UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark used the season's four non-conference games as a dress rehearsal.

So did the unbeaten Nittany Lions.

Clark and 12th-ranked Penn State are preparing to take center stage Saturday night against No. 22 Illinois in their Big Ten Conference opener at Beaver Stadium.

"We feel the season has started now," Clark said yesterday. "The Big Ten is here. ... Hopefully, we can make a statement come Saturday and make some people realize this team might be for real here."

Clark, a junior first-year starter who backed up Anthony Morelli the past two seasons, leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency and ranks 14th nationally with a 166.1 rating. He is fifth in the conference in passing (180.0 yards per game), sixth in total offense (200.2).

Clark's season totals are impressive considering he has left each of the first four games before the end of the third quarter. He has completed 48 of 78 passes (61.5 percent) for 715 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He also has rushed for 81 yards and two scores.

Penn State's offense has produced 29 plays of 20 yards or longer, and eight have resulted in touchdowns. The Lions are ranked in the top 10 nationally in three categories. They are No. 3 in scoring (52.8 average points per game), No. 6 in total offense (538.5 yards) and No. 8 in rushing (273.0 yards).

"I figure as long as we execute the way we've been executing and stay productive, everything can go well, just as it's been," Clark said. "As along as [the coaches] stay with us ... I think we can stay sound as far as an offense goes. As long as we're clicking, I think everything will work itself out."

The Lions have been virtually unstoppable with their balanced attack. They are the only team in Division I averaging more than 270 yards rushing and 260 passing per game.

"Unstoppable? I wouldn't want to say unstoppable," Clark said. "Because we haven't entered the Big Ten yet -- not to discredit any of the teams we've played so far. ... It's important that we stay levelheaded and stay grounded."

Clark said coach Joe Paterno, who has been watching practice again this week from a golf cart while resting his sore right leg, often critiques his play.

"We talk from time to time at practice and he lets me know the progress," Clark said. "And when I'm messing up, he's always on me as well. Him being on me is very important for me. It lets me know he has a lot of confidence in me. He trusts that I'm a guy who can get the job done."

Clark, 6 feet 2 and 235 pounds, admitted after Saturday's 45-3 win against Temple that he was frustrated about not relieving a struggling Morelli in Penn State's 27-20 loss at Illinois last year.

The Lions' last four possessions ended with three Morelli interceptions and a fumble.

"I wanted to play that game, period," Clark said. "It wasn't the fact that [Morelli] was doing terrible so I needed to be in the game. You always feel like, when things aren't going right, that you could have made that play."

Clark, from Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio, hopes to exact some revenge.

"We owe Illinois for what happened last year," he said. "It's going to be prime time, at night, and we're champing at the bit right now."

Clark also hopes to gain the upper hand in his matchup with Illinois quarterback Juice Williams.

"It's going to be fun," Clark said. "I'm really looking forward to it. He's a good player. He shows a lot of promise. He does a good job with leading that offense."