PSU moving up - toward No. 1

MADISON, Wis. - One number and one date now are the major obstacles standing between Penn State and a playdate for a chance to be No. 1.

The number?

The Nittany Lions almost certainly will move up to No. 3 in the polls today after obliterating Wisconsin on Saturday, 48-7, before 81,524 fans at Camp Randall Stadium. They need just one more team ahead of them - Texas or Alabama - to lose so they can move up to No. 2 and be in position to play in the national championship game.

The date?

Penn State will need to find a way to win the lone remaining so-called big game left on the schedule. It's looking very likely Oct. 25 at Ohio State will determine if the Lions can get to the title game in three months.

Now's the time for PSU fans to start dreaming big - if you haven't already - because this season has unfolded in dream fashion for the Lions.

''We really feel like if we can continue to go in week in and week out and produce that we'll be where we need to be at the end of the season,'' defensive end Aaron Maybin said.

Saturday was supposed to be a big test for Penn State.

It was supposed to be a matchup of two of the Big Ten's best teams.

It was supposed to be a good game.

Wrong.

Wrong.

Wrong.

The Lions (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) showed off in front of a national TV audience on ESPN by humiliating Wisconsin (3-3, 0-3). The game was a mismatch in every way, with PSU jumping out to a 17-0 lead and going in at the half up, 24-7.

The Lions, whose defense overmatched Wisconsin's physical ground attack and forced four turnovers, poured it on with 17 points in the third quarter to make it 41-7.

''I just knew that these guys were ready to play,'' said PSU coach Joe Paterno, who spent his second straight game in the press box because of a sore right leg.

The Badgers may have a lot of tradition, but for the second straight year, they didn't look like they belonged on the same field as Penn State.

It was 38-7 last year, so the two-year total is staggering: 86-14.

''It really spoke volumes for our team,'' Maybin said.

Penn State handed Wisconsin its worst home loss since a 51-3 drubbing against Miami in 1989.

''Of all the teams that we've faced, they've got the most talent,'' Badgers coach Bret Bielema, whose team has lost three straight, said of the Lions.

Penn State will get a boost in the polls after three top-five teams lost Saturday: No. 1 Oklahoma (to Texas), No. 3 Missouri (Oklahoma State) and No. 4 LSU (Florida). It's possible the Lions could rise to No. 2 next week if they beat a down Michigan team and Missouri beats Texas.

Daryll Clark and Penn State's offense drove over the Badgers all night, setting the tone on the first play from scrimmage. The Lions often tighten up on the road in big games, but this time they came out firing as Clark hit Brett Brackett for a 20-yard gain over the middle.

At that instant, there was a feeling Penn State would be going on the attack, which it did the rest of the night.

Clark said the team wants to prove it can win big games on the road, something Penn State has had trouble doing for years.

''It still sits in the back of our mind as an ounce of disrespect that we get from people,'' Clark said.

''It's an us-against-the-world mentality when we're on the road,'' Clark later added. ''Camp Randall is a tough place to play. The fans are real crazy, and what was important is that we got out and did what we had to do.''

Kevin Kelly started the scoring with a 50-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the first quarter for a 3-0 PSU lead. The Lions pushed the lead to 10-0 when Evan Royster took an option pitch from Clark and scored on third-and-goal from the 2 with 10:46 left in the half.

Clark snuck in from 2 yards out with 1:24 to go in the half to stretch the lead to 17. One of the biggest plays of the game occurred a few seconds earlier to put the Lions in scoring position.

Wisconsin quarterback Allan Evridge fumbled deep in his own territory, and Josh Hull recovered at the Badger 16. Maybin sacked Evridge, jarring the ball loose, and a pass interference call on PSU's first play moved it to the 2.

Derrick Williams continued his stellar season as a return specialist with a 63-yard punt return for a score to give the Lions a 17-0 lead with 10:11 left in the half. Williams now has returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns.

Williams fielded the punt at his 37, ran through a big hole up the middle near midfield and darted out toward the right sideline. He had mostly open field in front of him, and Nathan Stupar's downfield block took care of the only potential tackler.

