It's not hard to exceed expectations when there are almost none.

Freshman quarterback Robert Bolden -- the first freshman to start the season under Joe Paterno's watch -- was relatively unknown to the Nittany Lion faithful. Only his teammates, coaches and a lucky few members of the press had a chance to see him perform in blue and white.

Youngstown State was not supposed to be much of a challenge, but Bolden has only had mere weeks with his new teammates.

You wouldn't know it from performance. He looked comfortable in the pocket and connected with his targets quickly and accurately. He threw 29 passes for 20 completions, 240 yards, two TDs and and an interception before Kevin Newsome replaced him in the fourth quarter. 

His favorite target, senior receiver Brett Brackett, caught eight of those passes for 99 yards and two TDs.

Chaz Powell fueled the fire with a 100-yard kick return at the beginning of the second half.

Senior kicker Collin Wagner added three field goals of 48, 44 and a career-high 49 yards to the Lions' final score. 

Youngstown State's first score came on an 80-yard pass -- the school's longest in more than a decade -- in the first quarter. Its only other touchdown came with 40 seconds left on the clock.

Related coverage

• Penn State Football: Bolden the Starter from the Start