| Score by Quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Score |
| Central Michigan | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Penn State | 7 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 40 |
| Scoring Summary | ||
| 1st | 10:22 | PSU - Michael Robinson 2-yard run (Kelly kick) |
| 2nd | 11:56 | PSU - Kevin Kelly 33-yard field goal |
| 05:32 | PSU - Deon Butler 54-yard pass from Robinson (TEAM kick failed) | |
| 02:57 | PSU - Deon Butler 24-yard pass from Robinson (Kelly kick) | |
| 00:29 | CMU - Rick Albreski 31-yard field goal | |
|
00:00 | PSU - Kevin Kelly 37-yard field goal |
| 3rd | 13:14 | PSU - Terrell Golden 47-yard pass from Robinson (Kelly kick) |
| 4th | 05:54 | PSU - Ethan Kilmer 55-yard pass from Morelli (Kelly kick) |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Beaver Stadium's always-perfect grass surface
has been in such distress this season, it might soon need replacement.
Thick sod chunks fly up from beneath spikes like divots from well-struck
wedges. And at halftime yesterday, for the only time anyone could remember,
the parched turf needed emergency watering.
Perhaps neither the dry spell nor maintenance difficulties
are to blame. Maybe it's just that, for once in this mediocre millennium,
there are Penn State feet racing madly back and forth atop the turf.
Michael Robinson and his Freshman Flyers proved again yesterday
that they aren't going to let any grass grow beneath their feet this season,
routing Central Michigan, 40-3, in a dominating performance that left
the 3-0 Nittany Lions unbeaten heading into Big Ten play next week.
"They're amazing," Robinson, who completed 14 of 23 for
274 yards and three touchdowns, said of his young receivers. "They're
getting wide open. All I'm doing is putting it out there."
Robinson and backup Anthony Morelli combined for 381 passing
yards, second in Penn State history to the 399 accumulated against Iowa
in 2002. And again, in a victory that gave Penn State five consecutive
wins for the first time since 1999, it was the freshman wideouts who did
the bulk of the damage.
Redshirt Deon Butler caught five balls for 108 yards, including
second-quarter scoring passes from Robinson of 54 and 24 yards. Derrick
Williams had two receptions for 47 yards. Justin Norwood caught three
passes, Justin King one.
"To be frank, their defensive scheme let us do some things,"
coach Joe Paterno said of the Chippewas (1-2). Like catching passes with
no defender within 10 yards. "They were really getting wide open,"
Morelli said.
Sophomore Terrell Golden hauled in a 47-yard touchdown from
Robinson in the third quarter. And Morelli hooked up with senior transfer
Ethan Kilmer on a 55-yard scoring play with 5 minutes, 54 seconds left
in the game.
The other Nittany Lions scores came on Robinson's 2-yard first-quarter
run, which produced the game's first points, and on field goals of 33
and 37 yards by Kevin Kelly, a strong-legged freshman from Neshaminy High.
"If we're not where we ought to be, we're close,"
Paterno said of his team, which after three wins against pliable opposition
opens its Big Ten schedule Saturday at Northwestern.
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On a day when the Lions' weary defense thought it might at last get some rest, the offense continued to display the quick-strike capability that is becoming its signature trait.
None of the seven scoring drives took more than six plays. Butler's two TD passes capped drives of just two and three plays. Kilmer's score on a slant pattern was that drive's third play.
"There's nothing wrong with scoring quick," said winded defensive end Tamba Hali, who had 21/2 of the eight sacks Penn State collected against constantly harassed Chippewas quarterback Kent Smith, who finished 23 of 36 for 143 yards.
"But what I'd really like to see from us as we head into the Big Ten is to start on the 5-yard line and drive the ball all the way downfield.
"In the Big Ten, things are going to be tougher and more physical. We're going to have to do that sooner or later."
In addition to the eight sacks, Penn State's starters limited their opponents to just 95 yards of total offense through three quarters. Despite three Penn State turnovers, the Chippewas' only score came on a 31-yard field goal by Rick Albreski with 29 seconds left in the half.
Those 29 seconds, incidentally, were plenty of time for Penn State. Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards, and after a 2-yard run by Robinson and his 16-yard pass to Butler, Kelly's field goal gave the Nittany Lions a 26-3 halftime lead.
"Obviously, this offense has a different personality than some of the ones we've had around here," said Paterno in what, for all those who recall games like last year's 6-4 loss to Iowa, was a massive understatement.
And that gives some hope to long-suffering fans - 100,276 of whom watched the passing fireworks in delight.
"I wouldn't say this is the high-water for our program in these last couple years," offensive lineman Tyler Reed said. "We haven't played any Big Ten teams yet. But I know we're all looking forward to getting started with that."