ANN ARBOR, Mich. — On an eerily soundless Saturday at cavernous Michigan Stadium with nobody in the expansive stands, Penn State finally played the complete game it needed to earn victory No. 1, a 27-17 decision over rival Michigan.
If there was a count of players, coaches, broadcasters, and scribes, it might show fewer than 500 people inside the Big House. With the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the Big Ten has continued to keep fans away. Head coach James Franklin noticed the difference before and during the game.
"You drive up to the Big House and there's not a car on the road. There's nobody giving you the middle finger on the ride up to the stadium like you usually get at every place," Franklin said after the game.
With the silence, the Nittany Lions got right to work.
Sean Clifford returned to the starting job at quarterback after being replaced by Will Levis last week. Levis didn't play well, so Clifford finished the contest against Iowa. Neither quarterback inspired a lot of belief in anyone who isn't on the team, but Clifford shut out the noise early Saturday while completing two passes for 36 yards on the game’s opening drive. Freshman running back Keyvone Lee capped the 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with a six-yard run to give the Nittany Lions a 7-0 lead. Lee's score marked the first time the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown on their initial possession.
It was important for Clifford to get off to a good start after getting benched the previous week. Clifford had a resounding answer when a reporter asked him if he'd lost confidence in himself after throwing eight interceptions through five games.
"No," Clifford said with defiance. "I have not and will never doubt myself."
"I know how hard I work and how hard this team works," he continued. "I know the talent that we have. I don't care what anyone else has to say about it."
A recurring theme in the five losses coming into Saturday's contest was the Nittany Lions having double-digit deficits in the first half. Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, Nebraska, and Iowa all took leads into halftime. For the first time in 2020, it was Penn State with a 17-7 advantage at halftime.
Clifford and the team overcame adversity to get the lead. He got hit low after a pass in the second quarter, and Levis came in the game to relieve him. About 10 minutes later, Clifford was back in the game. He ran for a 28-yard touchdown with 3:32 left to make the score 14-7.
Jake Pinegar hit a field goal as the half ended to give the Nittany Lions their 10-point lead.
In the second half, the Nittany Lions simply got yards when they needed them the most. After Michigan scored late to pull within three points, Penn State went on a 75-yard journey that ended with Levis scoring a touchdown on the 12th play with 8:12 left in the game.
Clifford and Levis made plays. So did Parker Washington, who finished with 93 yards on nine catches. Jahan Dotson was quiet with three catches for 30 yards, but it opened up space for Washington and tight end Isaac Lutz to get busy. Lutz had the game of his life with three pivotal catches for 30 yards.
And the Nittany Lions ran the ball well at last. Lee had 134 with a score, Clifford chipped in with 73 yards, Caziah Holmes had 34 yards rushing, and Levis had 25 yards to go with his touchdown. To cap it all off, Saturday was the first time this season Penn State didn't turn the ball over.
Michigan had some hope late when Shaka Toney was called for an illegal bat on a Wolverine fumble late in the fourth quarter. Toney nudged the ball forward after Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara fumbled. A moment like that would've crushed the Nittany Lions in the previous five games.
The defense overcame the adverse situation in the hollow stadium on Saturday, as they got a stop that kept Michigan from scoring. The next drive resulted with Clifford in a victory formation the Nittany Lions haven't seen since 2019.
For the first time in 2020, the Nittany Lions played with vigor for four quarters. Clifford looked like a starting quarterback for a good team. Penn State played winning football in Ann Arbor. When mistakes occurred, the Nittany Lions didn't fold in situations that killed their chances in the five previous games.
Franklin won his first game at Michigan Stadium on Saturday. It was the program's first at Michigan since 2009.
"It was great to see," Franklin said. “They stood in the corner and took body blows and they kept swinging. I'm proud of the guys."
Nubyjas Wilborn: nwilborn@post-gazette.com and Twitter @nwilborn19
First Published: November 28, 2020, 9:01 p.m.
Updated: November 28, 2020, 11:09 p.m.