Michigan stops skid with 18-13 win vs. Penn State

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A win was all they needed.

No one in Michigan Stadium cared what the score was or how it happened. As long as the Wolverines won for the first time in a month, they were happy.

Behind a dominant defensive performance, Michigan finally felt relief Saturday, holding off Penn State, 18-13, at Michigan Stadium in the first Big Ten night game ever in Ann Arbor.

Entering a bye week and with Big Ten favorite Michigan State looming in two weeks, the celebration may be temporary. But after the past month, they'll revel in it.

This ended a three-game losing streak, the first 0-2 Big Ten start since 1967 and a national news firestorm about head injury oversight, all which has continuously sent fans calling for the coach and athletic director's jobs.

Yet with five games remaining and now three wins in the bank, there is hope to get to six wins and bowl eligibility.

Before a vibrant crowd of 113,085 — which was engaged and mostly supportive throughout the game — the Wolverines finally had one phase shine and play like an elite unit.

The U-M defense was impressive all night, only surrendering a first-half touchdown when pinned deep in its own end by a Devin Gardner interception.

Yet with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, it was a fire drill on nearly every play with the Wolverines (3-4, 1-2 Big Ten) relentlessly attacking Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg.

It got so dire, that the Nittany Lions needed to take a safety with under two minutes left, just to have a chance at an onside kick. Though they recovered the ball, they were called offsides.

In the end, it didn't matter enough, just like the Michigan offense.

The running game was essentially non-factor and Gardner was basically surviving on one leg by the end, ending with 256 yards of total offense.

But again, it didn't matter.

Mostly because Penn State (4-2, 1-2) was its own mess, now with only one passing touchdown in the past four games and an offensive line that didn't allow any time.

Yet Michigan didn't survive unscathed.

Michigan's biggest scare of the season came with just more than six minutes remaining in the third quarter, when Gardner tried to sneak on third and 1 and came up short. Injured on the play, he limped off and watched two miserable series by backup Russell Bellomy.

Though one led to a field goal, tying the score at 13, it was rough.

That was enough for Gardner to re-enter and march the Wolverines into field goal range, taking the 16-13 lead with 11:24 remaining.

Not that the first half was much more impressive on either side.

The 13-10 Penn State halftime lead looked awfully familiar for the Wolverines, within a field goal of a major conference team at home – just as they were against Utah and Minnesota.

Michigan only had four possessions in the half and, despite Devin Gardner's 11-for-13 passing, it was hardly impressive.

The most significant play of the half was a 43-yard touchdown to Devin Funchess, a pass that was headed for the arms of a Penn State safety until Funchess stole it away and walked in for the touchdown.

Gardner converted four third downs – three on impressive catches by Amara Darboh — but handed Penn State the go-ahead touchdown with an intercepted screen pass deep in his own end.

Four plays later, Hackenberg threw a bullet to the end zone for the Nittany Lions' first-half touchdown.

Mark Snyder writes for The Detroit Free Press.

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