After a devastating loss at Iowa the week before, Penn State got the bounce-back performance it wanted Saturday against Indiana.

In the second half, anyway.

The Nittany Lions outscored the hapless Hoosiers 24-0 in the final two quarters to win 34-7, but the sluggish first half will send the Big Ten leaders into Saturday's conference-deciding game against Michigan State with an uneasy feeling.

"They gave us a lot of opportunities to put it away early," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said of the first half, in which the Nittany Lions ran up 204 yards of offense but needed a blocked punt to set up a go-ahead field goal in the final minute of the half.

Penn State's three turnovers -- two Daryll Clark fumbles and his third interception of the year -- were a season-high. And while the defense was dominant, holding Indiana to just six first downs, it allowed tailback Marcus Thigpen to hit the outside for a 57-yard touchdown. The Nittany Lions won't be able to give Michigan State's Javon Ringer similar opportunities.

Still, the Nittany Lions' first priority was getting the taste of Iowa City out of their mouths. In doing so, they gave Paterno his 20th season of at least 10 wins.

"Today was good," Clark said. "Some hiccups here and there, but overall it was good."

SEASON RECAP
Penn State 66, Coastal Carolina 10 -- Evan Royster ran for three first-half touchdowns as the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 38-7 halftime lead and cruised in their season opener. Penn State rolled up 594 total yards and scored more points in an opener than it has since 1926, the year head coach Joe Paterno was born.

Penn State 45, Oregon State 14 -- The Nittany Lions scored touchdowns on six of their first nine possessions and never allowed Lyle Moevao and the Beaver offense to get on track. Evan Royster ran for a career-high 141 yards and three touchdowns for No. 19 Penn State (2-0).

Penn State 55, Syracuse 13 -- Two Nittany Lion quarterbacks -- Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin -- threw two first-half touchdown passes and wide receivers Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler both went over 100 yards, as the No. 17 Nittany Lions improved to 3-0. Penn State outgained the hapless Orange (0-3) by 401 yards and held them to eight first downs all afternoon.

Penn State 45, Temple 3 -- The Nittany Lions knocked Owls quarterback Adam DiMichele out of the game on the fifth play and piled up 31 of their 45 points in the second quarter. Freshman TB Stephfon Green had 132 of Penn State's 303 rushing yards.

Penn State 38, Illinois 24 -- Derrick Williams scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a kick return as the Nittany Lions moved to 5-0 for just the second time in nine years. Daryll Clark threw two touchdown passes and Evan Royster ran for 139 yards as Penn State's offense rolled up 422 yards.

Penn State 20, Purdue 6 -- Evan Royster ran for 141 yards and a touchdown and Penn State's defense kept the Boilermakers off the scoreboard for the first three quarters as the Nittany Lions improved to 6-0. Daryll Clark completed 18-of-26 passes for 220 yards and ran for a touchdown for Penn State, which converted just 4-of-12 third downs but still managed 422 yards of offense.

Penn State 48, Wisconsin 7 -- The Nittany Lions scored two touchdowns in 35 seconds in the second quarter and two more in the first eight minutes of the third quarter to hand the Badgers their worst home loss in 19 years. Daryll Clark threw for a career-high 244 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores. Wide receiver Derrick Williams returned a kick for a touchdown for the third time this season, and defensive end Aaron Maybin had three sacks and two forced fumbles as the Nittany Lions turned in their most dominant and well-rounded game of the season.

Penn State 46, Michigan 17 -- No. 3 Penn State leaped out of an early 10-point deficit with 39 unanswered points to beat the Wolverines for the first time in 12 years. Running back Evan Royster scored his team's first touchdown on a 44-yard run on his way to a career-high 174 yards rushing, and Penn State's defense allowed only 82 yards on Michigan's final 11 possessions.

Penn State 13, Ohio State 6 -- A defensive struggle turned when Mark Rubin forced a Terrelle Pryor fumble and Navorro Bowman recovered in Buckeye territory, setting up Pat Devlin's one-yard sneak for the game's only touchdown. Lydell Sargeant picked off Pryor's 40-yard heave in the end zone in the final minute to seal Penn State's first win in Columbus since 1978. The teams, who have combined to win the last three Big Ten titles, totaled just 568 yards of offense and 32 first downs. The Nittany Lions were held to their lowest point and yardage totals of the season.

Iowa 24, Penn State 23 -- The Nittany Lions suffered their first loss of the season in gut-wrenching fashion, giving away a nine-point fourth-quarter lead and allowing the Hawkeyes to drive 57 yards in 15 plays in the final four minutes to set up Daniel Murray's game-winning, 31-yard field goal with one second left. Penn State's high-powered offense sputtered in the wind and against a good Iowa defense, turning in just 38 yards and no points in the final quarter after dominating the time of possession and rolling up 203 yards in the first half.

Penn State 34, Indiana 7 -- The Nittany Lions shook off a sluggish first half start and three Daryll Clark turnovers to stay in prime position in the Big Ten title chase. Clark threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns, Derrick Williams had 164 all-purpose yards and two scores and Penn State's defense allowed just six first downs, its lowest total against a Big Ten conference opponent.

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