As much trouble as Penn State players had explaining the losing streak, they had a three-word response for Saturday's win.

Just do it.

At the risk of sounding like an advertisement for Nike, the Nittany Lions routinely responded to questions about the 52-7 drubbing of Indiana by referencing Phil Knight's tag line.

"I think it's just a matter of doing it," Penn State safety Yaacov Yisrael said. "As far as plays you can't call a perfect offensive play or a perfect defensive play, you've just got to do it."

Linebacker Derek Wake said similarly that the players were ultimately responsible for the game's final outcome.

"Coach always says the right defense or the wrong defense played by the right guys is still going to be the right defense," Wake said.

"Today a lot of guys stepped up and made plays."

They did so when the game was on the line, returning a blocked punt for a touchdown and returning an interception for a touchdown in less than nine minutes in the third quarter.

The defensive scores were interspersed with two offensive touchdowns that came on a 10-yard touchdown run by Michael Robinson and a 30-yard touchdown pass from Robinson to wideout Tony Johnson.

The 31 points in the third quarter put the Lions comfortably in the lead for the first time since their Sept. 20 game against Kent State.

It also gave Penn State some separation in the second half of a game it led by just 14 points at halftime.

Cornerback Rich Gardner said the win was a product of preparation, of play-making and of an over-confident Indiana team.

"Indiana came in today, they didn't have fear in their heart," Gardner said. "They thought they could come out and beat us and that's not the Penn State that we're used to. Penn State in the past, we'd go out on that field and do what we needed to do and have teams looking over their shoulder. They were scared of Penn State, they were scared of Blue-White."

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said the recent problems have stemmed, partly, from a misconception among the players that simply wearing a Penn State jersey was enough to win.

Now, a big challenge, he said, is earning that reputation.

The Lions took his charge to heart, scoring on their opening possession for the first time this season and adding a second touchdown in the first 14 minutes of the game. It was the most points Penn State has scored in the first quarter this season.

It came, however, against a team with just one Big Ten win this season. Five of the Hoosiers' nine losses in 2003 have come by more than 21 points and they have been held under 300 yards of total offense four times this year.

Bradley said one of the biggest things the team needs to realize is that every down is potentially a big play in a close game.

"When I was around good teams, there was that feeling we're going to get them, this is our day, this is our play," Bradley said.

"When it's not a game like today, when it's nip and tuck and you're going at it, there are only seven plays that make a difference. You just don't know when they're going to happen and you have to be ready to play and be smart."

That could be why nine of Penn State's last 12 losses have come by 10 points or less. Yisrael said the Indiana game was the first time this year the team played together.

"We all came out and we were on the same page," Yisrael said. "I think we played maybe our first complete game."