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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, October 24, 2009

CFB: Clark helps No. 13 Penn State rout Michigan 35-10


LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Daryll Clark threw three of his four touchdown passes to Graham Zug, helping No. 13 Penn State beat Michigan 35-10 for its first win at the Big House since 1996.

The Nittany Lions (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) shut down the Wolverines (5-3, 1-3) Saturday after they opened with a 70-yard TD drive.

Clark connected with Zug on the ensuing possession to tie the game. He threw two more TD passes to Zug in the third quarter, giving Penn State a 32-10 lead that it had until taking 10-plus minutes off the clock and kicking a field goal in the fourth.

Michigan struggled to move the ball and had four turnovers.

Tate Forcier was 13 of 30 for 140 yards and an interception. Denard Robinson was 0 for 2 with an interception and fumbled.

Clark was 16 of 27 for 230 yards and tied his record for TD passes. Zug caught five passes for 59 yards and surpassed the total of TD receptions he had previously this season and all of last year.

Evan Royster complemented them with 100 yards rushing on 20 carries.

Michigan, meanwhile, couldn't pass or run effectively against the Nittany Lions and had trouble keeping the football.

Forcier threw a lot of poor passes and when he was on target, his teammates often dropped the ball. Forcier declined comment after the game.

Robinson didn't get much of a chance to show what he could do, but he hurt his opportunity to earn more playing time by turning the ball over twice.

Brandon Minor ran for a 1-yard TD to cap the first drive and finished with just 48 yards rushing on 12 carries and Carlos Brown ran for 35 yards on eight carries.

After the rout was over, the Nittany Lions went to a corner at stadium to celebrate with hundreds of their fans.

Penn State's last win in Ann Arbor was 13 years ago, then it lost nine straight in the series before beating Michigan 46-17 last season at home.

What started off as an interesting game turned into a lopsided matchup.

The Wolverines did whatever they wanted on the opening drive, becoming the first team to score a TD against the Nittany Lions in the first half this season.

Then, Penn State moved the ball at will the first time it had the ball — and on many drives after that.

Michigan couldn't keep up offensively and its defense left too many receivers open for Clark to find through the air and failed to stop Royster on the ground.

Penn State went ahead 10-7 on its second drive, got a safety when a shotgun snap sailed past Forcier and through the end zone in the second quarter and took a 12-point lead on Clark's 60-yard pass to tight end Andrew Quarless two plays later.

Michigan kicked a field goal late in the first half and was shut out in the second half, leaving college football's winningest program still one win away from being eligible for a bowl. Michigan lost a school-record nine games last season and didn't earn a postseason bid for the first time in three-plus decades.

Penn State kept its hopes alive to end the season in a marquee bowl.