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BOX SCORE
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- It took Penn State three weeks to go
from No. 2 in the country to No. 4 in the Big Ten.
The No. 13 Nittany Lions lost their third straight game
Saturday, falling to Michigan State (No. 14 ESPN/USA Today, No. 15 AP) 35-28 after overcoming a 21-point halftime deficit.
|  | | Spartans freshman standout T.J. Duckett trampled Penn State for four scores. |
It marked the first time Penn State (9-3, 5-3) has lost three
straight since 1988, and the first time since 1914 that it has lost
its final three regular-season games.
T.J. Duckett ran for four touchdowns for the Spartans (9-2,
6-2).
Duckett, who was recruited as a linebacker but used increasingly
as a clutch-situation ball carrier, carried 22 times for 159 yards,
including the winning touchdown on an 11-yard run up the middle
with 2:30 left.
"I think that was probably as fine an effort as we had all
year, in terms of dogged determination to score a touchdown,"
Michigan State coach Nick Saban said.
Penn State trailed 28-7 at the half, but dominated the third
quarter, scoring 10 points to draw within 28-17.
Eddie Drummond caught a 23-yard scoring pass from Kevin Thompson, capping a 16-play, 86-yard scoring drive. Travis Forney then kicked a 21-yard field goal.
The Nittany Lions tied the score in the fourth quarter as
Drummond caught a 12-yard TD pass, and Forney kicked a 30-yard
field goal. The field goal was set up by a 45-yard pass play from
Thompson to tight end Tony Stewart.
Michigan State safety Richard Newsome set up Duckett's winning touchdown, recovering a fumble by John Gilmore on the Penn State
39-yard line. Duckett scored eight plays later.
"It was a great game," Duckett said. "We played great as a
team; we played a full 60 minutes and that's what we wanted to
do."
T.J. Turner made his second interception of the game to stop
Penn State's next drive. But Paul Edinger missed a 38-yard field
goal with 37 seconds left that would have put the game away.
But the Nittany Lions couldn't score as the Spartans held on.
"When you play a good football team, you've got to play with
heart, but you've got to play with poise," said Penn State coach
Joe Paterno. "We had the opportunity to win at the end, but we
made a couple of mistakes."
"You've got to give Michigan State some credit; they had to
come back," Paterno said. "They came back and made some plays.
That's a good football team; they bang away and that's how it's
supposed to be."
Michigan State jumped to a quick lead, thanks to a flashy
51-yard kickoff return by Herb Haygood on the game's opening play.
After two pass completions, Duckett charged up the middle for 20
yards and a touchdown.
Later in the quarter, flanker Gari Scott grabbed a Penn State
punt and sprinted up the middle for a 64-yard touchdown.
As the quarter ended, Penn State flanker Chafie Fields fumbled
after catching a pass, and Michigan State's Josh Thornhill
recovered at the Penn State 9. Then Duckett ran 9 yards for another
touchdown.
Penn State finally got on the board when Larry Johnson plunged 1 yard for a touchdown.
Duckett responded with a 55-yard dash to the Penn State
2-yard-line, setting up his own touchdown plunge a play later.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Penn State Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
College football Top 25 overview
AUDIO/VIDEO
 T.J. Duckett wins the game with his fourth TD of the day.
avi: 938 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Gari Scott returns the punt 64 yards for the touchdown.
avi: 757 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Edward Drummond hauls in the 23-yard TD pass from Kevin Thompson.
avi: 1110 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
T.J. Duckett scores one of his four touchdowns.
avi: xxx k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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