UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State finally ended its nine-game losing streak to Michigan last year with a resounding 46-17 victory at Beaver Stadium.

But another streak lives on as the Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) prepare to travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday to tackle the Wolverines (5-2, 1-2).

Penn State has not won at Michigan Stadium -- also known as The Big House -- since 1996.

The Lions have endured five painful losses during that 13-year stretch, including three by a combined 10 points since 2002. They were outscored, 60-11, in the other two setbacks.

"It's a tough place to play," tailback Evan Royster said. "It's kind of something you really don't try and think about, the fact that we haven't won there in a while or whatever."

Royster said the Lions, who are bowl-eligible, have put their past woes at Michigan behind them.

"I think we feel like we're the better team and we can go out there and still beat them," he said.

Royster ran for a career-high 174 yards on 18 carries (9.7 average) and a touchdown in last year's 29-point rout of the Wolverines.

Michigan finished 3-9 in its first season under former West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. It was the most losses in school history and the Wolverines' first losing season in 41 years. They failed to earn a bowl trip for the first time in 34 years.

Michigan won its first four home games this year, including a 38-34 triumph against then-No. 18 Notre Dame, before losing back-to-back road games to Michigan State (26-20 in overtime) and unbeaten Iowa (30-28).

The Wolverines rebounded in a big way Saturday, blasting Division I-AA Delaware State, 63-6, behind a school-record 727 yards offense.

"Obviously, they're playing up with some of the best teams in the country now," Royster said. "They're showing that it was just kind of a fluke last year and they can still be a good team."

Royster, a 6-foot-1, 213-pound redshirt junior, also is starting to return to his old form. He went over 100 yards for the third time this season Saturday against Minnesota, rushing for 137 yards on 23 carries.

Penn State, ranked No. 13 in The Associated Press poll yesterday and No. 11 in the USA Today coaches' poll, is 9-0 when Royster gains 100 yards or more.

"Royster's a good back," coach Joe Paterno said. "I think really, he wouldn't admit it, but he had a period there where he was sick with the flu and the whole bit.

"He was always saying, 'I'm OK, I'm OK,' but he never looked like he had quite the spring in his legs that he had a year ago. I think he's starting to come around now and feel a little better about some things."

Royster, who also caught two passes for 23 yards, did most of his damage against the Golden Gophers on the soggy grass in the first half, running for 88 yards on 12 carries.

He had a 2-yard touchdown run called back with 39 seconds left in the second quarter after center Stefen Wisniewski was flagged for holding.

Penn State finished with 177 yards rushing and 287 yards passing against Minnesota on a chilly homecoming.

"We played great all around," said Royster, who has 2,390 career rushing yards and needs only 129 more to pass Eric McCoo for 11th place in school history. "We could run and throw the ball on them, and that's a good thing.

"We didn't really know where we were at as an offense going into this game, but I think we have a good idea now."

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NOTES -- Outside linebacker Sean Lee said he tweaked his injured left knee in the fourth quarter Saturday, but it's nothing serious. "It's something that you're just going to have to deal with coming back from spraining your knee," he said. "You're going to feel stuff. Afterwards, I talked to doc, I feel great and everything's good, so I should be ready to practice [today]." Lee, who is wearing a brace, estimated he played 15 snaps in the nickel package in his first action in a month. He said he could have gone back into the game, "but we had a 20-point lead at that point, and they were like, no point in playing." ... Penn State was ranked No. 13 in the initial BCS standings released yesterday.

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