East Roundup : Shaffer, Penn State Start Fast, Finish Temple, 45-15

Quarterback John Shaffer vindicated Coach Joe Paterno’s vote of confidence as he threw for three touchdowns and ran two yards for another in sixth-ranked Penn State’s 45-15 season-opening victory over Temple Saturday night at University Park, Pa.

Shaffer, who led Penn State to within one game of the national championship last season and survived intense preseason competition with backup Matt Knizner, completed 12 of 18 passes for 194 yards.

Penn State jumped to a 21-0 first-period lead as Shaffer, celebrating his 22nd birthday, completed 9 of 10 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, which came on a 10-yard pass to fullback Steve Smith and a 14-yarder to Eric Hamilton.

Penn State then drove 72 yards on seven plays, with Shaffer completing 5 for 59 yards and D.J. Dozier scoring from the nine.

Rutgers 11, Boston College 9--The Scarlet Knights’ offense did just enough to get by, and their defense hung on to upset the Eagles at Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Rutgers led, 11-0, after three quarters, but Boston College drew to 11-9 and drove to a first down at the Scarlet Knights’ 47-yard line with less than three minutes left.

But Shawn Halloran threw incomplete passes on the next four plays, and the Eagles’ never got the ball back.

Halloran, who is in his second season since succeeding Doug Flutie as the Eagles’ quarterback, completed 15 of 37 passes for 140 yards and threw an interception.

“We had a great effort today, especially from the defense,� Rutgers Coach Dick Anderson said. “The offense also made some big plays, keeping the ball when we had to.�

Rutgers was 2-8-1 last season and had not beaten Boston College since 1919. But the Scarlet Knights managed to snap their six-game losing streak against the Eagles, 4-8 last year.

W. Virginia 47, No. Illinois 14--The Mountaineers needed 1 1/2 quarters to get on track in their season opener at Morgantown, W.Va., but still won easily.

West Virginia trailed, 14-7, when a 33-yard touchdown run by Joe Holifield and an extra point tied it with 3:03 left in the first half.

The Mountaineers, buoyed by an interception by Dave Lockwood, scored 12 points in the final three minutes to take a 26-14 halftime lead.

West Virginia padded that lead with four second-half touchdowns, one a school-record, 96-yard run by third-string tailback Pat Randolph.

Northern Illinois Coach Jerry Pettibone, whose team fell to 0-2, said: “Possibly they underestimated us in the first part of the game.�

Mississippi St. 24, Syracuse 17--Mississippi State quarterback Don Smith scrambled for 102 yards and completed 10 of 15 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in leading the Bulldogs to victory before 34,216 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.