
Michigan State Falls to No. 8 Penn State, 45-12
11/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Trace McSorley completed 17 of 23 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns and No. 8 Penn State beat Michigan State 45-12 to win the Big Ten East on Saturday.
Penn State (10-2, 8-1 Big Ten, No. 7 CFP) edged No. 2 Ohio State for the East title, setting up a conference championship game against West winner Wisconsin next week in Indianapolis. The Nittany Lions beat Ohio State 24-20 at home Oct. 22.
''It's been special,'' Penn State coach James Franklin said. ''I think this team, the connection and the bond they have for each other, we've overachieved and we keep overachieving.''
McSorley set single-season school record for total offense and sparked the Nittany Lions with multiple deep passes in the second half when Penn State outscored Michigan State 35-0.
He threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin down the sideline on Penn State's first second-half possession and followed it with a 45-yarder to Mike Gesicki on the next drive. Godwin got loose down the middle minutes later and McSorley hit him in stride for 59 yards to give Penn State a 31-12 lead and cap a 21-point third quarter.
Andre Robinson added 14- and 40-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter for Penn State, and Saquon Barkley scored on a 1-yard run in the second. Barkley left in the third quarter with an apparent right leg injury and did not return.
Tyler Davis added a second-quarter field goal for Penn State.
Michael Geiger kicked four field goals for the Spartans (3-9, 1-8), the last giving Michigan State a 12-10 halftime lead.