''Daylight,'' Williams said. ''Just daylight, and I just had to run to it.''

Wisconsin scored its lone points on a 5-yard keeper by Evridge with 4:21 to go in the half. Penn State answered on its next drive when Clark scored from 2 yards out for a 24-7 edge.

The Lions opened the second half with a six-play, 76-yard drive for a touchdown. Clark was 4-for-4 on the drive, including a 17-yard pass to Jordan Norwood to the 4, and he finished it off with a 4-yard keeper around the right side to make it 31-7.

Clark looked even better on his next series as he rolled out of the pocket a few times and hit receivers in traffic. He started the drive with a 21-yard throw to Norwood, and he later escaped danger and hit James McDonald for a 25-yard gain.

Clark connected with a wide-open Deon Butler on a 44-yard scoring strike for a 38-7 lead with 7:22 left in the third.

Lydell Sargeant intercepted Evridge at the Badger 48 to set up PSU's next scoring opportunity. Kelly's 30-yard field goal made it 41-7 with 3:15 to go in the quarter.

Backup quarterback Pat Devlin closed the scoring on a 1-yard run with 2:40 to play.

Clark was 16-of-25 for 244 yards with a TD and interception. Evan Royster led PSU's ground attack with 60 yards and a score on 14 carries.

Penn State held Wisconsin tailback P.J. Hill to 58 yards on 15 carries.

It's easy to get caught looking ahead to Ohio State, but the Lions have their old nemesis Michigan up next. The Wolverines have beaten Penn State nine straight times, but they are down this season and coming off a loss Saturday to Toledo.

''Right now, we've just got to work on getting ready for Michigan,'' Maybin said.

Mirror Sports Staffer Cory Giger from the Press Box...

End 3Q: Penn State 41, Wisconsin 7

The Lions poured it on in the third quarter, making a decent Wisconsin team look downright bad.

Penn State opened the second half with a six-play, 76-yard drive for a touchdown. Daryll Clark was 4-for-4 on the drive, including a 17-yard pass to Jordan Norwood to the 4, and he finished it off with a 4-yard keeper around the right side to make it 31-7.

Clark looked even better on his next series as he rolled out of the pocket a few times and hit receivers in traffic. He started the drive with a 21-yard throw to Norwood, and he later escaped danger and hit James McDonald for a 25-yard gain.

Clark connected with a wide-open Derrick Williams on a 44-yard scoring strike for a 38-7 lead with 7:22 left in the third.

Lydell Sargeant intercepted Allan Evridge at the Badger 48 to set up PSU's next scoring opportunity. Kevin Kelly's 30-yard field goal made it 41-7 with 3:15 to go in the quarter.

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End 1st half: Penn State 24, Wisconsin 7

Penn State is one half away from moving into the top five and remaining right in the mix for the national championship.

The Nittany Lions lead Wisconsin, 24-7, at halftime after an impressive performance so far at Camp Randall Stadium.

Quarterback Daryll Clark snuck in from 2 yards out with 1:24 to go in the half to stretch the lead to 17. One of the biggest plays of the game occurred a few seconds earlier to put the Lions in scoring position.

Wisconsin quarterback Allan Evridge fumbled deep in his own territory, and Josh Hull recovered at the Badger 16. Aaron Maybin sacked Evridge, jarring the ball looose, and a pass interference call on PSU's first play moved it to the 2.

Derrick Williams continued his stellar season as a return specialist with a 63-yard punt return for a score to give the Lions a 17-0 lead with 10:11 left in the half. Williams now has returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns, putting himself in position for potential All-America honors as a return man.

Williams fielded the punt at his 37, ran through a big hole up the middle near midfield and darted out toward the right sideline. He had mostly open field in front of him, and Nathan Stupar's downfield block took care of the only potential tackler.

The Lions pushed the lead to 10-0 when Evan Royster took an option pitch from Daryll Clark and scored on third-and-goal from the 2 with 10:46 left in the half.

Clark got rid of the ball just in time before getting hit, and fullback Dan Lawlor helped Royster stroll into the end zone with a good block of Wisconsin's Shane Carter near the goal line.

