Royster becomes Penn State's all-time leading rusher

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Evan Royster became Penn State's all-time leading rusher Saturday night in the first quarter of the Nittany Lions' game against Michigan.

Royster bolted 20 yards up the middle on the Lions' initial play of their second possession with about 31/2 minutes remaining. That enabled him to pass Curt Warner, who rushed for 3,398 yards from 1979 through 1982.

Royster, who entered the game with 3,368 yards, rushed eight times for 66 yards and scored two touchdowns on the Lions' first two possessions. He ended the half with 99 yards on 14 carries, more than his final rushing total in six of his previous seven games this season.

There was a time in his early teens when Chris Colasanti thought about attending Michigan, staying in his home state to play football.

But Colasanti ended up at Penn State, became the starting middle linebacker this season, and started for the first time against the Wolverines on Saturday.

"I visited Michigan numerous times," the senior said last week. "I definitely liked Michigan and the tradition behind it. But when I came here my sophomore year to go to camp, I made the decision that this was the place I wanted to be."

Colasanti said he "fell in love with the tradition, the vibe, the camaraderie, and the whole Penn State tradition."

Colasanti, who entered the game leading the Big Ten Conference in tackles, attended Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Two former high school teammates, linebacker Paul Gyarmati and long-snapper Jareth Glanda, were on the field Saturday night for Michigan.

Freshman quarterback Rob Bolden, who did not start Saturday after suffering concussion symptoms last week, is the only other Michigan resident on the Penn State roster. He received plenty of attention from the Wolverines while being recruited at Orchard Lake St. Mary's.

Michigan, which began playing college football in 1879, is the all-time winningest program in college football, entering Saturday night's game with 882 victories.

Penn State is sixth with 815. Texas, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State occupy places two through five, respectively.

Of course, 398 of those Nittany Lions victories belong to coach Joe Paterno.

Sophomore Je'Ron Stokes, who played football at Northeast High, was the only Philadelphia-area player on the Michigan roster. He has caught one pass this season.