ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After playing poorly in losses to Iowa and another to Southern California in his previous 11 starts, Daryll Clark knew he needed to make a statement against a quality opponent.

The Penn State quarterback did that Saturday, equaling his career high with four touchdowns passes in a 35-10 victory against Michigan on a rainy, blustery day.

It was the Nittany Lions' first win at the Big House since 1996.

"When people ask us about the monkey being off our back, I just answer that this is just an all-team win right here," Clark said.

Clark, a 6-foot-3, 232-pound senior co-captain, not only delivered a victory against college football's all-time winning Division I-A program, he got his first signature triumph since beating then-No. 17 Michigan State, 49-18, in last year's regular-season finale. He threw four touchdown passes in that game.

One of 10 candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Clark has 17 touchdown passes this season, tying him with Mike McQueary, the team's wide receivers coach, Zack Mills and Michael Robinson for eighth place on the school's all-time list.

Clark is within easy striking distance of the single-season touchdown record of 22, set by Todd Blackledge in 1982.

"We have a big gun, we're going to shoot him," quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno said.

Penn State (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) is ranked No. 12 in The Associated Press poll released yesterday, and No. 10 in the USA Today coaches' poll.

Clark and the Nittany Lions, 6-1 on the road the past two seasons, will take their aerial show to Northwestern (5-2, 2-2) Saturday.

"It's going to sound arrogant, but we feel like we match up pretty well against just about anybody throwing the ball if the protection is good," Paterno said. "Like I said, Daryll's playing at a very, very high level. We got a lot of trust in him. We feel like we can go after anybody."

Clark completed 16 of 27 passes for 230 yards against the Wolverines, and threw touchdown strikes of 10, 11 and 17 yards to wide receiver Graham Zug. Clark also tossed a 60-yard scoring pass to tight end Andrew Quarless.

Clark, who has five touchdown passes of 49 yards or longer this season, also ran seven times for 13 yards and was sacked twice against Michigan.

"It was a hostile environment, a tough challenge for us," Paterno said. "It's hard to complain when he comes out and gets the win like that and he plays like he did."

Paterno said he was tired of hearing about Michigan's two freshmen quarterbacks and its offense, which entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in scoring and rushing and second in total offense.

Starter Tate Forcier was 13 of 30 for 140 yards and an interception and was sacked five times. And backup Denard Robinson was 0 of 2 with an interception and a fumble.

Penn State is 10-1 when Clark passes for 200 yards or more.

"I don't think we've really gotten the credit offensively that our line, our quarterbacks, our receivers and those guys deserve," Paterno said. "They've played awfully well the last four games."

However, in the 21-10 setback to unbeaten Iowa at home five weeks ago, Clark completed only 12 of 32 passes for 198 yards and one touchdown. He was picked off three times.

"Fans were awfully tough on him after the Iowa game," Paterno said. "And the morning of the Illinois game [the following week], I told him, 'Think about the first time you ever set foot on a field when you were 8 years old. Why did you play the game?' And he said, 'Because I enjoyed it.'

"I said, `That's what you've got to do.'"

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NOTES -- Penn State was ranked No. 12 in the BCS standings released yesterday. ... The Lions are 47-12 since 2005, ranking among the 10 best records in the country. ... Tailback Evan Royster gained 100 yards on 20 carries Saturday. It was his 10th career 100-yard rushing game. His 41-yard run on his first carry marked a season-long run. ... WR Derek Moye, from Rochester High School, tied his career high with six catches for 53 yards.

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