Penn State coach Joe Paterno, right, makes a comment to Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark (17). The Nittany Lions won in Paterno's 34th bowl appearance, 24-17 over Texas A&M, Saturday in San Antonio.

San Antonio ? Joe Paterno’s 500th game as Penn State coach ended the way most have: with JoePa on top.

Evan Royster broke a tie with a 38-yard touchdown run, Deon Butler caught a debatable 30-yard pass, and Penn State erased an early 14-point deficit to beat Texas A&M, 24-17, on Saturday night at the Alamo Bowl.

Paterno, college football’s leader in bowl appearances (34), led the Nittany Lions in a thriller that brought him his record 23rd postseason victory. The 81-year-old coach now has 372 career victories, one behind Florida State’s Bobby Bowden for the most in major-college football.

“It was a good, tough game,” Paterno said after the game surrounded by jubilant Nittany Lions. “If I had a choice, I’m glad we won.”

Nervously pacing the sideline in his standard khakis and black sneakers, Paterno couldn’t breathe easy until the clock ticked down to zero in a roller coaster of a game.

Texas A&M’s Stephen McGee led a 15-play drive to the Penn State two before losing four yards on fourth-and-goal after slipping on an option play.