UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 7 Penn State opens Big Ten play at Illinois on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The game will be featured on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff.
BIG NOON KICKOFF: Penn State will appear on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff for the first time this season. In 2022, the Nittany Lions were featured on Big Noon Kickoff against Michigan and Ohio State.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State faces Illinois for the 27th matchup between the schools. The Nittany Lions have won six of the last eight meetings. However, a three-game win streak was snapped in 2021 as the Fighting Illini won 20-18 in nine overtimes. The game was tied at 10-10 after regulation. After the teams traded field goals in the first two overtimes, the game went to alternating two-point conversion attempts with Illinois getting the final one in the ninth overtime.
ROAD WARRIORS: Penn State will open Big Ten action on the road for the eighth-straight season and 13th time in the last 14 years. Since 2016, Penn State has begun conference play at Michigan (2016), at Iowa (2017), at Illinois (2018), at Maryland (2019), at Indiana (2020), at Wisconsin (2021) and at Purdue (2022). In 31 seasons as a Big Ten member, Penn State has opened on the road 22 times in conference. The Nittany Lions are 16-14 all-time in Big Ten openers and 18-12 in Big Ten road openers.
ACCURATE ALLAR: Through his first two career starts, Drew Allar has completed 43-of-55 passes. He ranks sixth in the nation with a 78.2 completion percentage. After completing 21-of-29 passes (72.4 percent) against West Virginia, Allar followed up by completing 22-of-26 throws (84.6 percent) against Delaware. Allar also sits 16th in the nation in passing efficiency (183.0) and 21st in yards per pass attempt (9.62).
THE OPPOSITION: Illinois is 1-1 this season after falling 34-23 at Kansas last Friday. The Fighting Illini totaled 341 yards. Luke Altmeyer threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 70 yards and two scores. Xavier Scott recorded a team-high eight tackles, a forced fumble and an interception, while Jer'Zhan Newton had two sacks.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- 30: With 63 points against Delaware, Penn State has scored at least 30 points in nine-straight games, the nation's longest streak.
- 50: The Nittany Lions held Delaware to 6-of-17 passing, the seventh time PSU has held an opponent under a 50 completion percentage over the last two seasons, tied for most in the nation.
- 6: Penn State has recorded at least six tackles for loss in each of the last 10 games, the longest streak among FBS teams.
- 8: Between the final four possessions of the West Virginia game and the first four drives of the Delaware game, Penn State scored on eight-straight drives for the first time since 2014 vs. UMass.
ILLINOIS SCOUTING REPORT
- Bret Bielema was named Illinois' head coach in December 2020.
- As head coach of the Fighting Illini, Bielema has a 14-13 record and led Illinois to an 8-5 mark and an appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl in 2022.
- Bielema has 15 years of collegiate head coaching experience.
- Illinois is 1-1 this season following a 34-23 setback at Kansas last Friday.
- Illinois earned a 30-28 win over Toledo in its season opener.
- Against Kansas, Illinois totaled 341 yards, including 202 through the air.
- QB Luke Altmeyer threw for 202 yards and a touchdown on 19 completions, while adding 70 rushing yards and two scores.
- On the defensive side, Illinois allowed 539 yards. Xavier Scott led the team with eight tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. Jer'Zhan Newton added two sacks.
- On offense, Illinois ranks ninth in the Big Ten in scoring (26.5 ppg), ninth in total offense (357.5 ypg), ninth in passing (204.0) and seventh in rushing (153.5).
- Altmeyer sits fourth in the Big Ten in completion percentage (68.5) and eighth in passing yards (408), while holding 11th in rushing yards (139).
- On defense, the Fighting Illini sit 14th in the Big Ten in scoring (31.0 ppg), 14th in total defense (477.5 ypg), 12th in passing defense (253.5) and 14th in rushing defense (224.0).
- Newton ranks second in the conference averaging a sack per game.
- Miles Scott and Xavier Scott are tied second in the Big Ten with 1.5 passes defended per game.
DELAWARE NOTES
- Penn State scored on its first four drives. Adding to scoring on the final four possessions of the WVU game, the Nittany Lions scored on eight-straight drives, including the final four drives of the West Virginia game.
- The Nittany Lions scored on eight-straight drives for the first time since posting points on eight-straight drives against UMass on September 20, 2014.
- Penn State has recorded at least 30 points in nine-straight games, which is the longest streak in the nation.
- The Nittany Lions scored 35 points in the first half, it's the most points scored by a Penn State team in the opening half since scoring 42 points against Illinois in 2020.
- Penn State ran 91 offensive plays and held the ball for a time of possession of 42:22. Since at least 2007, 42:22 is the longest time of possession Penn State has had in a game.
- RB Nicholas Singleton scored a career-high three rushing touchdowns.
- Penn State forced its first takeaway of the season in the third quarter on a fumble forced by Keaton Ellis and recovered by Kevin Winston Jr.
- LB Dominic DeLuca recorded a 26-yard pick-six in the third quarter.
- Penn State held Delaware to just 41 offensive plays, the fewest allowed by the Nittany Lions since holding Minnesota to 40 in a 20-0 win in 2009.
- The Nittany Lions held Delaware to just 140 total yards, 58 passing yards and 82 rushing yards.
- Penn State held Delaware to just five first downs, tying the lowest mark since 2014 and the fewest since Idaho had five in 2019.
- Penn State held Delaware to just six completions the lowest number in a game since giving up five completions at Rutgers in 2018.