The Penn State Nittany Lions (6-2, 3-1) will battle the Illinois Fighting Illini (4-3, 1-2) on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Beaver Stadium. The Lions are returning home after a two-game road series, and will be welcomed by a throng of students from across the Commonwealth, as this game is the annual “All-U Day.”
“We love every opportunity to play in Beaver Stadium,” said head coach James Franklin. “We’ve had a lot of success in Beaver Stadium this season, and the fans have been a big part of that. We are looking forward to being back home after an exciting win last week.”
Last Week: Penn State pulled off a nail-biting 31-30 win against Maryland last Saturday. With 315 yards and three touchdowns, junior quarterback Christian Hackenberg shined in the outing, taking over the university’s all-time passing yards (7,453) and completions (608) records.
Carl Nassib continued his dominating defensive performance and recorded two sacks, extending his number of consecutive games with a sack to eight. He currently leads the nation with 13.5 total sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss.
Illinois lost to Wisconsin last week, 24-13. The Illini have dropped three straight games now and look to pick up another win under the watchful eye of interim head coach Bill Cubit.
Fast Facts: The teams have met 23 times; Penn State holds a 17-5 edge and has gone 8-1 at Beaver Stadium.
What to Watch For: Look for Penn State’s passing game to improve. Despite a setback against Ohio State on October 17, Hackenberg has been on point, and is averaging just over 14 yards per completion heading into the second half of the season.
Chris Godwin has been a dynamic receiver for the Lions. Godwin, DaeSean Hamilton, and Saquon Barkley have been excellent for the Lions, completing big plays and grabbing big numbers. Now, with all three of them healthy and with a return to home territory, expect explosive and exciting play from the trio.
Defensively, Nassib has been a rock for the Lions. His defensive prowess, combined with the size and talent of line mates Angelo Mangiro and Austin Johnson, gives the Nittany Lions an intimidating brick wall defense. While Penn State holds the nation’s top ranking in sacks, Illinois is number 15 in fewest sacks allowed, promising an interesting matchup between the defensive lines.
Illinois quarterback Wes Lunt is one of the country’s best pocket passers. He currently leads the Big Ten in completions per game with 22.6. Lunt has thrown only three interceptions.
Lunt pair nicely with senior wideout Geronimo Allison, who leads the Big Ten in average receptions per game with 6.9 and is one of only two players in the conference to average more than 100 receiving yards per game.
Illinois’ defensive line has collected 56 tackles for loss for the season (8.0 per game), and is among the leaders in the nation. Safety Clayton Fejedelem collected 19 stops against Wisconsin last week and has 74 total for the season.
Around the Nittany Nation:
- Penn State swimming will travel to Ann Arbor to face-off against Michigan and Virginia in a double-header this weekend.
- Women’s soccer clinched its 17th Big Ten title this week with a win against Michigan on Wednesday night. Kaleigh Riehl was awarded Big Ten Freshman of the Week for her efforts.
- Men’s hockey hosted St. Lawrence for the first time on Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s game ended in a 2-2 draw.
- Men’s and women’s cross-country will head to Chicago for the Big Ten Championships on Sunday, November 1.
Penn State will take on Illinois on Saturday at noon in Beaver Stadium. The game will be live on ESPN2.
Photo Credit: GoPSUSports.com
