STATE COLLEGE - Kyle Orton passed for 275 yards, and Taylor Stubblefield set a Big Ten record for receptions. But this time, it was the defense that kept Purdue undefeated.

The Boilermakers (5-0, 2-0 Big East) have climbed to No. 5 in this week's AP poll thanks in large part to Orton and their potent offense. But a pair of gutsy goal-line stands allowed Purdue to hold on for a 20-13 win over Penn State on Saturday.

"I walked into the defensive side of the locker room after the game and said defense won the game for us, because they really did," Orton said.

Twice in the second half, the Nittany Lions (2-4, 0-3) got inside Purdue's 10-yard line. The first time, after a run by Tony Hunt gave them second-and-1 on the 7, they had to settle for a 27-yard field goal that made it 17-13.

The second time, they didn't even get that. On fourth-and-5 from the 6-yard line, Zack Mills tried to run the ball on a fake field goal - a fake Purdue coach Joe Tiller said caught his defense off guard - and ran straight into Stanford Keglar instead.

"Probably nobody was expecting it, but we're always watching for it because we know in that situation it's going to be a big deal - it's going to be a big change in the game if they get it," Keglar said.

It's not that Purdue's defense hasn't played well this year. The Boilermakers shut out Syracuse in their opening game, then allowed Ball State just seven points.

But they've been inconsistent. Illinois scored 30 points in Purdue's Big Ten opener, and Notre Dame scored 16 last week.

And even when the defense has done well, it's been overshadowed by Orton and the offense. Orton came into Saturday leading the nation with 17 touchdown passes, and Purdue's was second in the country in scoring offense.

The only thing the Boilermakers didn't do Saturday was force turnovers, the first time this year the Nittany Lions didn't lose the ball.

"The young defense flew around and got around the football," Tiller said. "I think the more they play, the turnovers will start coming their way."

It was Orton's 40-yard touchdown pass to Stubblefield that put Purdue up 17-10 in the third quarter, and put the Boilermakers in position to rely on their defense. Stubblefield finished the game with seven catches, giving him 271 for his career. Fellow Boilermaker John Sandeford set the previous record of 266 last year.

With No. 10 Wisconsin up next, Orton said the improvement on defense was a good sign.

"They're young, and they've had some really good games this year, and they've struggled some," Orton said. "They're getting better every week, playing with a lot more confidence, and they'll get there by the end of the year."