She was far from the only one.

“That's who I do it for,” Sanders said. “I do all this for my mom. She was real happy.”

And there was plenty to congratulate. Sanders produced his first 100-yard game in Penn State’s 51-6 rout of Pittsburgh, averaging 7.4 yards on 16 carries in front of 20-30 friends and family members, including his mother, Marlene.

Sanders had just lit up the stat sheet in his first collegiate start in his home town, and the people of Pittsburgh weren’t patient with their congratulatory messages.

PITTSBURGH -- As Miles Sanders stood inside a tunnel within Heinz Field for his postgame interview, he fought the urge to check a phone that vibrated constantly inside his pocket.

The dance party that typically occurs inside the Penn State locker room after a win had a Steel City theme this week, according to Amani Oruwariye, with Pittsburgh-based artists dominating a sound system controlled by Lamont Wade.

For Sanders, the win helped overshadow the memory of a not-so-special past at Heinz Field, the site of a few high school playoff game defeats to go along with Penn State’s 42-39 loss at the hands of Pitt two seasons ago.

“We didn't want to come in and get shocked like two years ago,” he said. “That's what we've been saying. We knew it was going to be a tough environment and we just wanted to come out and get the W, that's all."

That meant playing with a chip on his shoulder, something Sanders said he always does. It also meant playing physical -- an objective Penn State prioritized this week as the Nittany Lions sought to gain control of the line of scrimmage.

The offensive line certainly did that, frequently giving Sanders large holes to work with and keeping Trace McSorley off his back except for a single sack in the second quarter.

The running back followed suit.

“I think he did really well,” offensive lineman Steven Gonzalez said. “I think he played physical, he ran downhill when he had to. He’s a great player and he’s just only going to continue to improve.”

“Miles did a really good job putting his head down and getting yards after contact,” McSorley said, “and that’s what we need out of him.”

A pair of untimely Penn State penalties probably cost Sanders some meat off his stat line.

Brandon Polk was called for a block in the back on a long Sanders run early in the first quarter, and Juwan Johnson drew a whistle for offensive pass interference on what would have been a long Sanders receiving touchdown later.

“Miles probably has 200 yards of total offense without those two penalties,” James Franklin said.

Sanders, never one to make the conversation about himself, said those plays were frustrating, but emphasized his satisfaction with the victory.

His teammates were more willing to divulge the meaning of the moment for a player who waited two years for his chance.

“It’s huge man,” Oruwariye said. “Miles, he puts in such hard work. He’s been so patient over the years. For him to come out and play like that in his home city, credit to him.”

It was a complete day for Sanders on the field. Away from it, though, there was one thing missing.

So close to home, Sanders had to return to Penn State without a chance to eat his favorite meal -- his mom's jerk chicken.

“He was probably a little bit bummed that he has to get back on the bus and go to State College and not be able to go home,” McSorley said.