COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Penn State finds itself in a perfect spot heading into its off week.

The Nittany Lions (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) made a statement Saturday night in their biggest game of the season, beating Ohio State, 13-6, at Ohio Stadium for the first time since 1978.

The Lions remained No. 3 in The Associated Press rankings yesterday and No. 3 in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

"We knew this game was going to decide our season," outside linebacker Navorro Bowman said.

With its offense struggling mightily and starting quarterback Daryll Clark sidelined with an unspecified head injury, Penn State had to turn to its defense and backup quarterback Pat Devlin to save the day against the Buckeyes.

Ohio State led 6-3 and faced third-and-one from the 50-yard line four minutes into the fourth quarter. Freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor tried to run to the right for a first down.

He was hit by Penn State safety Mark Rubin, who blitzed and knocked the ball loose with his left hand.

"We knew it was going to be a sneak or a dive, so we just blitzed," Rubin said. "[Pryor] happened to bounce outside. I just tried to squeeze tight and make a play."

Several players from both teams had a chance to recover the ball, but it was Bowman who ultimately corralled it after a wild scramble at the Buckeyes' 38 with 10:38 left.

At that point, Devlin trotted onto the field to take over the offense while Clark was woozy and being treated on the sideline.

Although he lost the quarterback derby to Clark in the preseason and had played sparingly in recent weeks, Devlin didn't squander the opportunity.

He drove the Lions 38 yards on seven plays, capped by his 1-yard run on a third-and-one play. The officials waited a short time before finally signaling a touchdown, which put Penn State ahead for good, 10-6, with 6:25 remaining.

"There were definitely a lot of bodies on top of me in that end zone," Devlin said.

If Penn State wins its last three games -- at Iowa (Nov. 8) and at home against Indiana (Nov. 15) and Michigan State (Nov. 22) -- and earns a spot in the Jan. 8 BCS national championship game, Rubin's jarring hit could be one of the biggest plays of the season.

It is one of four nominees for the Pontiac Game Changing Performance award. Last week, defensive tackle Jared Odrick's sack in the end zone against Michigan for a safety took the top spot.

"Mark made a great play at critical time," cornerback Lydell Sargeant said. "It was sensational."

As a teenager, Rubin made a big splash in swimming. He defeated eight-time Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps a handful of times.

"Maybe I beat him three, four, five, six, seven times," Rubin said.

However, he quickly added: "He beat me 20, 30, 40 times."

Rubin, a fifth-year senior who had a career-high 11 tackles against the Buckeyes, started six games as a wide receiver for the Lions as a true freshman in 2004.

He was moved to defense in 2007. He started the past five games last season and has become a fixture in the secondary this year.

The Lions' defense forced two turnovers and held Ohio State to its fewest points at home since a 6-0 loss to Wisconsin in 1982. They also limited the Buckeyes to 61 rushing yards on 31 carries -- 121 yards below their average. Tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells entered the game averaging 123.8 yards per game, but was held to 55 yards on 22 carries.

Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin sacked Pryor for a 9-yard loss at the end of the first half. It was Maybin's 11th sack of the season, ranking him No. 2 in the nation.

"Everybody was saying [last] week: You don't have a sexy or exotic name," defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said. "I told people: 'We're like a fourth line in hockey -- muckers and grinders.'"

NOTES -- Penn State has won 40 of its past 49 games, the nation's sixth-best mark during that span. ... The Lions are 9-0 for the 10th time under coach Joe Paterno. ... The Lions did not have a penalty in a game for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 1993. They also did not have any turnovers. ... Penn State beat a Top-10 team on the road for the first time since a 27-23 win at No. 8 Miami in 1999.