First quarter
Michigan State 7, Penn State 0: Spartans running back Edwin Baker rushed for 49 yards on a 71-play drive, scoring on a 7-yard run that held up after a review. Michigan State attacked the interior of Penn State's defensive line and ran at Ollie Ogbu and Devon Still.
Michigan State 7, Penn State 3: A promising drive fizzled out after a false start penalty on second-and-4 at Michigan State's 10 followed by a 2-yard loss on a screen pass, and Penn State settled for a 34-yard Collin Wagner field goal. Matt McGloin accounted for the biggest chunk of yardage by completing a 22-yard pass to Brett Brackett and threading the needle on a 25-yard pass to Devon Smith.
Second quarter
Michigan State 14, Penn State 3: The Spartans' highlight on the 80-yard drive was a double reverse to Keshawn Martin that went for 35 yards, and Michigan State ended the drive on Kevin Cousins' 8-yard pass to B.J. Cunningham. Penn State cornerback D'Anton Lynn blitzed on the play, and a breakdown left Cunningham wide open.
Third quarter
Michigan State 21, Penn State 3: Spartans wide receiver B.J. Cunningham beat Stephon Morris in single coverage for a 23-yard touchdown as Michigan State took a commanding lead. A play earlier, QB Kurt Cousins did a nice job scrambling to avoid pressure on a blitz to convert a third-and-11 with a 13-yard pass to Brian Linthicum.
Fourth quarter
Michigan State 21, Penn State 10: Matt McGloin finally found a rhythm, completing four consecutive passes for 71 yards and ending the drive on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Joe Suhey. McGloin first looked for Derek Moye, then Graham Zug, before finding his third read on the play wide open down the Spartans sideline.
Michigan State 28, Penn State 10: The Spartans punched in their fourth touchdown of the afternoon on Cousins' 3-yard pass to tight end Charlie Gantt. Michigan State marched 68 yards on nine plays, one of which was a nifty trick play. Backup QB Keith Nichol tossed a lateral to Keshawn Martin, who threw it back to Nichol for a 13-yard gain.
Michigan State 28, Penn State 16: Evan Royster scored on a 10-yard run in his last home game, and McGloin and Justin Brown connected for a 45-yard reception on a third-and-10.
Michigan State 28, Penn State 22: An odd turn of events culminated in McGloin's 4-yard touchdown to Moye to get the Nittany Lions within six points with 55 seconds left. McGloin threw an interception to Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson, who, for some reason, brought the ball out of the end zone. Moye forced and recovered a fumble, but whatever hope existed after the score vanished when the Spartans recovered an onsides kick.
