Three takeaways from No. 7 Penn State's win over No. 16 Michigan

Alexis Mansanarez

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Three takeaways from No. 7 Penn State's win over No. 16 Michigan image

It was a back-and-forth fourth quarter Saturday in Happy Valley — and would you want to have it any other way?

No. 16 Michigan and No. 7 Penn State battled it out at Beaver Stadium with both looking for a big win. The Wolverines were hoping for an upset and the Nittany Lions were entering with a clean sheet while also wanting to prove they are a true contender in the Big Ten. 

In front of a "White Out" crowd, Penn State did just that behind the efforts of quarterback Sean Clifford and receiver KJ Hamler. The two combined for three of the team's four touchdowns to escape with a 28-21 victory over Michigan.

Between the red-hot offense and a huge defensive stop (or offensive drop) in the final minutes after a perfectly placed Shea Patterson ball, the Nittany Lions hold on to their spotless record.

Patterson finished 24-of-41 passing for 276 yards and one interception. 

Three takeaways from No. 7 Penn State's win over No. 16 Michigan

Sean Clifford had a much different start this week

Last week, Penn State's first-year starter got into trouble early against Iowa after taking back-to-back sacks during the first possession and he never really got going that first quarter. This week, back at home, it was a different story.

After a quick first drive, Clifford led back-to-back scoring possessions to give Penn State an early lead. The Nittany Lions then took a commanding 21-7 advantage into halftime. Penn State put up 21 unanswered points before Michigan finally got on the board with just under three minutes to play in the second quarter.

Clifford even got in on the action on the ground with a short two-yard rushing score.

He finished 14-of-25 passing for 182 yards and three touchdowns. 

Clifford also rushed for 17 yards and a score on 11 carries.

Did Penn State pass the test?

Many were wondering if Penn State could stack up to the big players and whether or not they are a true Big Ten title contender. 

The Nittany Lions seemingly passed that test against the Wolverines and their tough defense. Michigan entered the game with the nation's 14th-ranked defense. It's ranked ninth against the pass and the Wolverines have totaled 16 sacks and 31 tackles for loss over the last three games alone.

But, it wasn't smooth sailing. After a breakout first half, Penn State got stagnant and Michigan's defense showed up. The Wolverines held the Nittany Lions to just 32 yards and one first down over the course of five drives. Michigan even pulled within one touchdown after a shutout third quarter. However, Penn State answered.

If the Wolverines can make adjustments, so can the Nittany Lions, and now you can put a big red circle around the Ohio State matchup to close out the regular season.

Michigan needed a big day on the ground

It was never going to be easy to get the run game going against Penn State, which boasts a stout line that is allowing a national-best 1.6 yards per carry. The Nittany Lions haven't allowed a player to rush for 100 yards yet this season.

If anyone was poised for a big night, it was Wolverines running back Hassan Haskins. The sophomore is coming off a career-high 125 yards on the ground (on just 12 carries) and Haskins scored for the first time in last week's win over Illinois. 

Haskins, who played linebacker last year before moving to the backfield, however, didn't carry the load. Instead, rusher Zach Charbonnet and Patterson combined for most of the rushing yards and the Wolverines' three touchdowns, including this gutsy effort by the quarterback.

Unfortunately, their efforts came up short. But it does speak to the team's newly found depth after moving Haskins to the position and seeing him break out in the first half of the season.

Alexis Mansanarez