Big throw helps PSU to avoid big upset

Associated Press

bloomington, ind.

Matt McGloin watched agonizingly as Penn State squandered its scoring chances Saturday.

He needed only one play to fix the whole darn thing.

McGloin made the right read and the perfect throw late in the third quarter, hooking up with Derek Moye on a 74-yard TD pass and leading the Nittany Lions past Indiana 16-10.

“They were pressing a lot, really challenging us to throw deep, so we sent Derek out on a go route and I let it fly and he ran under it,” McGloin said. “At times, we play extremely well. I think we just need to learn to be more consistent and stop with the penalties that we’ve been getting.”

The TD pass helped Penn State (4-1) put away the Hoosiers for a 15th consecutive time in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

For McGloin, it was a chance to shine on an otherwise bleak day for the offense.

Penn State blew one scoring opportunity with an interception at the Indiana 1, another with a lost fumble at the Hoosiers 2 and two other potential chances when players recovered their own fumbles. In between, there were dropped passes, errant throws and unsettling penalties — a dangerous combination that nearly had Joe Paterno yanking out his hair again.

But just when things were looking bleak, McGloin re-emerged as a steadying influence.

He returned to the game with 1:41 left in the third quarter, and when he saw the Indiana safety bite inside on a curl route and Moye sprint past the one-on-one coverage on the outside. All McGloin had to do was get the ball into Moye’s hands, and the receiver jogged the remaining distance to make it 13-3.

One play, one score.

“The corner was playing off, I had a double move, I faked the curl, he bit on it pretty hard and McGloin threw the perfect ball,” said Moye, who caught six passes for 158 yards.

McGloin wasn’t done.

On Penn State’s next possession, he took the offense 63 yards in 13 plays, burning more than 51/2 minutes. Anthony Fera capped the drive with a 33-yard field goal, his third of the day, to make it 16-3 with 10:10 to go.

McGloin finished 10 of 22 for 204 yards with the touchdown and no interceptions.