Temple (0-1) at (9) Penn State (2-0)
Currently: - Game info: 12:00 pm EDT Sat Sep 19, 2009
Penn State has been dominant in two games this season, and that seems unlikely to change Saturday against Temple.
The Nittany Lions look to improve to 3-0 for a third consecutive year while continuing their dominance of the Owls, a team they haven’t lost to in 68 years.
Penn State, tied with Mississippi at No. 5, opened the season with a 31-7 win over Akron on Sept. 5. They held the Zips without a first down until the third quarter and allowed 186 total yards - 28 rushing.
The Nittany Lions followed that up by beating Syracuse 28-7 last Saturday.
Despite the lopsided scores, coach Joe Paterno feels there’s room for improvement.
“We’ve played well enough to win two games, period, that’s all I know,” Paterno said, “and we got to get better.”
One area Paterno might be concerned with is the running game, which totaled 214 yards and two touchdowns against a pair of weaker opponents while averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
The Lions also fumbled twice against the Orange, one coming on a botched snap at the goal line in the second quarter.
“I don’t think we were very good on the goal line,” Paterno said. “I keep telling you, we have to get better. We could’ve gone and thrown the ball on every play if we wanted to but that’s not going to get us where I want to be.”
Evan Royster rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in the two games. The junior had two receptions for a career-high 61 yards last week, catching a 49-yard TD pass from Daryll Clark.
Clark is also off to a strong start to his senior season, completing 49 of 71 passes for 593 yards with six scores and two interceptions.
Although his offense has struggled at times, Paterno has little to complain about defensively. Penn State held its first two opponents under 10 points for the first time since 1998, recording six sacks and three interceptions while allowing 1.6 yards per rush.
Linebacker Sean Lee, who missed all of last season with a knee injury that required surgery, had a lot to do with that. The senior had 13 tackles - three for losses - and a sack against Syracuse.
“I think he’s a great player,” Paterno said. “He reminds me very much of (former Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack) Ham, I think Ham was a step faster, but Sean’s in the same league. Ham’s in the pro Hall of Fame. I think he’s a heck of a football player and he plays every down and he sets an example for everyone out there.”
The Nittany Lions are 34-3-1 against the Owls and 33-0-1 since a loss in 1941. They have outscored Temple 123-3 in three matchups since the teams entered an agreement to meet for seven consecutive seasons.
Penn State took last year’s meeting 45-3 at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 20, extending its winning streak in the series to 26 games. All but one of those victories came under Paterno.
The Lions have won 19 of 20 at home, with the only loss coming against then-No. 1 Ohio State on Oct. 27, 2007. Penn State has gone 10-0 at State College since then, winning by an average of 28.2 points.
The Lions last won 11 straight at home from Nov. 20, 2004-Sept. 30, 2006.
Temple has been idle since blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and losing its opener 27-24 to Villanova on Sept. 3. Junior Vaughn Charlton was picked off for the third time with 49 seconds to play, a turnover that led to the Wildcats’ winning field goal as time expired.
Charlton’s three interceptions were a career high. He did go 19 of 28 for 317 yards and two touchdowns.
The Owls lost their last 26 games against ranked opponents by an average of 31.1 points.
