UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State cornerback Jordan Lucas talked about the importance and the difference of home. Ireland was Ireland, cool and beautiful and all, but this was Beaver Stadium, the first time Penn State could introduce itself to the fans.

So much on this Saturday afternoon was new, too: two $10 million video boards with two massive Nittany Lion logos and one $4 million coach, for starters. For a place that stayed the same for so long, this scene struck a different chord from even the change of two years ago.

Amid all the differences, a dominant defense and a big-play offense led Penn State to defeat Akron, 21-3, in front of an announced crowd of 97,534 — not the 107,000 James Franklin called for but the highest for a season opener since 2010.

"You're in Beaver Stadium for the season, for the opener," Lucas said. "It's just so electrifying."

Akron wasn't Alabama but it wasn't a pushover, either. The Zips roster includes 15 of 22 starters from a team that went 5-7 last year and lost at Michigan, 28-24. Couple Akron's experience with Penn State's inevitable exhaustion from the Ireland trip last week, and the recipe for an upset was present.

And it certainly appeared that way at the beginning.

Akron drove into the red zone less than two minutes into the game. From there, the defense clamped down, forcing a missed field goal.

Success at important times for the Penn State defense became the overriding theme of the afternoon. Akron had its best opportunity to cut into Penn State's 14-3 lead in the fourth quarter after it had intercepted quarterback Christian Hackenberg for the second time and drove to Penn State's 40.

On fourth-and-1, linebacker Brandon Bell and defensive end C.J. Olaniyan tackled running back Conor Hundley for a 2-yard loss.

Hackenberg threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jesse James — James' second score of the game — on the next possession. Akron yet again drove into Penn State territory and was stopped on fourth down, this time on solid pass coverage from the secondary.

The defense has allowed 513 yards this season, including 93 rushing.

Bell said the defense feels free and is in more of an attacking mode, largely helped by the presence of what has so far been a sturdy defensive front four.

"You can watch the whole game," he said. "We're pretty much cleaning up. Those guys are in the backfield just making stops, turning out, turning in, and we're just there to clean it up."

The offense, crisp except for around the goal line last week, sputtered for much of this game. Running backs Zach Zwinak and Bill Belton contributed 66 yards on 19 carries. The offense overall had just one three-and-out, but in the middle of the game had five consecutive possessions that ended quickly in punts or fumbles.

Belton could sense frustration seeping in for the offense and for himself. Hardly anybody was talking.

He tried to speak up by reminding teammates of the Ohio loss two years ago and how quickly things could go wrong. The end result turned out fine but was not quite a product they could take pride in.

"Today was not a good day in my opinion," Belton said. "We just have to be patient."

Franklin arrived to his first game at Beaver Stadium in a navy suit with shiny brown dress shoes. Per his custom, he took a lap around the perimeter of the field, greeting a couple of stadium employees along the way. When he left the stadium a few hours later, he was a winner in his first home game and proud of it.

"We are going to enjoy wins around here," Franklin said. "I'm not going to become one of these coaches that the losses hurt more than the wins feel good."

First Published: September 6, 2014, 5:59 p.m.
Updated: September 7, 2014, 2:26 a.m.