Penn State 2018 Season Rewind: Nittany Lions stunned by Michigan State

Penn State was unable to hold a late lead once again 

With the heartbreaking defeat to Ohio State in the rear view, Penn State came out of the bye week needing to bounce back and keep its season on track. Up next was another home game against a team that had defeated the Nittany Lions the previous season. A struggling Michigan State team headed into Happy Valley in what appeared to be a perfect chance for the Nittany Lions to get back to their winning ways. Instead, fans and players alike found themselves exiting Beaver Stadium will an all-too-familiar feeling of disappointment.

Penn State entered the game looking to avenge a loss the previous year in an odd game at East Lansing that featured a three-hour weather delay and a blown fourth-quarter lead by the Nittany Lions.

Things started positive for Penn State, as a touchdown toss from Trace McSorley to wide receiver KJ Hamler gave the Nittany Lions the early lead. Michigan State answered back in the second quarter with a touchdown, but Penn State running back Miles Sanders ripped off a 48-yard run to put the home team up by seven at the break.

Sanders would go on to have a big day, leading the Nittany Lions with 162 rushing yards on 17 carries. His 78-yard scamper set up Penn State’s first score of the game.

The third quarter went back and forth without much offense, but Michigan State was able to tie things up when quarterback Brian Lewerke connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Felton Davis III.

Penn State mustered just a field goal in the fourth quarter, but clung to a slim, 17-14 lead with a little over nine minutes to go in the game. The defense held Michigan State to a turnover on downs and a punt on its next two possessions, but the Nittany Lions failed to string together a sustainable drive on offense and were twice forced to punt. One of two first downs would have essentially melted the clock away and ended the game.

Instead, Michigan State took over down three with just over a minute to go.

Although the Spartans were starting at their 24 yard-line, there was a sense of nervousness around Beaver Stadium. The late collapse against Ohio State was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

For the second-straight year, the Penn State defense had a difficult time stopping Lewerke and the Michigan State passing attack, particularly late in the game. Michigan State’s signal-caller calmly drove his team down the field, even shaking off a poor pass that should have been intercepted by Penn State’s Amani Oruwaiyre that would have ended the game.

The Spartans worked down the field and faced a third-down with just 19 seconds remaining in Penn State territory. The Nittany Lions were hoping for a stop in order to force a game-tying field goal attempt. Instead, the worst case scenario happened. Lewerke again hit Davis III on a touchdown pass, a 25-yarder that stunned the home crowd.

Penn State’s defense struggled down the stretch and couldn’t get a stop when needed. The Nittany Lions allowed Michigan State to rack up 418 total yards, including 295 by Lewerke through the air.

This loss really hurt. It wasn’t the same as falling late to powerhouse Ohio State. It was the Nittany Lions once again losing a late lead to a struggling Michigan State team. Penn State could have survived the Ohio State loss and still kept hope alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but the loss to the Spartans effectively ended those dreams.