BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Appropriate, isn't it, that Penn State -- the school most vocal about utilizing instant replay in the Big Ten -- would need its services to achieve its first victory in the conference this season.

And, even more appropriate, isn't it, that Dick Honig, the very same referee Penn State coach Joe Paterno chased down after the 2002 Iowa game for disputed calls, was the head official in a game in which the questionable calls very often went the way of the Nittany Lions.

As Penn State defeated Indiana, 22-18, on Saturday, it not only relied on the conference's brand-new instant replay system to overturn two erroneous calls, it was helped along by generous calls in key places that affected the outcome of the game.

"We got some bang bang calls," Paterno said. "I'm not sure if they're right or not -- I couldn't tell from where I am -- but if you call those breaks, yeah, we got a couple of tough calls that could have gone either way."

The replay booth reviewed three plays -- where indisputable video evidence is needed to reverse a call -- and two of those three plays were overturned. The first review came near the end of the first quarter, in which Penn State quarterback Zack Mills threw a 33-yard pass to receiver Michael Robinson, who was along the sideline in the end zone. The pass was originally ruled incomplete, though the offense thought otherwise.

"I thought I was [in], but then I looked at the ref and he was pretty stern," Robinson said. "He was like, 'No, you weren't in,' so I was like, 'OK.' "

However, Mills, who saw Robinson's position when he made the catch, was convinced Robinson was in bounds, so he spoke to the referee.

"I asked the official, 'Can that be reviewable?' " Mills said. "He said, 'Yeah.' I was waiting for the play to come in, and I kept asking him, 'Did it go off yet, did the buzzer go off yet?' The next thing I knew, the whistle blew."

With the catch ruled as complete after review, the play counted as the Lions' first touchdown, though an anticlimactic one at that. Interestingly, the team's second touchdown was, too, tempered by the review process. When Mills rushed 2 yards for Penn State's second touchdown, in the third quarter, the play was reviewed -- but stood as called -- to determine if Mills did, indeed, cross the goal line.

The third review involved the Lions' defense, as Indiana made a long 18-yard sideline throw on third down to receiver Travis Haney that, if completed, would have kept alive the Hoosiers' drive and put them in opportune scoring position. But, when put under review, it was determined that Haney's foot was out of bounds, forcing Indiana to punt the ball away, without a score.

"The instant replay worked wonders this time, didn't it?" defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said, with a smile.

On calls when instant replay didn't come into effect, however, penalties called against Indiana also worked wonders. And nowhere was that more apparent than in the Lions' final touchdown drive, in which two pass interference calls and a sideline personal foul worked out pretty nicely for Penn State.

Both pass interference calls occurred on the goal line -- first on the touchdown drive, and then on the two-point conversion. And just like that, an incomplete pass on second-and-goal became first-and-goal on the 2, and a failed two-point conversion led to a second, successful attempt.

And as for the sideline foul, well, it was a 15-yard penalty for an elbow thrown at Robinson by Indiana lineman Chris Voltattorni after a first-down catch, but it's a story best told by Robinson himself.

"It was a guy that wasn't even in the game; he was just on the sideline chilling," Robinson said. "I'm like, 'Yo, you're not even in the game, you're not even sweating. Why would you push somebody that was playing in the game?' "

Robinson also had a few choice words for the fellow, but refused to disclose them: "It would be, 'Bleep bleep bleep bleep' that would be what you'd have to write."

Chances are, however, Penn State would gladly share a few profanities with a backup player on the sideline than while in hot pursuit of a referee.