STATE COLLEGE — Penn State got a peek at what game days might be like without Joe Paterno.

On the school bus that takes the Nittany Lions to Beaver Stadium before a game, Paterno's normal perch in the front row was empty Saturday as the coach stayed home to recover from left leg surgery. It was the first JoePa-less game for Penn State since 1977.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley tried to fire up the team with a speech before the Lions (7-4) routed Temple, 47-0. Quarterback Anthony Morelli and linebacker Paul Posluszny led the squad out of the tunnel.

"Not having him around, not hearing him talk, it was definitely different," said Posluszny, who had seven tackles, a forced fumble and a sack. "You could tell that something wasn't there, that something just didn't feel right."

Indications are that the 79-year-old Paterno intends to return to the sidelines, though it remains unclear when that might happen. A decision on whether Paterno can potentially call the shots from the press box on Nov. 18 for the regular-season finale against Michigan State will be made this week.

"I'd be surprised if he wasn't," Bradley said.

Doctors want to be certain that Paterno is progressing well from an operation last week to repair a broken shinbone and two torn knee ligaments in his left leg, injuries sustained after a sideline collision on Nov. 4 at Wisconsin.

So Paterno was left to watch Penn State's defeat of Temple (1-10) on television from his house, presumably under the care of his wife, Sue.