Clark hit Jordan Norwood on a 21-yard pass down to the Badger 17 to help set up the score. Clark later converted a third-and-5 at the 12 with a 9-yard keeper up the middle down to the 3.

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End 1Q: Penn State 3, Wisconsin 0

Kevin Kelly started the scoring with a 50-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the first quarter for a 3-0 PSU lead. The Lions were set up by a 15-yard punt by Wisconsin's Brad Nortman that gave them possession at their own 48.

Penn State missed a golden scoring opportunity on its first series. Daryll Clark threw a perfect pass down the seem to Derrick Williams, who had a step on his defender but dropped the ball at the Badger 5.

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7:55 p.m.

Paterno is coaching from the press box.

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7:40 p.m.

Joe Paterno did not come down to the field during his team's pregame warmups. There has been no official word yet, but he'll probably be coaching from the press box.

Paterno was seen earlier in the day walking with a cane.

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6:40 p.m.

Caught up with former PSU quarterback Todd Blackledge before the game. He's calling the action for ESPN. Check Sunday's Mirror for his thoughts on Joe Paterno and this year's Lion team.

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6:20 p.m.

Greetings from Madison, Wis. I just arrived in the press box a shot bit ago, after riding the elevator up with former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez. He and his wife were very polite, and it was striking to see how young he looked. He's 61 -- 20 years younger and has been out of coaching three years.

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Five things to look for as No. 6 Penn State looks to gain ground in the polls after No. 1 Oklahoma lost Saturday to No. 5 Texas.

Penn State starts its game at 8 p.m. in a fight to stay alive in the national championship race in a hostile environment at Wisconsin.

No. 1: Don't be conservative

The Nittany Lions usually tighten up on the road in tough games, scrapping a good bit of the offensive playbook and trying to rely heavily on the run.

That will not work today.

The coaching staff seems to have a lot of confidence in Daryll Clark, who's earned that by completing 64.5 percent of his throws. That's the team's most impressive statistic of the whole season.

Wisconsin left the middle of the field open several times last week against Ohio State. Clark can take advantage of that - if the coaches let him - with Jordan Norwood and, if healthy, Andrew Quarless.

Clark also should get more chances to run and break free on the outside in short-yardage situations. The Nittany Lions will need that because Wisconsin will stack the box and try to shut down the tailbacks.

No. 2: Let's get physical

Tough-guy football players love this type of game as they'll get to line up and crunch each other. The Badgers and Lions take pride in being able to outmuscle opponents, and a game like this often comes down to the big uglies lined up in the trenches.

Wisconsin's offensive linemen must eat a ton of cheese (get it?) because they always are among the largest in the nation. This group includes: right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel (6-foot-7, 324), right guard Kraig Urbik (6-6, 332), center John Moffitt (6-4, 323), left guard Andy Kemp (6-6, 315) and left tackle Gabe Carimi, the lightest of the group at 301 but a mountain at 6-8.

Average weight of those five: 319.

Average weight of Penn State's defensive line: 278, meaning the Lions are giving up 41 pounds per man.

No. 3: Backing up the line

The Lions' linebackers must shoot the gaps and help stuff the run, stopping 236-pound P.J. Hill at the point of attack and not letting him push forward for 2-3 extra yards.

Middle linebacker Josh Hull will be especially important. He had a great game last week at Purdue with 11 solo tackles and must hold his ground.

Penn State has played a lot of nickel the past few weeks, but that will change today as they'll go with three linebackers most of the time.

No. 4: The best defense ...

Is a good offense. The Lions need to sustain drives and win time of possession to let their defense stay fresh.

The Badgers should not be able to score a lot of points because their offense just isn't that good. So if Penn State scores early and puts on the pressure, Wisconsin will be in trouble.

No. 5: 5-0 for Joe?

Penn State has gone 4-0 since 2006 when Joe Paterno has coached all or part of a game from the press box. He'll decide his whereabouts today, so check altoonamirror.com for updates.

Prediction: Penn State 23, Wisconsin 13

Cory Giger is at 949-7031 and cgsports12@aol.com.