ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After dealing Penn State its second Big Ten loss in three games, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr called the Nittany Lions one of the "top two or three teams" in the conference.

That's undoubtedly small consolation for Penn State after its 27-24 overtime heartbreaker Saturday. A pair of losses decided after regulation -- both of which included controversial calls that went against Penn State -- at least for now has the Nittany Lions back to where they have been the past two seasons: near the back of the Big Ten pack.

Don't look now but Penn State (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) is in a three-way tie for seventh place in the Big Ten with Illinois and Purdue. That residence would appear to be temporary. Penn State should rise with a favorable remaining schedule that includes only one game left against a team in this week's top 25 -- No. 4 Ohio State on Oct. 26 in Columbus.

After three games against physical conference teams, Penn State gets the spread and finesse of last-place Northwestern (2-5, 0-3), which comes to Beaver Stadium Saturday.

"That's a good football team right now but they're banged up," Carr said of Penn State. "I'm sure they would have played better if everyone was healthy but that's the nature of Big Ten football. You're never healthy."

Quarterback Zack Mills (sprained left shoulder) and tailback Larry Johnson (pulled hamstring) played through injuries incurred in the Wisconsin victory a week earlier.

Michael Robinson started at tailback in place of Johnson, who didn't get on the field until the middle of Penn State's second offensive series. Mills completed just 6-of-10 passes for 39 yards in the first half, none longer than 12 yards, but finished 19-of-31 for 264 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

"Early in the game I was afraid to use (Mills) too much," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "He's not 100 percent and that's why Robinson was in there. And Larry wasn't 100 percent. We were trying to finesse our way through a couple of things early. But then, when we got into it, we had to do some things so they had to play."

Johnson gained 70 yards on 17 carries, including a 17-yard burst up the middle for a touchdown on a draw play on his first carry.

"He's hurt," Paterno said. "I really didn't want to play him that much. He made up his mind he wanted to stay in there and I thought he did a great job. Larry's going to be an awfully sore kid for a while."

Penn State players, coaches and fans again have ammunition to feel sore at the officials.

On a third-and-five at the Michigan 49 with the game tied at 21-21, receiver Tony Johnson was ruled out of bounds on a pass from Mills with 43 seconds remaining. Television replays indicated that Johnson was inbounds at the Michigan 23. Penn State would have had a first down and been in field-goal range.

Paterno chased after official Dick Honig for what he said were "two lousy calls" after the Iowa loss that included another Johnson play on the sideline that was ruled out of bounds.

"We've got some more Big Ten officials being reprimanded," ESPN analyst Trev Alberts suggested on the air after the Johnson replay was shown Saturday.

Penn State appeared to catch a break three plays earlier when officials ruled Bryant Johnson had possession on a 28-yard catch on a third-and-12, when the ball popped out of Johnson's hands as he rolled to make the catch.

There's no debate that the Nittany Lions continue to be haunted by third down woes on defense.

Penn State entered the weekend last in the Big Ten, allowing opponents to convert 48.2 percent of its chances. Michigan was 9-of-16.

When Penn State's defense did get the Michigan offense off the field after three straight John Navarre incompletions late in the third quarter, it handed the Wolverines the ball back when fifth-year senior James Millon was called for a 15-yard penalty for running into punter Adam Finley. Michigan went on to score on the 12- play, 80-yard drive to tie the game at 21-21.

It was a killer penalty for the Big Ten's least-penalized team. Penn State had six penalties for 46 yards, both season highs.

Notes: Tight end Casey Williams is questionable for Saturday with a sprained left knee, according to Jeff Nelson, Penn State's assistant athletic director for communications. ... Penn State did not have a turnover for the second time this season. It was turnover free against Nebraska as well...Michigan is the first team to beat Penn State six times since Pittsburgh won 10 in a row from 1922-31.