Nittany Lions Host Illini In Conference Opener (Game Preview)
- bryanportney01
- Sep 27, 2024
- 3 min read
No. 19 Illinois (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at No. 9 Penn State (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Date: Saturday, September 28
Times: 7:30 PM
Location: Beaver Stadium (University Park, PA)
Coverage
TV: NBC
Radio: CommRadio & Varsity Network (Illinois) & LionVision (PSU)
Live Stats: ESPN GameCast & StatBroadcast (PSU)
Storylines
Whatever That Means
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema responded to Penn State head coach James Franklin’s statement about “white out energy” by saying, “They’re calling for White Out energy, whatever the h*** that means.” This should feed into the fans’ energy, all 107,000+ of them, and the Nittany Lions as rat poison before a tense matchup. (Source: Yahoo! Sports)
White Out… Energy
Following Illinois’ win over then-No. 22 Nebraska, Penn State head coach James Franklin called for “white out energy,” with a significant pause between “out” and “energy.” Word spread quickly around the University Park campus, and now the five-second clip has turned into a call to action for Saturday’s game. (Source: NBC Sports)
No. 19 Illinois at No. 9 Penn State: Team Numbers
No. 19 Illinois | Offense | No. 9 Penn State |
32.3 | Points Per Game | 41.3 |
222.8 | Pass Yards Per Game | 282.7 |
156.5 | Rush Yards Per Game | 255.0 |
42.86% | 3rd Down % | 50.00% |
4 (1.00) | Turnovers (per game) | 3 (1.00) |
No. 19 Illinois | Defense | No. 9 Penn State |
12.5 | Points Allowed PG | 13.0 |
188.0 | Pass Yards Allowed PG | 144.3 |
106.3 | Rush Yards Allowed PG | 84.7 |
42.59% | Opponent 3rd Down % | 30.77% |
14 (3.50) | Takeaways (per game) | 7 (2.33) |
Nittany Lions Take Charge of Head-to-Head
Penn State is 21-6 against Illinois all-time, according to Winsipedia. Their last meeting was in 2023, when Penn State beat Illinois 30-13 on the road. Penn State is 10-3 against Illinois at home all-time, with their last home meeting being on October 23, 2021, when Illinois won 20-18 in 9 OT. Penn State has won the last 1 head-to-head meeting dating back to 2023. Illinois last beat Penn State on October 23, 2021 (see above).
Players To Watch on Offense
No. 19 Illinois
QB Luke Altmyer, Jr.
Passing: 75-for-105, 862 yds, 10 TD
Rushing: 24 car, 58 yds
RB Kaden Feagin, So.
Rushing: 54 car, 242 yds, 3 TD
WR Pat Bryant, Sr.
Receiving: 20 rec, 309 yds, 6 TD
No. 9 Penn State
QB Drew Allar, Jr.
Passing: 41-for-58, 729 yds, 8 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: 18 car, 77 yds, 2 TD
RB Nick Singleton, Jr.
Rushing: 37 car, 314 yds, 2 TD
Receiving: 4 rec, 49 yds, 2 TD
TE Tyler Warren, Sr.
Receiving: 16 rec, 226 yds, 2 TD
Players To Watch on Defense
No. 19 Illinois
LB Dylan Rosiek, Jr.
Defense: 23 tot, 1 sack, 2 FF
OLB Gabe Jacas, Jr.
Defense: 17 tot, 2 sacks, 4 TFL
DB Xavier Scott, Jr.
Defense: 18 tot, 3 INT, 2 PD
No. 9 Penn State
DE Abdul Carter, Jr.
Defense: 12 tot, 1 sack, 2.5 TFL
S Jaylen Reed, Sr.
Defense: 22 tot, 1.5 TFL, 2 PD
S Zakee Wheatley, R-Jr.
Defense: 11 tot, 1 INT, 2 PD
Game Promotions
Homecoming
Fan-led “White Out”
Quick Picks: Expert Analysis
Bryan: Penn State’s first big test of the season comes against a sneaky good Illinois team with some power. The fan-created atmosphere should be too much for the Illini, and I think the Nittany Lions will get the win.Pick: No. 9 Penn State
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