BYU Serves Notice Against Penn State : Nonconference: The Cougars use a balanced attack to defeat the Nittany Lions, 30-17.

Maybe now, Brigham Young Coach LaVell Edwards says, his Cougars and the Western Athletic Conference will get a little respect from the nation’s football powerhouses.

“I’ve long felt that the best way for the WAC to get recognition is to schedule these kinds of games--and then win,” the coach said after BYU upset 14th-ranked Penn State, 30-17, Saturday.

The Cougars improved to 5-4 while dropping the Nittany Lions to 6-3.

Ryan Hancock threw for three second-quarter touchdowns and completed 13 of 19 passes for 220 yards. BYU’s runners--averaging only 123 yards per game going into the game--compiled 241 yards against the Penn State, led by Kalin Hall’s 117 yards in 22 carries.

“We mis-evaluated what LaVell and his staff would do,” Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said. “He did a good job, and they played very, very well. . . . We got beaten by a better football team today.

BYU’s defense twice turned back Penn State drives inside the Cougars’ 10-yard line.

“There were obviously two big things today, our ability to run the football and our defense,” Edwards said. “Today was our best game of the year.”

Penn State’s Kerry Collins, making only his second start at quarterback, completed 28 of 54 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown.

Penn State started strong, driving to the BYU 14-yard line midway through the first quarter on Collins’ passes of 14, 16 and 15 yards to Troy Drayton. Then came the Cougars’ blitz.

Looking to pass into the end zone on second down, Collins was swamped for an eight-yard loss by linebackers Shad Hansen and Todd Herget. An incomplete pass on the next play forced Penn State to settle for V.J. Muscillo’s 39-yard field goal.

BYU responded by driving 68 yards in nine plays, including a 26-yard pass from Hancock to Eric Drage that put the Cougars on the Nittany Lions’ 10-yard line. Hall ran the ball in two plays later to give BYU a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Hancock opened up thereafter, passing for 208 yards en route to a 27-3 halftime lead.

The Lions had a chance to trim the lead just before intermission. Collins completed six of eight passes to give Penn State a third down at the BYU seven-yard line. He then threw back-to-back incomplete passes.

Trailing, 30-3, late in the third quarter after David Lauder’s 27-yard field goal, Penn State again fell short. The Nittany Lions had third and goal at the Cougars’ two, but Collins again threw consecutive incomplete passes, including one to Kyle Brady in the end zone, broken up by Patrick Mitchell.