 of 46 for 440 yards with a school-record six TD passes against the Hoosiers.
1st-and-goal at the 3, to start the fourth quarter: Hackenberg overthrows Geno Lewis on a fade route.
They find a way because they have a defense that buckles in the red zone and braces at the goal line.
MI returns home for its annual season-ending showdown next Saturday (Nov. 28) with the Ohio State Buckeyes, who will travel to Ann Arbor with a 10-1 season mark following their 17-14 home loss on Saturday (Nov. 21). Well, that wasn’t the plan but the based off what MI was showing Hackenberg used the run-pass checks to check into runs.
“It was disappointing that we couldn’t get it done”, Hackenberg said. He surpassed his personal bests with 10 receptions and 207 yards receiving.
“That was our biggest mistake – not capitalizing in the red zone”, said Wilkerson. It’s on the players. “The defense has to step up and make their stops”. Nothing changes down there.
“We know we’re there”. We want to emulate them and ultimately be better than them.
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“Honestly, that’s not in my pay grade”, he said with a little smile. “That’s something for the coaches”.
