Shelbee’s Sunday Morning Quarterback #10: Why Can’t We Just Close Teams Out?

#20 Penn State Nittany Lions 22 – Wisconsin Badgers 10

Welcome to the tenth episode of Shelbee’s Sunday Morning Quarterback! Before I turn it over to my husband, the Sunday Morning Quarterback, I want to briefly explain what I am wearing for today’s post. Recently, Dawn Lucy of Fashion Should Be Fun hosted a giveaway for a $250 shopping spree to Foxcroft NYC who specialize in no-iron classic button down shirts and I was the winner! I had to try one of their white button down shirts to see what the rave was all about. Since I was going with white, I also chose a pair of indigo wash denim cropped pants specifically so I would have a new blue and white outfit for a Sunday Morning Quarterback post. And I really adore both pieces. They are so comfortable and will always be in style. Thanks so much to both Dawn Lucy and Foxcroft!  Stay tuned for more Foxcroft pieces coming to my blog soon.

And now here is my husband with the game day recap.

Why Can’t We Just Close Teams Out?

I mean seriously, why can’t Penn State just close teams out in the 4th quarter?  Had I not been the only parent home all day yesterday and solely responsible for our children, the title of this post quite possibly may have “4th Quarter Liver Failure, Part II, or III, or IV“. I’m starting to actually lose count at this point in the season, although I’m sure my liver has kept tally. My wife worked a 12 1/2 hour day yesterday, so the boys and I were on our own getting set for a normal Saturday of college football in our household.

The weather for the game was typical November Big Ten football weather, cold with a chance on snow depending on which stadium was hosting the game. Beaver Stadium fell into the cold category which has been confirmed by my brothers who attended the game yesterday. Penn State would receive the opening kickoff and McSorley would hit KJ Hamler for consecutive 9 yard gains before the drive would stall and Blake Gillikin would come out to punt it away. The ensuing Badger drive would only take three plays, all handoffs, to their electric running back Jonathan Taylor, culminating in a 71 yard touchdown run and a 7-0 Badger lead. The Lions answered on the next drive with McSorley leading an 8 play 75 yard drive. The drive was aided by a 3rd and 8 pass interference call against Wisconsin followed by Miles Sanders churning out 17 yards on the ground. The Lions again faced a 3rd down situation but McSorley would complete his next three passes for 40 yards, the final pass being a 14 yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Thompkins and a 7-7 ball game.

Jonathan Taylor opened the next Badger drive with consecutive carries totaling 29 yards. With less than 10 minutes gone in the game, Taylor already had a 108 yards on five carries, not the best way to start a face off against a team that traditionally has used a power run game since the beginning of college football itself. The Penn State defense would dig in though and on 3rd and 1 would force a fumble that Yetur Gross-Matos would recover at the Penn State 48 yard line. The Lions would drive to the Badger 26 yard line before a holding penalty would stall the drive and bring out Jake Pinegar to attempt a 49 yard field goal, which he would hit and give the Lions a 10-7 lead. Penn State would never give up the lead again but would make the game pretty interesting in the final minutes.

The next three series ended in punts before McSorley would engineer another scoring drive. Starting at their own 40 yard line, the offense used a heavy dose of Miles Sanders who would have 43 rushing yards on the drive to include his 1 yard touchdown run. Pinegar would miss the extra point, giving Penn State a 16-7 lead. Both teams would punt the ball away on their next series before the Lion defense would get another turnover as Amani Oruwariye would intercept back up quarterback Jack Coan and return it to the Wisconsin 46 yard line. Tommy Stevens would run for 20 yards setting up a 44 yard Pinegar field goal that would be blocked by Isaiahh Loudermilk, sending the teams into the locker room at the half with a 16-7 Nittany Lion lead.

Wisconsin would come out after halftime going back to their power running game on the next drive that would result in a Rafael Gaglianone 28 yard field goal, cutting the lead to 16-10. McSorley, who took a hit and had to leave the game towards the end of the half, would return to drive the Lions again down the field, aided by another 15 yard Badger penalty, that resulted in another Jake Pinegar field goal and a 19-10 Lions lead. The Badgers’ next drive went three and out before punting. Following the punt, Miles Sanders would rush for 30 yards before the drive would stall and bring out Jake Pinegar for his fourth field goal attempt of the game, this one falling just short in the heavy winds swirling in Beaver Stadium. Penn State was still holding a 19-10 lead. Another three and out by Wisconsin would give the Lions the ball back at their own 45 yard line with 13:50 left in the game. Miles Sanders again would take the bulk of the workload rushing for 41 yards on seven carries including a 9 yard gain on 4th and 1. Jake Pinegar would come out for his fifth attempt knocking in a 23 yard field goal and giving the Nittany Lions a 22-10 lead with 7:23 to go in the game.

I know what your thinking: “How could this cause me so much anxiety at this point?” Let me explain…I have witnessed a Nittany Lion team hold a 12 point lead with 8 minutes to go against Ohio State and we all know how that one turned out. Wisconsin’s next drive saw Jack Coan get sacked by Gross-Matos and the ball came lose to be recovered by Shareef Miller. Instead of falling down and giving Penn State the ball at the Badger 22 yard line, he would attempt to return it and would fumble it back to Wisconsin giving them a 1st and 10 at their own 15 yard line. First chance to close out this game and Coan would move the Badgers to the Penn State 39 before an incomplete pass would turn the ball back over to the Lions with 2:35 to play in the game. A trick play would result in a Penn State fumble that Wisconsin recovered at the Lions 30 yard line. Second chance to close the game out and  Nick Scott would intercept Jack Coan’s pass at the goal line with :34 to go before the game was finally sealed. Next week a trip to New Jersey to face 1-8 Rutgers.

Congratulations to Trace McSorley who tied Penn State’s all time win record as a quarterback yesterday. He has tied National Championship winner Todd Blackledge with 29 wins and will undoubtedly break the record in the next three games. Also a congratulations to the Army football team on their 31-13 win over FCS opponent Lafayette (my wife’s hated rival from her college days at Lehigh University). So make it a double congrats to Army. Finally to the Cal Bears who snapped a 14 game losing streak to the USC Trojans, winning 15-14. USC is one of those teams that I always enjoy watching lose. One final note, I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to my dear friend, Nicole, who has become a Penn State fan recently due to her brother’s enrollment as a student at Penn State University!

Until next week and beyond,

We Are…

Keeping it on the edge,

Jeff (and Shelbee)

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