Wisconsin 7, Penn State 38

1234T
WIS (5-2)70007
PSU (5-2)10147738

Final

3:30 PM ET, October 13, 2007
Beaver Stadium
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA

Nittany Lions hand No. 19 Badgers second straight loss

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Top 25 Overview
It was over when... Illinois knocked the wind out of Wisconsin in Week 6. Penn State took advantage of the Badgers' slow start, jumping out to a 10-0 lead early in the first quarter.
Gameball goes to... Rodney Kinlaw. The senior RB had his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, picking up 114 yards on 23 carries and scoring one touchdown.
Stat of the game... 70. Penn State's D lived up to the preseason hype, holding PJ Hill to a season-low 70 yards rushing and forcing three Wisconsin TOs.
Team Stat Comparison
 
1st Downs1727
Total Yards331437
Passing244216
Rushing87221
Penalties8-611-10
3rd Down Conversions6-164-13
4th Down Conversions0-22-2
Turnovers31
Possession28:4631:14
Air/Ground Leaders
Wisconsin Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Donovan16/2922002
Evridge1/52400
Penn State Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Morelli16/2821610
Clark0/1000
Wisconsin Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Hill1975114
Donovan1112010
Penn State Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Kinlaw23115119
Royster868119
Wisconsin Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Jefferson6124033
Beckum570019
Penn State Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Butler793129
Golden583020
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERWISPSU
TD13:39Matt Hahn 1 Yd Run (Kevin Kelly Kick)
Drive: 3 plays, 12 yds, 1:08
07
FG06:51Kevin Kelly 30 Yd
Drive: 9 plays, 68 yds, 2:55
010
TD02:40P.J. Hill 1 Yd Run (Taylor Mehlhaff Kick)
Drive: 10 plays, 77 yds, 4:05
710
SECOND QUARTERWISPSU
TD13:00Deon Butler 29 Yd Pass From Anthony Morelli (Kevin Kelly Kick)
Drive: 3 plays, 47 yds, 1:05
717
TD06:35Evan Royster 19 Yd Run (Kevin Kelly Kick)
Drive: 8 plays, 62 yds, 3:11
724
THIRD QUARTERWISPSU
TD11:31Rodney Kinlaw 2 Yd Run (Kevin Kelly Kick)
Drive: 11 plays, 74 yds, 3:23
731
FOURTH QUARTERWISPSU
TD04:50Daryll Clark 1 Yd Run (Kevin Kelly Kick)
Drive: 6 plays, 43 yds, 2:07
738

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Wide smiles broke out on the faces of the Penn State Nittany Lions after Deon Butler's 29-yard touchdown catch.

Terrell Golden greeted his teammate on the sideline by jumping high in the air and bumping Butler's hips.

Penn State was glad to be playing football again.

Anthony Morelli threw for 216 yards and the TD to Butler, Rodney Kinlaw ran for 115 yards and another score, and the Nittany Lions capitalized on mistake-prone No. 19 Wisconsin in a surprisingly easy 38-7 win Saturday.

"It was getting back to the basics. Just play football," Golden said Saturday, following a week full of off-the-field distractions at Penn State. "You don't work football. You play it."

Penn State (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) moved the ball with ease in claiming its second straight conference win and scored on two of three Wisconsin first-half turnovers.

The Badgers (5-2, 2-2) lost their second straight after having won 14 in a row.

Just last week the Badgers were ranked No. 5 and had aspirations for a national title. Now, they've lost two straight and are struggling.

Wisconsin's season-long woes on defense continued after giving up 437 yards Saturday. Their formidable offense faltered, too, held to a season-low point total.

"We can't let them intimidate us," defensive end Maurice Evans, who had two sacks, said about the Badgers' physical offensive line. "We can't play scared."

"Overrated!" chanted blue and white-clad fans with five minutes left in the fourth quarter and the game well in hand.

Star tailback P.J. Hill, who bruised a groin last week against Illinois, had 19 carries and ran for a touchdown but was held to 75 yards rushing on the afternoon, 50 below his season average.

Coach Bret Beilema said Hill may have also hurt his wrist Saturday afternoon.

Hill got the Badgers off to an awful start, fumbling on the Wisconsin 16 after being hit by defensive end Josh Gaines on the first play.

Linebacker Sean Lee recovered at the 12, and three plays later Matt Hahn leaped into the end zone from 1 yard out to give the Nittany Lions a quick 7-0 lead.

"I was just at the right place at the right time," Gaines said about the fumble. "It kind of set the tone."

It was a bad omen for the Badgers.

"Anytime you start the game the way we did, with turning the ball over on the opening possession and putting our defense behind it ... mistakes out of the gate," Bielema said, trailing off at one point.

Early in the second quarter, wide-open freshman wideout David Gilreath, getting more playing time because of injuries to the Wisconsin receiving corps, bobbled a pass that would have given the Badgers a sure first down at midfield. Penn State's Lydell Sargeant picked the ball out of the air for an interception.

Three plays later, Morelli faked left and hit Deon Butler in stride down the right sideline for a 29-yard score and 17-7 lead.

A giddy Butler raised his right fist as he trotted by the raucous student section.

Happy Valley celebrated a happy homecoming game.

Evan Royster's 19-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 with 6:29 in the second quarter gave Penn State a 24-7 lead that Wisconsin would never threaten. Royster had 68 yards on eight carries, and Morelli finished 16-of-28 passing.

Wisconsin safety Kim Royston readied for long day Sunday of watching film back in Madison.

"I can't think off the top of my head," Royston said when asked what's wrong with the defense. "Our defense has to get better, that's all I can really say."

The beleaguered Nittany Lions finally generated some good news Saturday after a tough week off the field.

Police on Friday charged running back Austin Scott with rape. Scott was suspended on Oct. 5.

Coach Joe Paterno has also said he is investigating the possibility that a couple players were involved in a fight earlier this month. And two Nittany Lions are still awaiting trial on criminal charges in connection with another fight off-campus in April.

Saturday was all about football.

"I told them, 'Let's go play football.' That's all," Paterno said when asked how his team responded in practice. "You can't do anything about some of the mistakes" made by other players.

Anthony Scirrotto also had an interception for Penn State's active defense.

For the second straight week, Wisconsin couldn't overcome a double-digit halftime deficit on the road.

Quarterback Tyler Donovan was forced to throw often in the second half and had to scramble often to keep drives alive. He finished 16-of-29 for 220 yards and an interception.

Wisconsin's Kyle Jefferson had six catches for 124 yards. Butler led Penn State with seven receptions for 93 yards and Golden added five for 83.

College Football Scores

Other Scores:

Saturday, October 13th
Purdue 21 Final
Michigan 48
Kent State 3 Final
Ohio State 48
Illinois 6 Final
Iowa 10
Minnesota 48 Final
Northwestern 49 OT
Wisconsin 7 Final
Penn State 38
Indiana 27 Final
Michigan State 52