PHILADELPHIA -- Temple players realized the setting didn't look, feel or sound like a normal home atmosphere as their bus made its way to Lincoln Financial Field.

Blue tailgating tents dotted the parking lots around them. Tall Penn State-themed flags wobbly rose into the windy and gray overcast sky.

The police-escorted ride to the stadium even took more time than normal.

"There was lot of traffic here. A lot more than there ever has," Temple wide receiver Bruce Francis said.

Saturday's attendance (69,029) marked the largest home crowd in Temple football history. No doubt, though, most cheered for the visiting Nittany Lions, who won 31-0 in their first visit to Philadelphia since 1994.

"We have so many Penn Staters from the area," Joe Paterno said. "Even our own students can't get tickets to the games at home because of the demand. When we get the chance to come Philadelphia, the kids have an opportunity to see us play, and they can see friends and the whole bit."

While Beaver Stadium remained empty and quiet over the weekend, the trappings of a home game moved east to the Pennsylvania border.

After Temple kicker Jake Brownell missed a 23-yard field goal to end the Owls' opening drive, the first "We are ... Penn State" chant sounded through the venue, also home for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.

Fans found each other again after both of Anthony Morelli's first-quarter touchdown passes to Jordan Norwood that gave Penn State (8-3, 4-3 Big Ten) all the points it needed.

The Lions shut out Temple (3-7, 3-3 MAC) for the second consecutive season. But the official home team certainly had scoring chances, especially in the first half.

The Owls missed the short field goal, had a touchdown pass called back for a holding penalty and, on the same drive, wide-open Temple tight end Matt Balasavage dropped a would-be score on a fake field goal. Penn State led 17-0 at the half and felt fortunate.

"Sometimes you kind of held your breath while they were throwing it," said Philadelphia-area native Dan Connor, who tied a career-high with 18 tackles, playing before a group of 40 or so family and friends and minutes from his home.

Aside from a third-quarter interception on Morelli, Penn State allowed Temple few opportunities as the game closed. In the second half, the Lions held Temple to 48 yards of total offense, most of which was gathered during the Owls final futile drive.

At one point near the end of the third quarter, with the Lion mascot five rows deep nearby and the Temple offense near its own end zone, defensive end Maurice Evans successfully encouraged disruptive noise on third-down and the Owls punted.

Neither team scored after halftime until running back Rodney Kinlaw put Penn State ahead 24-0 with a 10-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

After he did, fans wearing both cherry and blue-and-white began to filter out.

Those that stuck around to the end were mainly Penn Staters.

"It was good to see our fans show up," defensive tackle Chris Baker said. "I think we had more fans than they did."