Sign In | Create an Account | Welcome, . My Account | Logout | Subscribe | Submit News | Contact Us | MirrorMoms.com | Polls | Home RSS
What's Trending »
 
 
 

Navy-PSU highlights, lowlights

September 16, 2012
By Neil Rudel (nrudel@altoonamirror.com) , The Altoona Mirror

UNIVERSITY PARK - Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 34-7 victory over Navy on Saturday at Beaver Stadium:

Play of the game: Matt McGloin found Allen Robinson open up the left sideline for a 45-yard touchdown with 6:40 left in the first quarter, pushing Penn State's lead to 14-0 and creating a two-touchdown lead the run-oriented Middles couldn't overcome. Robinson made a nice cutback to elude Navy safety Tra'ves Bush.

Offensive player of the game: Robinson caught five passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns, the last when he alertly grabbed a deflection off teammate Trevor Williams for a 25-yard TD.

Article Photos

Mirror photos by Patrick Waksmunski
Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson pulls in a tipped pass for a touchdown on Saturday.

Defensive player of the game: Nittany Lion safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong made nine tackles, including one for loss, and forced a fumble.

Most telling statistic: The Lions' averaged 17.8 yards on McGloin's 13 passing completions.

Hidden statistic: Penn State has outscored its opponents 28-0 in the first quarter this year.

Most deceiving statistic: Navy ran 83 offensive plays to the Lions' 49.

Best run: PSU linebacker Mike Hull scooped up a fumble and raced 74 yards for a touchdown, extending the Penn State lead to 34-0 early in the fourth quarter.

Best pass: McGloin's first touchdown pass, a 2-yarder to tight end Jesse James, was perfectly placed and followed a scramble.

Worst pass: Navy quarterback Trey Miller, rushed hard by Sean Stanley, forced an interception into traffic in the first quarter, ending the Middies' best early threat.

Best catch: PSU linebacker Gerald Hodges leaped high to snag an interception (see worst pass), stopping a Navy drive at the Lions' 10.

Catch it, will ya: Hodges dropped a second interception in the third quarter. Navy wideout Shawn Lynch, with the Middies down 20-0 in the second quarter, had a chance to catch a long pass in PSU territory but couldn't come up with it. Same with wide receiver Casey Bolena, who was open inside the Lion 5 in the third quarter.

Hold it, won't ya: Lion tailback Curtis Dukes fumbled late in the fourth quarter but recovered.

Best tackle: PSU safety Jake Fagnano filled a hole quickly and stopped Navy's Bo Snelson at the Lions' 7 in the second quarter.

Best hit: Obeng-Agyapong decked Miller, forcing a second-quarter fumble.

Best kick: Didn't see one.

Worst kick: After hitting his first two attempts, Sam Ficken pushed his third extra point to the right.

Best call: Bolena, rolling right with an end around, completed a 33-yard pass to Lynch to open the second half.

Worst call: Even though Ficken had missed an extra point, was surprised Bill O'Brien didn't try to build his confidence with a 25-yard field goal attempt, up 20-0 in the second quarter. Instead, on fourth-and-goal from the Navy 8, McGloin threw an incompletion in the end zone.

Best effort: Michael Mauti made a team-high 12 tackles, including two for loss.

Unsung hero: Lion fullback Michael Zordich rushed 11 times for 50 yards, both career highs.

 
 

EZToUse.com

I am looking for: