Penn State hosts Illinois on Saturday. Here’s a closer look:
Penn State (6-2, 3-1 Big Ten) vs. Illinois (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten)
Beaver Stadium, State College, Pa.
Saturday, noon, ESPN2
Scouting Penn State
The Nittany Lions (6-2) became bowl eligible by holding off Maryland, 31-30, last week on the road, as Christian Hackenberg threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns. The Terrapins crowded the box and dared Hackenberg to beat them, while taking away freshman tailback Saquon Barkley (20 carries, 65 yards), but the QB hit one big pass after another, including a 27-yard TD throw to a leaping Geno Lewis early in the fourth quarter, putting the Lions ahead to stay. Wide receiver Chris Godwin led the receiving corps with four grabs for 135 yards, including a 40-yard score. Coach James Franklin said this week that better things are likely ahead for Barkley, since the ankle sprain that deprived him of two games earlier this season is now healed. PSU’s defense has become something of a concern, as it has yielded 68 points and nearly 900 yards in the last two games (including a season-high 466 last week). The Lions did force five Maryland turnovers, three of them in the final 9:57, when they protected a one-point lead.
Scouting Illinois
The Fighting Illini (4-3), losers of two straight, have been troubled by injuries and dropped passes all season. Running back Josh Ferguson (shoulder) will miss his third straight game this week, but wide receiver Marchie Murdock (thigh bruise) is expected to return, after sitting out last week’s loss to Wisconsin. Delaware County native Bill Cubit is serving as Illinois’ interim coach, after Tim Beckman was fired the week before the opener amid allegations that he attempted to “deter injury reporting and influence medical decisions that pressured players to avoid or postpone medical treatment and continue playing despite injuries,” according to the school's statement at the time. Cubit, who once coached Widener, continues to serve as offensive coordinator, and he has at his disposal a proven quarterback in Wes Lunt, who has completed 57.2 percent of his passes for 1,702 yards and nine touchdowns, with three interceptions. But the Illini have a staggering 40 drops to date.
History
The Lions lead the all-time series, 17-5, but lost, 16-14, to the Illini last year in Champaign-Urbana.
Storyline to watch
The Lions have 31 sacks, most in the nation, but Illinois has only allowed eight, fewest in the Big Ten and 15th-fewest in the FBS. Something’s got to give.
What’s at stake?
PSU would do well to clean things up on defense, given that it closes out the season with three games that will almost certainly be challenging — at Northwestern, home against Michigan and at Michigan State.