Indiana 7, (8) Penn State 34

1234T
IND (3-8)07007
#8PSU (10-1)01017734

Final

12:03 PM ET, November 15, 2008
Beaver Stadium
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA

Penn State holds Indiana to six first downs in rout

WERE YOU THERE?
Passport

Did you attend this game? If so, start chronicling your sports memories today with ESPN's Sports Passport. Enter the games you attend, upload your photos and share your memories!
I was there »

Top 25 Overview
It was over when... An angry group of Nittany Lions showed up to make amends for the loss to Iowa.
Gameball goes to... Daryll Clark. The Penn State QB passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns.
Stat of the game... 6. The Nittany Lions' defense held Indiana to only six first downs.
Team Stat Comparison
 
1st Downs623
3rd down efficiency
2-157-16
4th down efficiency
0-20-1
Total Yards180442
Passing57258
Comp-Att
9-2322-39
Yards per pass
2.56.6
Rushing123184
Rushing Attempts
3038
Yards per rush
4.14.8
Penalties4-413-25
Turnovers13
Fumbles lost
02
Interceptions thrown
11
Possession15:0221:39
Individual Leaders
Indiana Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Lewis9/215701
Penn State Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Clark20/3624021
Devlin2/21800
Indiana Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Thigpen872157
Lewis1034019
Penn State Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Royster1263119
William...461136
Indiana Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Fisher317010
Means31707
Penn State Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Norwood769017
William...462139
Scoring Summary
SECOND QUARTERINDPSU
TD12:09Daryll Clark pass complete to Derrick Williams for 39 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Kevin Kelly extra point GOOD.07
TD11:24Marcus Thigpen rush for 57 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Austin Starr extra point GOOD.77
FG0:04Kevin Kelly 32 yard field goal GOOD.710
THIRD QUARTERINDPSU
TD11:51Evan Royster rush for 19 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Kevin Kelly extra point GOOD.717
FG8:20Kevin Kelly 36 yard field goal GOOD.720
TD2:31Daryll Clark pass complete to Deon Butler for 6 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Kevin Kelly extra point GOOD.727
FOURTH QUARTERINDPSU
TD7:32Derrick Williams rush for 36 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Kevin Kelly extra point GOOD.734
Associated Press

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- A sluggish start on a dreary day clouded up No. 8 Penn State's dreams of the Rose Bowl for a half.

Nothing that Daryll Clark or a stifling defense couldn't shake off, though.

Fast Facts

• Darryl Clark threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns as Penn State outscored Indiana 24-0 in the second half.

• Penn State has won all 12 meetings with Indiana.

• The Nittany Lions continued their dominance at home, winning all six of their games and outscoring their opponents 274-75. The win was also Penn State's 799th in school history. Only five schools have 800 wins.

-- ESPN research

Derrick Williams ran for one score and caught a touchdown pass, Clark threw for 240 yards and two scores in an uneven outing, and the defense held Indiana to six first downs in the Nittany Lions' 34-7 victory Saturday.

Beat No. 15 Michigan State next week at home and the Nittany Lions (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) can lock up a trip to Pasadena -- a nice consolation prize after seeing their hopes for a national title take a serious blow with the loss Nov. 8 at Iowa.

"I told the whole football team ... just go out there and have some fun, relax," coach Joe Paterno said.

As if next week wasn't important enough, the 81-year Paterno revealed after the game that he may need hip replacement surgery after the regular season. JoePa spent the afternoon in the press box again because a sore hip and right leg make it to difficult for him to pace the sideline.

Big Ten Scenarios

Here's what each team needs to do next week to earn the Big Ten's Rose Bowl bid:

• Penn State -- beat Michigan State

• Ohio State -- beat Michigan, have Penn State lose to Michigan State

• Michigan State -- beat Penn State, have Ohio State lose to Michigan

-- ESPN research

"I wish we could talk about my football team instead of my leg," said Paterno, who notched his 382nd career win.

The six Indiana first downs were the fewest ever allowed by Penn State against a Big Ten opponent. The Hoosiers managed just 180 yards on the afternoon, and could muster just 36 yards and one first down after halftime.

Heavy underdogs coming into Beaver Stadium, Indiana (3-8, 1-6 Big Ten) trailed just 10-7 at halftime in large part because of miscues by Penn State. One drive ended after Clark fumbled at the Indiana 1, while Kevin Kelly missed a 40-yard field goal attempt to foil another effort.

Momentum swung after halftime to the home team.

Tailback Evan Royster bounced off three Indiana tacklers like a pinball on a 19-yard touchdown run to put Penn State up 17-7. Royster finished with 63 yards on 12 carries.

The defense then pinned Indiana deep on the next drive with a three-and-out. Kelly kicked a 36-yard field goal to extend the lead to 13 with 8:20 left in the third quarter before Clark hit Deon Butler on a slant from 6 yards out to push Penn State ahead 27-7 about five minutes later.

Bundled up in ponchos and slickers under a cold, off-and-on rain, the relatively subdued Penn State faithful could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"I felt like in the second half they were coming with more pressure, they seemed like they had more enthusiasm," said tailback Marcus Thigpen, who led Indiana with 72 yards on eight carries, including a 57-yard touchdown.

Linebacker Josh Hull led the way in an all-around effort with seven tackles and a sack, while defensive end Aaron Maybin added to his Big Ten lead with his 12th sack of the season.

"Honestly, I think it was Penn State's game," Indiana coach Bill Lynch said when asked about his squad's season-long struggles in the second half. "I think they're a great defensive team."

Indiana also had injury woes, missing three starters in the secondary. Hampered throughout the season by a sore ankle, quarterback Kellen Lewis struggled under withering Penn State pressure and finished 9-of-21 passing for just 57 yards and an interception.

Williams had a 39-yard touchdown catch over the middle to give Penn State a 7-0 lead, and he added a 36-yard scoring run on an end-around in the fourth quarter. The senior captain finished with 62 yards on four receptions, and 61 yards rushing on four carries.

Yet the Hoosiers still had designs on an upset after hanging tough through the soggy first half.

Thigpen bounced out from a crowd on a run up the middle and found two blockers around the edge to escort him untouched down the sideline for his long TD run that silenced the crowd and evened the score at 7-7.

But the second half has been a problem all year for the Hoosiers, who came into the game being outscored 163-68 after halftime, and Saturday was no different.

Butler finished with 56 yards on five catches. He broke the school's career reception record of 167, previously held by Bobby Engram.

The win drew Penn State even with Michigan State for first place in the Big Ten. The Spartans were idle on Saturday.

College Football Scores

Other Scores:

Tuesday, November 11th
14 Ball State 31 Final
Miami (OH) 16
Friday, November 14th
22 Cincinnati 28 Final
Louisville 20
Saturday, November 15th
Mississippi State 7 Final
1 Alabama 32
3 Texas 35 Final
Kansas 7
25 South Carolina 6 Final
4 Florida 56
6 USC 45 Final
Stanford 23
7 Utah 63 Final
San Diego State 14
Indiana 7 Final
8 Penn State 34
9 Boise State 45 Final
Idaho 10
10 Georgia 17 Final
Auburn 13
11 Ohio State 30 Final
Illinois 20
12 Missouri 52 Final
Iowa State 20
13 Oklahoma State 30 Final
Colorado 17
16 North Carolina 15 Final
Maryland 17
17 Brigham Young 38 Final
Air Force 24
Boston College 27 Final
19 Florida State 17
Troy 31 Final
20 LSU 40
California 21 Final
23 Oregon State 34
23 Tulsa 30 Final
Houston 70
24 Wake Forest 17 Final
North Carolina State 21