EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Penn State football team fell to No.12/13/12 Michigan State, 30-27, in a Big Ten matchup at Spartan Stadium on Saturday.
Under snowy conditions, Penn State fought back to tie the game and take the lead on two different occasions, but Michigan State relied on its ground attack to close out the game in the final minutes.
Quarterback Sean Clifford completed 23 of 34 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Jahan Dotson continued his tremendous senior campaign with eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the fifth time in his career that Dotson tallied 100+ yards and two touchdowns. Keyvone Lee paced the Penn State rushing attack with 79 yards on 15 carries.
Ji'Ayir Brown led the Nittany Lion defense with 10 tackles. The defense also found the end zone in the contest when Daequan Hardy intercepted a pass and returned it 17 yards for the score. It was the Nittany Lions' third interception return for a touchdown this season, the most by a Penn State team since 2003.
The 2021 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Michigan State got on the board on its opening drive, capping off a 76-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run by Kenneth Walker III.
The Spartans would extend the lead on their next drive on a 9-yard pass from Payton Thorne to Tre Mosley.
The Nittany Lions cut the lead in half on their ensuing drive when Clifford connected with Dotson on two long passes, first for 19 yards and then for a 27-yard touchdown.
The duo would even the score on Penn State's next drive when Clifford found Dotson for a 30-yard touchdown.
Michigan State would jump back ahead midway through the second quarter on a 22-yard field goal by Matt Coghlin. The Spartans led 17-14 at the half.
The Penn State defense would give the Nittany Lions their first lead in the opening minutes of the second half when Hardy took an interception 17 yards to the end zone to put the Nittany Lions ahead, 20-17.
The Spartans would reclaim the lead with two minutes to go in the third, finishing off a 15-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Thorne.
They would extend the lead with five minutes remaining when Thorne found Jayden Reed for a 20-yard touchdown to make it 30-20.
Penn State would cut the deficit to three in the closing minutes when Clifford found Parker Washington for a 15-yard score. Michigan State would hold on for a 30-27 victory.
