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EAST LANSING, Michigan (Ticker) -- Don't count out Joe Paterno's team just yet. Zack Mills threw for 240 yards and a touchdown and Eric McCoo had three rushing touchdowns as Penn State kept its bowl hopes alive by rallying from a 17-point deficit for a 42-37 triumph over Michigan State. Penn State (5-5, 4-4 Big Ten) trailed 24-7, but got a pair of two-yard TD runs from McCoo sandwiched around Jeff Smoker's 47-yard touchdown pass to Charles Rogers to trail, 31-21, at halftime. The Nittany Lions took command in the third quarter, scoring three touchdowns while not yielding a point. Mills started things with a 64-yard touchdown toss to R.J. Luke to cut the deficit to 31-28 with 7:38 to go. McCoo scored another two-yard TD to put Penn State ahead for good, 35-31. Mills scored on a one-yard plunge for the Nittany Lions' final touchdown. Smoker had a two-yard TD toss to Chris Baker to pull Michigan State (5-5, 3-5) within 42-37 with 9:41 remaining. But Smoker threw incomplete on the two-point conversion as the Spartans dropped their third straight. Penn State has rebounded from a 0-4 start with five victories in its last six games. The Nittany Lions must win at Virginia next Saturday in their regular season finale to become bowl eligible. Michigan State still leads the series, 10-8-1, but Penn State has captured the Land Grant Trophy with victories in seven of the last nine meetings.
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