UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 7/8 Penn State returns to Beaver Stadium to battle Illinois on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon on ABC. The 2021 season is presented by PSECU.
SERIES HISTORY: The Nittany Lions will meet Illinois for the 26th matchup. Penn State has won the last three contests, including a 56-21 win last season in Beaver Stadium. Jahan Dotson had a career-high 189 receiving yards, including touchdowns of 75 and 70 yards. Sean Clifford threw for 285 yards and two scores, while Keyvone Lee added 85 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Brandon Smith led the PSU defense with eight tackles, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
GENERATIONS OF GREATNESS: Saturday's homecoming matchup will feature Penn State's Generations of Greatness uniforms, which are being worn for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Penn State has previously worn the uniforms in matchups against Indiana in 2017, Purdue in 2019 and Iowa in 2020. The uniforms feature numbers on the helmets, block uniform numbers, a white stripe on the sleeves, a blue stripe on the pants, a gray facemask and white cleats.
LIVING IN THE BACKFIELD: The Nittany Lions recorded a season-high 11 tackles for loss at Iowa. It marked the 25th time, since 2014, that Penn State recorded double-digit tackles for loss in a game. Arnold Ebiketie led the way with a career-high-tying 3.5 tackles for loss. Jesse Luketa set a career high with 2.5 tackles for loss, while Daequan Hardy and Curtis Jacobs both had a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss.
TRIPLE THREAT: Jordan Stout continued a strong season handling field goal, kickoff and punt duties with his performance at Iowa. Stout averaged 50.4 yards per punt on five punts, including three 50+ yard punts and two inside the 20. He added five touchbacks on five kickoffs and converted field goals of 32 and 44 yards.
THE OPPOSITION: Illinois is 2-5 this season, including a 1-3 mark in Big Ten play. The Fighting Illini fell 24-0 against Wisconsin on October 9. Sydney Brown and Tarique Barnes each recorded 12 tackles with Barnes adding a forced fumble. Kerby Joseph tallied nine tackles and an interception.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING ILLINI
- Bret Bielema was named Illinois' head coach in December 2020.
- Bielema has 24 years of collegiate coaching experience.
- Illinois is 2-5 overall and 1-3 in Big Ten play this season.
- The Fighting Illini opened the season with a 30-22 win over Nebraska. They also own a 24-14 victory over Charlotte.
- Three of Illinois' five losses have come in one-score games.
- On offense, Illinois is averaging 17.7 points and 318.4 total yards per game.
- QB Artur Sitkowski leads Illinois with 666 passing yards and six touchdowns.
- RB Chase Brown is averaging 82.8 yards per game and 6.9 yards per carry. Brown also has three rushing touchdowns.
- RB Josh McCray is averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
- WR Isaiah Williams has a team-best 32 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown.
- On defense, Illinois is allowing 24.6 points and 427.9 total yards per game.
- DB Sydney Brown paces the Illini with 48 tackles.
- LB Tarique Barnes has 42 stops with 1.5 for loss and a sack.
- DB Kerby Joseph has 36 tackles, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
- LB Owen Carney Jr. leads Illinois with 5.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
- P Blake Hayes is averaging 45.5 yards per punt, including 10 punts of 50 or more yards.
GENERATIONS OF GREATNESS
- Penn State is turning back the clock for its "Generations of Greatness" game, as the Nittany Lions will don uniforms with design elements from uniforms past.
- Penn State is wearing its "Generations of Greatness" uniforms for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The threads debuted in 2017 against Indiana (W, 45-14) and Penn State donned them again against Purdue in 2019 (W, 35-7) and Iowa in 2020 (L, 21-42).
Uniform Elements
- Numbers on Helmets – The Nittany Lions had the number on the side of their helmet from 1959-61 and then again from 1967-74. A No. 42 also appeared on the side of every Penn State helmet in the season finale against Wisconsin in 2012 to honor injured senior Michael Mauti.
- Block Uniform Numbers – The block uniform numbers are similar to those uniform numbers that donned the Blue & White from mid-1950s-66.
- White Stripe on Sleeve – Penn State's uniform had a white stripe on the sleeve several times, including 1957-66, 1982-89 and 1992-2011.
- Stripe on the Pants – The Nittany Lions had a blue stripe on their pants from 1952-68.
- Gray Facemask – The gray facemask was donned by the Nittany Lions from 1959-86.
- White Cleats – The white cleats were worn by the Nittany Lions in the 1979 Sugar Bowl.
- Gloves – The gloves will feature the Lion Shrine on the palm of the hands.
- Lion Shrine – The image of Lion Shrine appears on the "home plate" of the front of the jersey. It is an original element of the "Generations of Greatness" uniform to pay homage to the Lion Shrine that was a gift from the Class of 1940.
- Back Inside Collar – The back inside collar of the jersey reads "Penn State 1959" in recognition of the first Liberty Bowl game, played in Philadelphia. Penn State defeated Alabama, 7-0.
SUCCESS ON HOMECOMING
- The Nittany Lions own a 72-23-5 record in 100 games in front of the alumni crowd since their 14-7 victory over Dartmouth in the first Homecoming game on Oct. 9, 1920.
- In 2019, Penn State earned a 35-7 win over Purdue.
- Penn State has won seven out of its last nine Homecoming tilts, defeating Purdue (2019), Rutgers (2017), Maryland (2016), Indiana (2015), Michigan (2013), Northwestern (2012) and Purdue (2011).
- The Nittany Lions have claimed 12 of their last 15 contests in front of the alumni crowd.
- This is the fourth time Penn State will square off against Illinois in a Homecoming game. The Nittany Lions are 2-1 with wins in 2000 (39-25) and 2006 (26-12).