University Park, Pa. -- For the second time this season, a key play in a Penn State football game has been nominated as a "Pontiac Game Changing Performance" of the week, a poll conducted by ESPN benefiting a school's scholarship fund. On the nominated play, Donnie Johnson blocked a Spartan punt that was recovered by Matt Hahn for a touchdown, giving the Nittany Lions a 10-0 lead.
The play came mid-way through the second quarter. With Penn State leading Michigan State 3-0 and the Spartans pinned deep in their own territory, Penn State's special teams made its presence known. A Penn State offsides penalty gave Michigan State a first-and-five from its own 25-yard line, but the Spartans failed to get a first down and found themselves at third and 11 after a holding penalty. An incomplete pass by Spartan quarterback Drew Stanton made it fourth down on the Spartans' own 19-yard line. That's when Donnie Johnson blocked Brandon Field's punt and Matt Hahn pounced on the loose ball for a touchdown that stretched the Nittany Lion lead to 10-0.
"I told the kids going into the game that turnovers and one or two plays in the kicking game will make the difference because their quarterback (Drew Stanton) is a good football player. He made some things happen and I figured they were going to score some points. So I think the kicking play was a big, big play because right after that we came back and drove right down the field. They were a little bit down and we used that two-play drive to jump on them," said Penn State head football Coach Joe Paterno.
Fans wishing to vote for the Johnson/Hahn play may do so until 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday at http://r.espn.go.com/espn/contests/05GameChangingPerformance/ online.
This week's winning performance will be announced at halftime of ESPN's Thursday night college football telecast, with the winning institution receiving a $5,000 contribution from Pontiac to the school's general scholarship fund. By the end of the season, Pontiac will have contributed close to $200,000 to NCAA institutions across the nation.
The win against the Spartans gave Penn State its fifth Big Ten championship of the fall sports season, and the Nittany Lions were welcomed back to Happy Valley by roughly 7,000 fans in Rec Hall on Saturday night. For photos, go to http://live.psu.edu/still_life/2005_11_19_football/index.html online.