UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Tailback Evan Royster rushed for more than 100 yards in a game for the first time in 11 months.

He also scored a rushing touchdown for the third consecutive game, leading No. 5 Penn State to a 31-6 victory against Temple yesterday before 105,514 at Beaver Stadium.

Royster had managed only 102 yards rushing in the first two games, but he bested that total in the first half against Temple.

He gained 119 of his 134 yards in the opening 30 minutes against the Owls, who have not beaten the Nittany Lions in 68 years. He had a 7-yard touchdown run in the second quarter among his 19 carries, helping Penn State improve to 3-0. Backup tailback Stephfon Green also scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

"It was just a matter of time," Royster said. "Our offensive line blocked really well today."

Royster, one of 15 players slowed by the flu last week, reached the 100-yard mark for the first time since gaining 174 on 18 carries against Michigan Oct. 18, 2008.

Penn State entered the game ranked 94th in rushing among Division I teams, averaging 107 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry.

The Lions finished with 186 yards on 26 carries (5.2 average) against the Owls, who did not stack the line of scrimmage to stop the run like Akron and Syracuse did the previous two weeks.

"Their safeties played a lot less aggressively," Royster said. "They stayed back in pass coverage a little more than these past few teams we've played."

There was one change on the offensive line, where Johnnie Troutman replaced Matt Stankiewitch in the starting lineup at left guard.

"It felt great to get the running game going," said center Stefen Wisniewski, a Central Catholic High School graduate. "Hopefully, we can keep it up next week, too."

Quarterback Daryll Clark completed only 16 of 26 passes for 167 yards with an interception, but he tossed two first-half touchdown passes -- a 1-yarder to tight end Mickey Shuler and a 4-yarder to wide receiver Derek Moye from Rochester.

Clark has eight touchdown passes in the first three games. And Penn State's offense was 5 for 5 in the red zone yesterday, with four touchdowns and one field goal -- a 27-yarder by Collin Wagner in the third quarter.

Clark was sacked twice and absorbed a few big hits from Temple defenders. Penn State also lost wide receiver/punt returner Graham Zug to a possible concussion in the second quarter and outside linebacker Sean Lee from Upper St. Clair to an unspecified injury to his left leg early in the fourth. On top of that, outside linebacker Navorro Bowman missed his second consecutive game with a groin injury.

Lee had ice on his leg and did not meet with reporters afterward, but he is expected to play in Saturday's Big Ten Conference opener against Iowa.

"I don't really know of anybody that's serious," coach Joe Paterno said. "I'm hoping Bowman can come back next week. I don't know whether he will or not."

Although Penn State's offense committed several costly penalties and miscues, the defense was solid.

Temple (0-2) managed just 251 yards of offense (205 passing, 46 rushing) and two field goals. Brandon McManus kicked a 25-yarder in the first quarter and a 35-yarder in the third.

The Lions' defense registered four sacks and nine tackles for losses. Middle linebacker Josh Hull had a team-high 13 tackles, while Lee finished with 12 and one sack.

"We were a little sloppy today in some situations," Paterno said. "But overall, I think we played better today than we have so far this year. And that's what I can tell the kids, 'Let's get better each week and we'll see where we end up.'

"It's not as if we're not going to have a chance to show people just how good we are, because we will have an opportunity to do that."

NOTES -- Backup linebacker Michael Zordich made his first appearance of the season and had one special teams tackle. Zordich was suspended the first two games after being charged with DUI prior to the opener against Akron. ... In addition to Lee, defensive end Jack Crawford and defensive tackles Jared Odrick and James Terry recorded sacks. Free safety Drew Astorino had a fumble recovery. ... In its past seven games against Penn State, Temple has managed just two touchdowns, the last one coming in the fourth quarter of the 2003 game.