The Illinois Fighting Illini have blown expectations out of the water. The Penn State Nittany Lions have looked like a juggernaut. It all comes to a head on Saturday night.
No. 19 Illinois (4-0, 1-0 B1G) takes on No. 9 Penn State (3-0, 0-0 B1G) in one of the most highly anticipated games of the young season.
The Nittany Lions are the third ranked team the Illini have played in four weeks, while the Illini are the first ranked opponent Penn State will face. In the most competitive Big Ten conference we have ever seen, this Week 5 matchup has the potential to be one of the best games of the season.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Illini, riding high off of a ranked win over then-No. 22 Nebraska, are 4-0 for only the second time since 1951. Head coach Bret Bielema’s squad is also tied for the most ranked wins in college football with two: against Nebraska on the road last week and a 23-17 victory over Kansas in Week 2.
A large part of their success comes from the emergence of junior quarterback Luke Altmyer, who is the only QB in college football with 10 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
“I felt confident out there,” Altmyer said. “I’m looking forward to just growing from one week to the next, and excited to get back to work and display some other things too.”
The junior’s play in Week 4 against the Cornhuskers was good enough to notch co-Big Ten offensive player of the week, throwing four touchdown passes in the win.
Catching two of those passes was senior wide receiver Pat Bryant. Bryant has six touchdown catches in four games, including the game winner against Nebraska.
On the other side of the ball is a ball-hawking secondary, led by junior defensive back Xavier Scott and his roommate (not brother) junior defensive back Miles Scott. The pair has combined for half of the Illini defense’s 10 forced turnovers on the season, which is tied for third in the country.
“I thought Miles Scott and Xavier Scott—the new ‘Scott & Scott Law Firm,’ or whatever we want to call them—they were very productive, opportunistic, intelligent and very impressive guys,” Bielema said.
Forcing turnovers is the key to defensive coordinator Aaron Henry’s approach, and the Scotts are practicing what their coach is preaching.
“That’s what he harps on all the time,” Miles Scott said. “If it wasn’t for him telling us we’ve got to take the ball, I truly believe that it wouldn’t be happening.”
Bielema will rely on his second-year DC, whose unit has allowed just 16.5 points in Illinois’ last two games, as a strong performance will be necessary for success on the road.
The fourth-year head coach has emphasized complementary football, and he will hope an aggressive defense and controlled offense continues leading to success for his boys in orange and blue.
Penn State Nittany Lions
On the other sideline, the Nittany Lions are also undefeated, with convincing wins over West Virginia and Kent State.
Led by second-year starting quarterback Drew Allar, the Nittany Lions have been able to push the ball down field efficiently. Complemented by a strong running back room including junior backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, Penn State can put points up on the board in a hurry.
The strong run game bodes well for Penn State, as Illinois has struggled to stop the run at times this season. The Nittany Lions have looked to set up the passing game through the run game and have been successful at that tactic this season.
Allar works best under no pressure, and Illinois’ ability to dial up pressure at any time in the game works in the Illini’s favor. If the junior is able to lean on the run game, that will take the talented Illinois secondary out of the game, moving the tide towards Penn State.
The Nittany Lions also have a talented secondary, with senior safety Jaylen Reed leading the team with 22 tackles.
The Illini’s top option this season has been Bryant, but with the Nittany Lions’ eyes on him, Illinois receiver Zakhari Franklin will look to step up. Penn State has not faced two No. 1 caliber receivers on the same team this season, giving the orange and blue a huge advantage offensively.
Head coach James Franklin’s team is still finding their footing, with two new coordinators joining the staff this season. Coming off the bye week, Franklin is calling for “White Out energy,” hinting towards the necessity of a ruckus home crowd.
Last time out
These two teams faced off in 2023 in Champaign, and Penn State demolished the Illini. Allar and the Penn State offense started off slow, but it did not matter. The defense had Altmyer’s number, picking him off four times before he was benched and winning 30-13.
One year later, Bielema is excited to see how his squad learns from that experience as it confronts Beaver Stadium’s legendary cauldron of noise.
“I’m super excited to see these guys continue to grow.” Bielema said. “Unbelievable environment, opportunity to go into Penn State and see where we’re at.”
The last time these two teams faced off in Beaver Stadium was 2021, where the unranked Illini came in and upset the No. 7 Nittany Lions 20-18 in a college football record nine overtimes.
Running back Josh McCray played a part in the win as a freshman and spoke to the confidence he has of his head coach.
“He was the one that approved of me since he first got the job. So just trusting Coach and his process,” McCray said. “And I’m still believing in him now, and I’m not going to stop because he is a great coach.”
The 2021 upset is a staple win in the Bielema era, and another win of the same caliber will only come in 2024 through the players’ belief in Bielema and his staff.
The keys to victory
Penn State and Illinois are two teams that do not turn the ball over. Time of possession and controlling the game pace will be the keys to success.
Quarterbacks Allar and Altmyer have combined for 18 touchdowns to one interception on the season. Defenses this season have had a tough time stopping the two signal callers, but there are ways to slow them down.
Illinois will look to put pressure on Allar. Against Nebraska, the Illini had six sacks, three coming in the final overtime period. It has not been consistent, but Henry has shown he can dial up pressure and exotic blitz looks to confuse opposing quarterbacks.
Another advantage Illinois has is its positionless defensive back room. The Scotts can line up on a receiver, on a boundary or roam free in the secondary. With pressure from the line, the Illini hope to force turnovers through the air, setting their offense up in manageable situations.
Altmyer is not the same quarterback he was last year, but Penn State rattled him in 2023. Similarly to Illinois’ defense, they will look to put pressure on Altmyer and move him outside the pocket.
At times, Altmyer can get jumpy feet, and if his first read is not open he will look to take off. Penn State will look to capitalize on Altmyer’s angst in the pocket and force him to the ground.
In a game based on field position and time of possession, both team’s running backs could see a large load of carries. Look for both sides to ground and pound the ball until passing lanes open up, then take a shot down the field. All in all,Saturday night has the makings of a classic hard-nose Big Ten game.
How to watch Illinois vs. Penn State
- Date: Saturday, September 28th
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7:00pm ET)
- Venue: Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania
- Watch: NBC, Peacock
About the Author
Andrew Burkey is a senior at the University of Illinois and has been on the staff for the UI7 Student Newsroom since arriving at the university. With the student newsroom, Andrew has been the host of Illini Sports Night and sports anchor for UI7 Live covering all Illini sports. Andrew has also called games for Big Ten Plus, including basketball, baseball, tennis and other sports.
