Chippewa Football Falls at Penn State, 40-3

Penn State senior quarterback Michael Robinson completed 14-of-23 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns as the Nittany Lions defeated Central Michigan University, 40-3, on Saturday.

While Robinson navigated an offense that piled up 519 yards of offense, the Penn State defense held CMU to 172 total yards and sacked Kent Smith eight times.

Penn State (3-0) jumped to a 23-0 second-quarter lead behind Robinson, who scored on a two-yard run on the Nittany Lions' opening possession and tossed scoring passes of 54 and 24 yards to Deon Butler.

Rick Albreski converted a 31-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in the half to get CMU (1-2) on the board. Derrick Williams, however, returned the kickoff to the Chippewa 38, and Kevin Kelly hit a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the quarter to send Penn State into the locker room up 26-3.

Jesse Dailey recovers a fumble by Penn State punt returner Calvin Lowery during the second half Saturday. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Penn State extended the lead to 33-3 on the opening drive of the second half. Robinson hit Terrell Gordon down the middle for 47 yards and the score just 1:46 into the period. A 55-yard pass from Anthony Morelli to Ethan Kilmer midway through the fourth closed out the scoring.

Morelli completed 8-of-13 passes for 107 yards in relief of Robinson. Butler finished with five catchges for 108 yards and was one of 11 Nittany Lions to catch passes.

Smith finished 23-of-36 for 143 yards. Damien Linson and Justin Harper caught six passes apiece.

Daniel Bazuin finished with five tackles, including two sacks, and forced a fumble which set up Albreski's second-quarter field goal. He also broke up two passes. Bazuin now has five sacks this season, including at least one in each game, and three forced fumbles.

CMU returns to Mid-American Conference play next weekend, hosting Eastern Michigan. Kickoff at Kelly/Shorts Stadium is 1 p.m.

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