COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno left the field in the middle of the Ohio State game twice.

In the first half, Paterno ran off the field at Ohio Stadium with 7 minutes left on the clock in the the second quarter. He ran down the sideline, across the end zone and into the locker room. The second time, ABC Sports announcers said he had left again with about 7 minutes left in the third quarter.

The announcers said that Paterno was battling the flu and had to go to "the little boy's room."

Paterno's team joined him in the locker room at half time with a 3-0 lead.

He returned at the beginning of the second half. Paterno said that he was feeling a little better. He left again not long after returning. He was back on the field at the satrt of fourth quarter.

The announcers joked that Paterno had the longest run of the game.

No. 1 Ohio State defeated the Big Ten co-champs Penn State in Columbus. (Full Story)

Paterno has been coaching at Penn State since 1966. He will be 80 years old this year.