No upset here
Penn State runs over Southern Miss 34-6
Posted: Saturday September 05, 1998 09:00 PM
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Blowout: Fullback Mike Cerimele (left) ran for two scores in his first start AP |
STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Curtis? Curtis who?
Despite a backfield depleted by injuries, poor conditioning and
a defection, Penn State found a committee of replacements for
Curtis Enis, the Lions' dominant tailback of 1996-97 who is now
with the Chicago Bears.
Cordell Mitchell ran for a career-high 99 yards in his first
start, Omar Easy added 63 and freshman Eric McCoo had 51 as Penn
State beat No. 21 Southern Mississippi 34-6 Saturday.
Mike Cerimele scored twice in his first start at fullback and
the 13th-ranked Nittany Lions rushed for 255 yards behind a
dominant offensive line.
"I didn't feel any pressure at all as far as trying to fill any
shoes," said Mitchell, who left the game in the second half with a
sprained ankle that isn't expected to bother him this week. "I
just think I'm more of a smart runner than I have been in the past.
Just looking at the tapes, I learned to just use what God gave me:
quickness."
Kevin Thompson, who learned Friday that he would start at
quarterback for Penn State, got the bulk of the playing time in a
platoon with Rashard Casey. Thompson was in for each of the four
touchdowns, finishing 10-for-15 for 140 yards with a 12-yard
touchdown pass to Joe Nastasi that put Penn State up 27-0 in the
third quarter.
"I just felt real comfortable out there," Thompson said.
"After the first play, I knew we could take it downfield and get
on the scoreboard early."
Casey went 3-for-6 for 28 yards and ran for 18.
"I had a bad day and hopefully I can make up for it next
week," he said. "I expect more and I know I can do better. Kevin
made the big plays, hit the open receivers and did what he was
supposed to do."
Coach Joe Paterno said Thompson is his starter, but that Casey
would continue to play.
"I started Kevin because he is the older guy. We were going to
play Kevin a quarter, then Rashard a quarter and take it from
there," said Paterno, who got his 299th career victory and on
Saturday will go for the milestone only five coaches have reached.
Lee Roberts and Sherrod Gideon, one of the best
quarterback-receiver connections in Southern Mississippi's history,
teamed up 13 times for 176 yards. Gideon became the school's career
leader in receptions (100) and yards (1,684). But the Nittany
Lions' good tackling kept him and the other receivers from breaking
upfield after the catch.
"That was a big thing," Scioli said. "That kept them from
breaking a big play open. If they caught it, we wanted to hit 'em,
make 'em know they were going to get hit."
Roberts was 27-for-38 with 289 yards -- his 27 completions broke
Brett Favre's single-game record -- but the Golden Eagles missed
Harold Shaw, who ran for 1,045 yards in 1997 and is playing for the
New England Patriots this season. They managed only 9 yards on the
ground -- the fewest Penn State has allowed since 1990, when Brigham
Young had zero.
"We really didn't want to pass the ball that much," Southern
Mississippi coach Jeff Bower said. "We're not going to make a
living just throwing the football."
The loss was a blow to Southern Mississippi's effort to prove
that it deserved its first preseason Top 25 ranking ever.
Penn State broke in its brand-new backfield immediately, handing
Mitchell the ball six times for 46 yards on the first drive, and
Cerimele scored from a yard out. McCoo, who rushed for 4,963 yards
in high school, scampered 41 yards up the middle and Omar Easy
scored from five yards out to give Penn State the 17-0 lead with
3:30 left in the first half.
Travis Forney added field goals from 29 and 33 yards.
Roberts and Gideon connected 10 times for 116 yards in the first
half. But they faltered on third down. On the first drive, Roberts
overthrew Gideon and in the second Roberts was sacked by Courtney
Brown for an 8-yard loss.
Tim Hardaway missed field goals from 47 and 42 yards after each
stalled drive and Penn State led 20-0 at halftime.
"Their kicking game fell apart and that really helped,"
Paterno said. "They could have had three field goals in the first
half so the score was a little misleading."
Southern Mississippi finally scored with 11:54 remaining after
Roberts completed passes of 41 and 15 yards to Gideon and 18 yards
to Pinkston. Dawayne Woods scored from one yard out.
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