BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Penn State Rolls On Despite Some Lapses

Although Penn State’s offense continued to look unstoppable in a 55-27 victory over Rutgers on Saturday at State College, Pa., the Scarlet Knights found some weaknesses in the Nittany Lions’ defense.

Penn State (4-0) had used a suffocating defense to outscore USC, Minnesota and Iowa by a combined 155-38.

In the first half of Saturday’s game, Rutgers (2-2) moved the ball easily against the fifth-ranked Nittany Lions, amassing 301 yards and three times driving 80 yards for touchdowns.

Penn State was able to outscore Rutgers with a balanced offense, getting three touchdown runs from Ki-Jana Carter, two from Jon Witman and two touchdown passes from Kerry Collins.

Rutgers Coach Doug Graber said he wasn’t content with a good showing against the highly favored Nittany Lions.

“We lost the game,” he said. “I’m not interested in a contest. I’m interested in winning.”

Rutgers quarterback Ray Lucas kept the larger, slower Penn State defenders guessing with a variety of misdirection plays, rollout passes and fakes.

“We had problems with containment,” linebacker Willie Smith said. “They did some things we haven’t seen a whole lot of. We haven’t seen a quarterback as athletic as Lucas.”

With 1:07 to play in the half, Lucas threw a short pass to Reggie Funderburk, who spun away from defensive back Cliff Dingle and sprinted to the end zone to complete a 46-yard play that brought Rutgers within 27-20.

“We played them well,” Lucas said. “We showed them the best they have had so far.”

But it wasn’t good enough. Penn State came right back, as Collins engineered an eight-play, 80-yard drive culminated by Witman’s five-yard touchdown run with five seconds to play in the half to make the score 34-20.

“I think that took a lot of wind out of their sails,” Collins said.

No. 20 Ohio State 52, Houston 0--Eddie George and Jermon Jackson sandwiched touchdown runs around a safety as the Buckeyes scored 16 points in a two-minute span of the first quarter at Columbus, Ohio.

George finished with 105 yards in 11 carries, his fourth consecutive game with more than 100 yards rushing, and Jackson scored the first three touchdowns of his college career.

“It’s great for the young guys to get the experience . . . guys like me, who are one snap away from playing,” Jackson said.

Houston (0-4) was shut out in consecutive games for the first time since 1965.

The Cougars, who averaged 54 points a game five years ago with Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware at quarterback, have scored 20 points this season while giving up 135.

“We came out and tried to smack them pretty good and our defense held up as good as possible until they just wore us down,” Houston Coach Kim Helton said.

Ohio State (3-1) substituted freely beginning in the second quarter.

Starting quarterback Bob Hoying and wide receiver Joey Galloway, the latter returning from an NCAA-mandated two-game suspension for accepting $200 from a financial adviser, did not play in the second half.

Hoying completed nine of 13 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Galloway had four catches for 44 yards.

“Houston is not the best team we’re going to play this year,” Hoying said.

Michigan State 45, Miami of Ohio 10--Tony Banks passed for touchdowns of 10 and 38 yards as the Spartans (1-2) romped at East Lansing, Mich.

Seven players scored for Michigan State, including Brian Echols, who returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a touchdown.

Miami of Ohio (0-3-1) held the Spartans to only three points in the first quarter, a 37-yard field goal by Chris Gardner.

However, that was as good as it got for the Redskins.

Michigan State racked up 28 points in the second quarter as it rolled to a 31-7 halftime lead.