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      MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Matt McGloin threw two touchdown passes to
Derek Moye for Penn State in relief of injured starter Rob Bolden,
and the Nittany Lions used struggling Minnesota to get their first
Big Ten win, 33-21 on Saturday.


      After a rough homecoming loss two weeks ago to Illinois, Penn
State (4-3, 1-2) got its sputtering offense going and built a
healthy lead even after losing its freshman quarterback.


      Minnesota's Adam Weber became the fifth Big Ten quarterback to
reach 10,000 career yards, throwing three touchdown passes to
Da'Jon McKnight and finishing 26 for 49 for 299 yards and one
costly interception.


      DeLeon Eskridge rushed 26 times for 111 yards for the Golden
Gophers (1-7, 0-4), who played their first game following the
firing of coach Tim Brewster and the takeover by interim
replacement Jeff Horton.


      Bolden threw six interceptions - and for only two scores - in
the previous five games, but the freshman completed his first nine
passes Saturday. He was 11 for 13 for 130 yards and a touchdown to
Brett Brackett before getting hurt midway through the second
quarter when he was tackled by Mike Rallis near the sideline.
Bolden sat upright on the ground for a few minutes while being
attended to before leaving the field. Penn State didn't immediately
reveal the nature of his injury.


      McGloin finished only 6 for 13 for 76 yards and an interception,
but the sophomore's first career completion was a beauty. Right
after Weber's end-zone heave to double-covered McKnight was
intercepted by D'Anton Lynn and returned for 58 yards, McGloin
zipped a 42-yard pass to Derek Moye for a touchdown that stretched
the lead to 21-7.


      Listed as the third-stringer, McGloin was summoned ahead of
Kevin Newsome, who took a few snaps in the second half but did not
throw a pass.


      This performance surely wasn't enough to satisfy the restless
Penn State fans pushing for coach Joe Paterno to retire, but for a
group that entered the game last in the Big Ten in points and total
offense it looked like progress - even against the conference's
worst team.


      Silas Redd rushed nine times for 17 yards and Evan Royster ran
10 times for 62 yards and a second-quarter touchdown on a drive
kept alive by a pair of third-down pass-interference penalties.


      The Gophers fell to 4-8 all time against the Nittany Lions,
losing their fourth straight after four consecutive victories.


      With President Barack Obama scheduled to lead a rally on campus
later in the afternoon, TCF Bank Stadium barely looked half-full.
The announced attendance was 48,479, the smallest in 12 games here.
The Gophers are 4-8 in their new home, including 0-5 this year.


      Penn State's defense has been ravaged by injuries this season,
but linebackers Mike Mauti, Bani Gbadyu and Gerald Hodges led a
group of players that used last week's bye to get healthy enough to
return. Promising sophomore defensive end Sean Stanley, who was
held out the last two games and recently was charged with
misdemeanor marijuana possession, was also in the mix.


      McKnight leads the Gophers with nine touchdown receptions, six
coming in the last nine quarters. The junior had eight receptions
for 103 yards.
      

Gallery

Sports

Minnesota Gophers

Matt McGloin threw two touchdown passes to
Derek Moye for Penn State in relief of injured starter Rob Bolden,
and the Nittany Lions used struggling Minnesota to get their first
Big Ten win, 33-21 on Saturday.

Brett Brackett, Dwayne Mitchell, Ryan Collado

Penn State shuffles QBs in 33-21 win at Minnesota

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