Run of Mills Helps Rally Penn State

Joe Paterno enjoys Penn State’s rivalry with Michigan State--he just wishes the games weren’t quite so exciting.

Once again, the game for the Land Grant Trophy was an offensive showcase, with Penn State rallying for a 42-37 victory at East Lansing, Mich., to extend Paterno’s major-college victory record to 327.

“I’m never comfortable in games like this,” Paterno said. “It’s just not my style to win games where we give up 37 points. We played lousy defense in the first half, and I let them know about it. We picked it up after halftime.”

Penn State trailed, 31-14, in the second quarter but scored 28 consecutive points behind freshman quarterback Zack Mills.

“I just came in the game and tried to make some plays,” said Mills, who replaced starter Matt Senneca after one quarter. “I love situations like that, because you are so far behind that there isn’t any pressure on you.”

Paterno said the rainy, windy conditions helped make his decision.

“I just thought we should see what would happen,” he said. “Zack throws a tighter spiral, and that’s good on a windy day.”

Mills, who has replaced Senneca in several games this season, threw for 240 yards and ran for a touchdown.

“Zack did a great job, just like he has all year for us,” said Eric McCoo, who ran for three short-yardage touchdowns for Penn State. “That doesn’t mean that Matt wouldn’t have done it, but Zack got the opportunity and played a great game.”

The win kept Penn State’s bowl hopes alive, with the Nittany Lions (5-5, 4-4 Big Ten) needing a victory this week at Virginia to become bowl eligible.

“We’re not thinking about a bowl yet,” Paterno said. “We’ve still got to beat a tough Virginia team.”

The Spartans (5-5, 3-5) lost for the third time in a row since their emotional 26-24 victory over Michigan. They need a win over Missouri this week to avoid missing out on postseason play for the second year in a row.

“It was a very, very disappointing loss,” Spartan Coach Bobby Williams said. “Now our whole season comes down to one game.”

Even after losing the advantage, Michigan State had a chance to regain the lead, facing third and seven at the Penn State 14 with just more than two minutes to play.

But Bruce Branch knocked away a third-down pass from Charles Rogers at the goal line, and on fourth and seven, linebacker Deryck Toles stopped Rogers two yards short of the first down.

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Indiana 13, Purdue 7--Levron Williams ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, and Antwaan Randle El added a touchdown for the Hoosiers at Bloomington, Ind.

The victory gave Indiana (4-6, 4-4 Big Ten) possession of the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time since 1996, and it was the first time Indiana won the trophy at its home stadium since 1993.

The Hoosiers took a 7-0 lead by moving 79 yards on its opening possession, the score coming on a 52-yard run from Williams, who dragged a defender the final three yards. Williams carried 21 times and topped 3,000 yards rushing in his career.

Minnesota 42, Wisconsin 31--Asad Abdul-Khaliq threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score, leading Minnesota at Minneapolis.

For the first time since 1994, the Gophers (4-7, 2-6 Big Ten) gained possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe, the trophy given to the winner of the longest-running rivalry in major college football. In 111 meetings since 1907, Minnesota leads the series, 58-45-8.

Abdul-Khaliq played one of his best games of the season, completing 17 of 25 passes for 265 yards with an interception. Two of his touchdown passes went to tight end Ben Utecht. Abdul-Khaliq’s three-yard run put Minnesota up, 42-31, with 8:10 left.

Wisconsin (5-7, 3-5), which will not play in a bowl game for the first time since 1995, got 208 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Anthony Davis, who set an NCAA freshman record with his 10th game with 100 yards or more.

Iowa State 17, Iowa 14--Tony Yelk kicked a tie-breaking 32-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and Adam Runk intercepted a pass with 1:37 left to preserve a nonconference victory at Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State (7-4) took advantage of a mistake by Iowa (6-5) fielding a punt to take a 14-0 halftime lead.