Nittany Lions Nip Wildcats, 34-29

Sept. 24, 2005

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EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Michael Robinson's 36-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Williams with 51 seconds left lifted Penn State to a 34-29 victory over Northwestern on Saturday in a game where the lead changed three times in the closing minutes.

The Nittany Lions overcame four first-half turnovers and a 16-point deficit to snap a two-game losing streak to the Wildcats and improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1999.

Penn State took its first lead of the game, 27-26, with 8:52 left in the game on Robinson's 8-yard touchdown run. But the Wildcats (2-2), who benefited from a personal foul against Penn State on a late hit against quarterback Brett Basanez, regained the lead on Joel Howells' 25-yard field goal with 2:10 left. It was Howells' school-record fifth field goal of the game.

The Nittany Lions wouldn't quit, however. On fourth-and-15 from his own 15, Robinson completed a 20-yard pass over the middle to tight end Isaac Smolko with 1:33 left. Then, on third-and-6 from the Northwestern 36, Robinson was hit as he threw but his pass found an open Williams on the left side at about the 10, and Williams eluded safety Reggie McPherson and raced into the end zone.

Cornerback Anwar Phillips then intercepted a pass by Basanez to seal the win.

Robinson completed 17-of-36 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions. He also rushed for 60 yards. With his TD run, he became the first Penn State player with to reach 1,000 yards rushing and passing in a career.

Running back Tony Hunt led the Nittany Lions with 99 yards on 13 carries.

One of Howells' school-record five kicks was a 46-yarder that equaled his career-long. Tyrell Sutton rushed for 112 yards on 32 carries, and Basanez was 20-of-38 with 229 yards and one interception. It was Basanez's first interception of the season.

The Wildcats drove 80 yards for a TD on the game's opening drive, and Penn State's problems mounted.

The Nittany Lions' first possession ended with Eddie Simpson intercepting Robinson at the Northwestern 36. After a 20-yard field goal by Howells made it 10-0 with 2:06 left in the first quarter, Northwestern recovered a pooch kickoff at the Nittany Lions' 26. That led to a 25-yard field goal by Howells.

Robinson hit Justin King for a 37-yard touchdown pass on Penn State's next possession to make it 13-7, and the Nittany Lions recovered a fumbled kickoff at the Wildcats 26. But an interception by Adam Kadela on the first play set up a 71-yard scoring drive that ended Sutton carrying it in from the 1 to make it 20-7.

On the next play from scrimmage, Robinson threw another interception -- to Marquice Cole at the Penn State 38 -- that led to a 42-yarder by Howells midway through the quarter.

Despite the turnovers, the Nittany Lions trailed 23-14 at the half. And they were within six after Kevin Kelly's 25-yard field goal early in the third quarter.

After Howells' 46-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right, Penn State pulled within 23-20 on a 28-yarder by Kelly early in the fourth quarter.

Northwestern increased its lead to 26-20 on a 46-yard field goal by Howells.

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Tyrell Sutton

Northwestern University Athletics