UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's prolific offense overpowered teams in 1994, piling up eye-popping numbers.

After two easy victories against Coastal Carolina and Oregon State, the 17th-ranked Nittany Lions' offense has rekindled memories of that magical season 14 years ago.

In '94, Penn State led the country in scoring (47.8 points per game) and total offense (520.2 yards per game) en route to a 12-0 record and a runner-up finish to No. 1 Nebraska. Coach Joe Paterno still disputes the final ranking.

The Lions set a plethora of records that season, shattering 14 team and 19 individual marks. They also produced five first-team All-Americans. They included four eventual No. 1 NFL draft picks (tailback Ki-Jana Carter, quarterback Kerry Collins, tight end Kyle Brady and guard/center Jeff Hartings) and a second-rounder (wide receiver Bobby Engram).

"We were probably as good an offensive team in a tough league as anybody who ever played," Paterno said.

This year's offense may not have any bona fide All-American players, but they do have plenty of playmakers.

The Lions rank third in the country in scoring offense (55.5 points per game), eighth in rushing offense (286.5 yards per game) and the offensive line has yet to allow a sack.

Meanwhile, the offense has scored at least 35 first-half points in each of the first two games, marking the first time that has happened since the '94 team racked up 35 or more in its first three games.

Penn State has outscored its first two opponents, 111-24, while producing 16 plays of 20 yards or longer. The '94 team rang up 564 points overall, including the Rose Bowl win against Oregon, and allowed only 252.

Paterno said it is way too early to compare the two offenses.

"I can't get excited until we've had some adversity," he said. "These guys have got to do some things when things aren't going right. Maybe we don't do well on the road in hostile environments. I don't know yet.

"But, for me to compare it to the '94 team now would be very, very premature."

Penn State has a combined 1,048 yards offense and 14 touchdowns -- 11 rushing and three passing. Those gaudy statistics likely will improve the next two weeks. The Lions play Syracuse (0-2) Saturday in the Carrier Dome before returning home to face Temple (1-1) the following week.

Tailback Evan Royster, a highly recruited high school lacrosse player from Fairfax, Va., who had college offers from perennial lacrosse powers Johns Hopkins and Virginia, has emerged as the go-to guy. He has a team-high 205 of the team's 573 rushing yards on 25 carries.

Quarterback Daryll Clark has completed 67.6 percent of his passes (25 of 37) for 361 yards and three scores. He is the fifth-leading rusher with 61 yards on five carries, a 12.2 average.

NOTES -- Outside linebacker Tyrell Sales, a Butler High School graduate, had a career-high 10 tackles Saturday, including nine solo. ... Penn State announced yesterday that defensive end Jerome Hayes will miss the remainder of the season after the ACL in his left knee was torn Saturday. Hayes will have surgery within the next 2-3 weeks and rehabilitation will take approximately nine months.