ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan ran all over Penn State.
No, really. The fifth-ranked Wolverines piled up the rushing yards against the Nittany Lions' run defense, which entered Saturday's game ranked fifth nationally, to remain unbeaten with a 41-17 win in an important Big Ten East Division game at Michigan Stadium.
Michigan (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) had second-half touchdown runs of 67 yards by Donovan Edwards and 61 yards by Blake Corum and four field goals from Jake Moody.
"That's a statement win," Michigan center Olu Oluwatimi said after the game on UM radio.
Penn State (5-1, 2-1) had allowed an average 79.6 yards a game against the run through five games and only one team, Auburn, had more than 100 yards before Michigan's duo of Corum and Edwards led the rushing attack that finished with 418 total yards.
The Wolverines had not rushed for more than 300 yards in a game all season.
It was a fitting performance considering the return of running backs coach Mike Hart, who collapsed last weekend in the first quarter at Indiana and stayed overnight at the hospital. Hart rested at home and helped game plan with the coaches via Zoom during the week. It was Corum and Edwards who were the most emotional on the field at Indiana when Hart had his medical issue, and their performances against Penn State provided an exclamation point for a challenging week.
Edwards finished with 16 carries for 173 yards and two touchdowns, while Corum had 28 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Corum entered the Penn State game ranked seventh nationally in rushing and second in rushing touchdowns with 11.
Penn State opened the second half trailing, 16-14, but came out efficiently its first drive. Quarterback Sean Clifford kept the drive alive with a 16-yard completion to Mitchell Tinsley on third down. The Nittany Lions stalled at the UM 10-yard line and they settled for a field goal from Jake Pinegar for the 17-16 lead.
But Michigan responded in a big way and took a 24-17 lead as Edwards, in his second game back from injury, juked two defenders on his way to a 67-yard touchdown. Michigan made the 2-point conversion on a pass to Ronnie Bell.
Michigan got the ball on downs after Clifford threw incomplete on fourth down coming out of Penn State's timeout with 7:37 left in the third quarter.
With the ball on Michigan's 39-yard line, Corum needed 11 seconds to score on a 61-yard run as the Wolverines built a 31-17 lead. The Wolverines added another Moody field goal and Edwards added a 3-yard run for the 41-17 lead.
Michigan, which converted on 11 of 17 third-down attempts and on its one fourth-down effort, never punted in the game. Penn State was held to 268 total yards.
Michigan dominated the first half with 274 yards to Penn State's 83. Michigan also had 18 first downs to Penn State's one and held the ball 23:56 in the half, but red-zone issues forced three short field goals — of 29, 24, and 23 yards — from Moody.
The Wolverines built a 13-0 lead, including a 1-yard touchdown run from Corum, while the defense smothered the Nittany Lions on two three-and-out drives their first two possessions. But big plays put Penn State back in the game and, briefly, in the lead.
On a terrific fake, Clifford gained 62 yards and the Nittany Lions culminated a 75-yard, seven-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown.
Michigan was driving its next possession after giving up the score when, for the second straight game, Michigan sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy was intercepted. McCarthy's pass bounced off two Penn State players before Curtis Jacobs grabbed it and returned it 47 yards to give the Nittany Lions a 14-13 lead. This was the sixth interception of the season for Penn State.
Moody's third field goal pushed Michigan back into the lead.
