Michigan Defense Silences Penn St.

Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes and No. 22 Michigan forced five turnovers in a 27-0 victory over No. 9 Penn State on Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich.--the first time the Nittany Lions have been shut out in 11 years.

“I think you saw a Michigan team that was pretty fired up out there,” Brady said. “That was the most enthusiastic we’ve been in the last eight weeks.”

It was the seventh consecutive victory for Michigan, 7-2 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten, and it kept the Wolverines on track for consecutive conference championships. Penn State (6-2, 3-2) went into the game with a defense ranked in the top 11 of four NCAA categories, but gave up 360 yards.

Last year, the Nittany Lions were ranked No. 2 and the Wolverines were No. 4 when the teams met at State College, Pa. But a 34-8 victory vaulted Michigan to No. 1 and the Wolverines went on be co-national champions.

“It’s frustrating to come out here and get embarrassed again by the Michigan team,” linebacker Brandon Short said.

Michigan held the Nittany Lions to 13 first downs and 200 yards.

No. 8 Wisconsin 26, Minnesota 7--The Badgers may be flawed but their season remains perfect thanks to a dominant defense and timely contributions from their special teams.

Behind Matt Davenport’s school record-tying four field goals, the eighth-ranked Badgers improved to 9-0 for the first time since 1901 by defeating the Gophers at Madison, Wis.

Next up for the Badgers, 6-0 in the Big Ten, is Michigan at Ann Arbor.

The Gophers (4-5, 1-5) failed to disrupt a perfect Wisconsin season as they did during the Badgers’ Rose Bowl run five years ago, managing only 28 yards in 24 carries against the nation’s No. 2 rushing defense.

Ron Dayne rushed 35 times for 133 yards and became the first Wisconsin player with three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Billy Marek in 1973-75 He also broke Marek’s school record of 46 touchdowns.

Purdue 56, Northwestern 21--Drew Brees threw for six touchdowns, setting a conference single-season record and tying his single-game school mark, at Evanston, Ill. The sophomore has 30 touchdown passes this season, breaking the previous mark of 29 set by Ohio State’s Bobby Hoying in 1995.

Brees also threw for six touchdowns in Purdue’s Oct. 3 victory over Minnesota.

It was the first road victory for the Boilermakers (6-4, 4-2), and the seventh consecutive loss for the Wildcats (2-8, 0-7).

Illinois 31, Indiana 16--Steve Havard scored three touchdowns, one on a 94-yard kickoff return to open the second half, as the Fighting Illini (3-7, 2-5) defeated the Hoosiers (3-6, 1-5) at Champaign, Ill., to end a four-game losing streak.

Havard gained 146 yards in 26 carries for the Illini--outscored, 147-12, in four previous games.

Kirk Johnson, making only his second start, completed 20 of 27 passes for 157 yards as Illinois finally won a Big Ten game at home under second-year Coach Ron Turner.