Penn State rolls past FIU

Sep 1, 2007, 20:36 GMT

University Park, PA - Anthony Morelli completed 23-of-38 passes for a career-best 295 yards and three scores as 17th-ranked Penn State crushed Florida International, 59-0, at Beaver Stadium.

It was a raucous season opener for Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, who returned to the sideline for his 42nd season and for the first time since breaking his leg last November in a sideline collision at Wisconsin.

Evan Royster rushed eight times for 70 yards with a touchdown and Rodney Kinlaw added 67 yards on eight carries with a score for the Nittany Lions (1-0), who welcome Notre Dame next Saturday.

Jordan Norwood added five catches for 92 yards, Mickey Shuler had a TD catch while Austin Scott rushed 11 times for 47 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

'I think it was a good first game for us,' said Paterno. 'I thought the defense played well pretty much the whole game. Kicking was good. Overall I thought it was a good first game.'

Wayne Younger threw for 117 yards on 12-of-25 passing and was sacked four times for the Golden Panthers (0-1). Julian Reams gained just 15 yards on eight carries and Greg Ellingson had three catches for 31 yards.

'Well, we came up here and we did play hard, we did. We just made the typical young team errors,' said FIU head coach Mario Cristobal. 'We gave the ball up in our own territory. They've got phenomenal athletes. You know what coach Paterno has done in his time and this is another example of another one of their great teams.'

Already up by a healthy margin, Penn State continued its onslaught in the second half. After the Lions failed on their first drive, FIU kick returner Lionell Singleton had the ball ripped away on the ensuing punt return to give the Lions the ball on the Panthers' 25. Three plays later, Scott ran it in from eight yards for a 31-0 contest 2:46 into the third.

A 15-yard TD run by Kinlaw put the Lions ahead 38-0 almost three minutes later, and Matt Hahn's one-yard reception for another score boosted the lead to 45-0.

Royster's 13-yard scamper with four seconds to play in the quarter made it 52-0, then Dan Lawlor rumbled in from 16 yards on the first play of the fourth for the final score in a 59-0 rout.

'I think we did well. We came off some blocks,' Paterno said about the defensive line, which helped Penn State earn its third shutout win in the last six games. 'We were consistent. We didn't do any dumb things up front.'

Penn State struck on their first possession, when Morelli found Terrell Golden in the back left corner of the end zone on a four-yard strike 4:25 into the contest.

On the ensuing kickoff, Singleton coughed up the football and Penn State's Justin King recovered on the Panthers' 36-yard-line, but the Lions failed to score.

FIU fumbled again on their next possession, and Penn State was set up on the visitors' 20-yard-line. Three plays later Morelli connected with a wide- open Shuler on a 17-yard pass for a 14-0 lead.

Kevin Kelly booted a 45-yard field-goal to give Penn State a 17-0 advantage with 6:41 remaining in the second, and it was 24-0 on the Nits' next march when Scott dove in from one-yard out with 2:39 to go before the half.

The Golden Panthers had a chance to get on the board with 46 seconds before the break, but a 29-yard attempt by Dustin Rivest was blocked.

Game Notes

Paterno improved to 35-7 in PSU season-openers...It was the first ever meeting between the teams...Penn State outgained FIU in total offense by 523-114...FIU fumbled four times in the first quarter alone, and the Lions defense recorded six sacks against Younger and back-up Colt Anderson...Attendance was 107,678.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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