UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Perhaps Penn State should change the "HD" in its new spread offense to "ER" or "DC."

Tailback Evan Royster ran for a career-high 141 yards on 17 carries and scored three first-half touchdowns and quarterback Daryll Clark passed for two scores and ran for another yesterday as the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions routed Oregon State, 45-14, at Beaver Stadium.

Royster scored on first-half runs of 15, 28, and 4 yards, and Clark threw touchdown passes of 5 yards to tight end Mickey Shuler and 24 to wide receiver Jordan Norwood, who had eight catches for 116 yards. Clark also scored on an 18-yard run.

Royster, a redshirt sophomore, has six rushing touchdowns in two games. He is the first player in Joe Paterno's 43 seasons as coach to accomplish the feat.

"It's a great achievement," said Royster, who scored five touchdowns last season as Rodney Kinlaw's backup. "Hopefully, we'll just keep moving forward. We did a great job today, and the offense is really firing on all cylinders."

Clark also had a starring role in his second career start for the 2-0 Lions, who were without two suspended defensive starters -- end Maurice Evans and tackle Abe Koroma.

Clark, a junior who found out this past week that he will have a fifth year of eligibility in 2009, single-handedly staked Penn State to a 14-0, first-quarter lead.

He converted two big third-down passes on the first scoring drive, hitting Norwood for 14 yards on third-and-10 and Shuler for 24 on a third-and-7. That led to Royster's 15-yard touchdown run off right tackle, which was set up by blocks from right guard Stefen Wisniewski and wide receiver Brett Bracket, who came in motion.

On the second drive, Clark's 24-yard scamper on third-and-3 from the 48 helped lead to the short scoring pass to Shuler.

Clark, who spent the past two seasons as Anthony Morelli's backup, finished 14 of 23 for 215 yards passing and also ran for 64 yards on five carries.

"Daryll was hot today," offensive coordinator Galen Hall said. "I think he's played very well the first two games."

According to Clark, he still has a lot of work to do.

"Slow progress, getting better," Clark said. "Obviously, a lot of room for improvement. You're never at your peak."

Penn State's explosive offense has rolled up 1,048 yards, 111 points and 14 touchdowns in the first eight quarters. And Royster has proven to be more than just a guy who can run between the tackles.

He has become a serious outside threat while limiting backup Stephfon Green's touches.

"I worked on that a lot in the offseason, trying to get a little more breakaway speed to the outside," Royster said. "I sacrificed a little bit of weight for it, but I think it's helping me a lot."

Penn State dominated the first half, outscoring Oregon State, 35-7. The Lions outgained the Beavers, 329-137. Clark completed 11 of 17 for 149 yards and two scores in the opening 30 minutes, while Royster had 119 yards on 12 carries.

His previous high for rushing yards in a game was 126 against Purdue last season.

"He's a good back, a solid back," Paterno said.

Oregon State (0-2) managed just 92 yards rushing, 342 yards offense and touchdown runs of 12 and 4 yards by backup tailback Jacquizz Rodgers. Penn State's other score came on a 31-yard field goal by Kevin Kelly.

Evans and Koroma were benched for the game. Paterno suspended them Thursday for their alleged roles in an incident at their apartment, where marijuana was seized. Backup tight end Andrew Quarless also was suspended, but Paterno changed his mind and allowed Quarless to dress, although he did not play.

Asked when Evans and Koroma might return, Paterno said: "I really haven't thought about it."

The one negative to Penn State's win was that defensive end Jerome Hayes, who started in Evans' absence, sustained a torn ACL in his left knee on a special-teams play in the fourth quarter and likely is done for the season. A year ago, Hayes suffered a season ending torn ACL in his right knee against Wisconsin.

"Poor kid," Paterno said. "He worked so hard to get back."