SYRACUSE, N.Y. — If this is Penn State coach Joe Paterno’s swan song, his Nittany Lions are poised to make it memorable.

They have outscored their first three opponents 166-37, including old rival Syracuse 55-13 on Saturday as the Nittany Lions unleashed their potent air attack early and often against the Orange’s overmatched, young and inexperienced secondary.

Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler each caught a pair of touchdown passes before halftime as Penn State (3-0) rolled up nearly 400 yards and scored 38 points before intermission.

“Teams are going to have to choose whether they want to back up or press us,” said Butler, who had seven catches for 110 yards. “I think today they thought they could press us.”

“We did notice they were a young secondary and that we might be able to take advantage of that,” said Norwood, who had five catches for 113 yards.

Penn State, now ranked 16th, has scored at least 35 points in the opening half of all three of its games, the first time the Nittany Lions have done that since 1994.

“We never let down,” linebacker Navorro Bowman said. “You know to keep going, keep fighting and show the world that you can play ball.”

They have so far. The Nittany Lions are ranked eighth nationally in total offense, averaging 536 yards per game, and fourth in scoring at 55.3 points per game.

Time to get excited, even if the wins have come against Coastal Carolina, Oregon State, and the struggling Orange?

“I’m just not sure how good we’re going to be yet,” Paterno said after his 375th career win as Penn State coach. “We haven’t faced any adversity yet, so we’ll see.”

Syracuse (0-3) has faced more than its share, especially fourth-year head coach Greg Robinson, whose 7-31 record with the Orange has landed him on the proverbial hot seat.

“It was a difficult day at the office for us,” Robinson said. “The way it started was kind of the way it unfolded. They had us reeling for a little bit for a period of time.”

The Nittany Lions, who lead the series with Syracuse 41-23-5, wasted no time demoralizing the 45,795 orange-clad fans, the largest home crowd in nearly five years. After fumbling the ball at their own 36 on the second play from scrimmage, they got it back on the next play when Syracuse quarterback Cam Dantley’s quick pass to Curtis Brinkley in the left flat was ruled a lateral after it bounced short, skidded behind Brinkley, and was recovered by the Nittany Lions at their own 45.

Daryll Clark hit Norwood in the left flat on the next play. Norwood ducked under a tackle attempt by Nico Scott, then streaked untouched across the middle for a 55-yard TD reception.

The schools met in every season except one from 1922-90, but the series ended when the Big East was formed and Penn State joined the Big Ten. Today, the programs are headed in opposite directions and it didn’t take long to see that.

Penn State outgained Syracuse 191-5 in the first quarter, and the Orange did not get a first down until Dantley hit freshman Grant Mayes for a 26-yard gain early in the second. By that time, Syracuse trailed 28-0.