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Sunday, November 10, 2002

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State has this formula down pretty well. Play good defense and hand the ball off to Larry Johnson.

Workmanlike and precise in their dissection of the Virginia defense, the Nittany Lions battered and bullied their way past the Cavaliers, 35-14, yesterday before 108,698 fans at Beaver Stadium.

Johnson stayed in the Heisman Trophy race with another big day, carrying 31 times for 188 yards and a touchdown. A 6-foot-2, 222-pound senior, Johnson wore down a young Virginia defense that came into the game with the 106th-ranked rush defense in the country.

	More on Penn State: Surprising Mills has chance to become Penn State's all-time best quarterback Penn State Report: 11/10/02

“We just pounded it at them,” Johnson said. “People were waiting for me to break off an 84-yard run. But that’s not going to happen every time. They’re not a team that’s going to give up the big play. It was 5, 6, 10 yards at a time. That’s why it felt so good.”

This victory felt especially good for the Lions (7-3), who had all kinds of grudges and grievances against the Cavaliers (6-4). Virginia knocked Penn State from a bowl game last season in the regular-season finale, and its athletic director forced Penn State to move this year’s game from its original September date to yesterday, which gave the Cavaliers an open week before the game.

“I was annoyed with Virginia, but not to the point where it should effect our play,” Coach Joe Paterno said. “I didn’t look at it that way. Revenge? I don’t like that word. Obviously, we felt like we had a better team than them last year, and we wanted to make up for that.”

Quarterback Zack Mills was 19 for 30 for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He has had the best seat in the house to watch the running game take charge of recent games. The Lions had 289 yards on the ground yesterday, and Johnson has 790 yards rushing the past four games and 1,409 for the season.

“This is what we have to do,” Mills said. “The first couple of games we came out slinging. Larry, all of a sudden, now has had like three 200-yard games. Maybe the next game, we’ll have to pass. Each game is a chess match, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Casey Williams and Paul Jefferson caught touchdowns from Mills. Johnson scored on a 6-yard run, and third-string quarterback Chris Ganter scored on a 30-yard run off a fake field-goal attempt. Robbie Gould added two field goals, including a 50-yarder.

Virginia scored on its first drive of the game, then did not score again until midway through the fourth quarter. The Penn State defense, led by defensive end Michael Haynes, limited the Cavaliers to 30 yards rushing.

“I don’t think Tom Bradley and his staff get enough credit,” Paterno said. “They played really well today.”

The defense has allowed 27 points the past four games.

Penn State broke open a tight game at halftime with a 25-point barrage in the first 18 minutes of the second half. The Lions led, 10-7, at the half and took a 17-7 lead after Paul Jefferson took a shovel pass from Mills from 10 yards out on the first offensive series of the third quarter.

After a Virginia punt, Gould made it 20-7 with a 50-yard field goal. The defense forced another punt, and the Lions drove to the Virginia 30.

On fourth-and-3, offensive coordinator Fran Ganter called for a fake. His son, holder Chris Ganter, ran the option and kept it for the touchdown.

“We thought we could maybe get a fake in there,” Paterno said. “I think the old man had a little nepotism in there.”

Johnson tacked on a 6-yard run with 11:34 remaining for a 35-7 lead. Virginia scored a cosmetic touchdown to make it 35-14, but there was still some drama left.

As Penn State was running out the clock, Johnson re-entered the game with 1:56 remaining. Players and assistant coaches lobbied for Johnson’s return so he could get a chance at breaking the 200-yard mark for the third time in four weeks.

Johnson took a pitch from Michael Robinson and appeared to have daylight but was cut down by a Virginia defender.

“I got talked into that by some of the kids and the coaches,” Paterno said. “I fought it for two series. I said, ‘No way. He’s liable to get hurt.’ They ganged up on me. I told them he had one shot. I said run the trick play, and if his buddy [receiver Kinta] Palmer didn’t miss his block, he probably would have gotten it. I don’t normally do that, but this team is close in a lot of different ways.”

The game didn’t get off to a very good start for the Lions. Virginia scored first after Mills fumbled on Penn State’s first offensive series. Penn State was driving near midfield when defensive end Chris Canty knocked the ball from Mills. The Cavaliers recovered at the Penn State 44.

Virginia quarterback Matt Schaub, who was 14 for 17 in the first half, was 4 for 5 on the scoring drive and converted a third-and-goal pass from the 1 to tight end Heath Miller in the back of the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Penn State answered with a 12-play, 82-yard drive to tie the score. Mills was 5 for 5 in the series and completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Williams, who had three catches on the drive.

Penn State forced Virginia to punt with three minutes remaining in the half and got the ball at the 50. The Lions drove to the 16, but Paul Jefferson could not handle a third-down pass and Robbie Gould came on to kick a 33-yard field goal for a 10-7 halftime lead.

Virginia had minus-13 yards rushing in the first half.