TEAM
- Penn State is now 21-6 all-time against Illinois, including 10-4 in road matchups.
- The Nittany Lions are 17-14 all-time in Big Ten openers and 19-12 in Big Ten road openers.
- Since 2014, Penn State is 19-8 against the Big Ten West, including wins in five-straight meetings.
- Penn State started Big Ten play on the road for the eighth-straight season and 13th time in the last 14 years.
- WR Malik McClain made his first start at Penn State. He is one of 11 Nittany Lions to make their first Penn State start this season. McClain made his 13th career start overall, previously making 12 starts at Florida State.
STREAKS
Offense
- Penn State has recorded at least 30 points in 10-straight games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.
- It marks the seventh time in Big Ten history a team has strung together 10 or more games of 30+ points. The last time Penn State went 10-straight games with 30+ points was 2016-17 (10 games). The school record is 15 games (1993-94).
Defense
- Penn State recorded seven tackles for loss. The Nittany Lions have registered at least six tackles for loss in each of the last 11 games, the nation's longest streak.
Special Teams
- Penn State has not allowed a special teams touchdown in 51-straight games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
OFFENSE
Team
- Penn State scored 20 points off turnovers, including its first 13 points of the game.
- In the third quarter, RB Trey Potts threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Warren. Potts is Penn State's 11th non-quarterback (12 occasions) to throw for a touchdown.
- Penn State's last touchdown pass by a non-quarterback was KeAndre Lambert-Smith to Theo Johnson (48 yards) against Michigan State in 2022.
Drew Allar
- QB Drew Allar completed 16-of-33 passes for 208 yards.
- On a 33-yard pass to Liam Clifford in the second quarter, Allar surpassed 1,000 career passing yards. He now has 1,081 career yards.
- Allar secured his third career 200-yard passing game.
Beau Pribula
- QB Beau Pribula rushed for a career-high 47 yards on a career-best nine carries. His previous highs were eight carries for 46 yards against Delaware.
- Pribula had a career-long 21-yard run in the fourth quarter. His previous long run was 18 yards against Delaware.
Nicholas Singleton
- RB Nicholas Singleton scored on a 16-yard rush in the fourth quarter. It was his 17th career rushing touchdown.
- Singleton had a career-high 49 receiving yards. His previous high was 30 receiving yards against Michigan State in 2022.
- Singleton is tied 37th in program history with 1,215 career rushing yards.
Kaytron Allen
- RB Kaytron Allen rushed for a team-high 54 yards on 13 carries.
- Allen scored on a 4-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. It was his 12th career rushing touchdown and second this season.
Trey Potts
- RB Trey Potts threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Warren in the third quarter.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith now has 1,268 career receiving yards. He ranks 23rd in program history. On the day, Lambert-Smith moved past DeAndre Thompkins (1,245; 2015-18) and Scott Fitzkee (1,263; 1975-78).
Liam Clifford
- WR Liam Clifford hauled in a 33-yard reception in the second quarter. It is the longest reception of his career, bettering his 20-yard grab against Central Michigan in 2022.
Dante Cephas
- WR Dante Cephas has a reception in 30-straight games.
Tyler Warren
- TE Tyler Warren hauled in an 11-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. It was his sixth career receiving touchdown.
DEFENSE
Team
- The Nittany Lions forced turnovers on three-straight possessions (two fumbles, one interception) in the first quarter.
- Penn State forced takeaways on three-straight possession for the first time since 2016 at Indiana (three fumbles).
- Penn State recorded takeaways in the first quarter on a fumble forced by Dominic DeLuca and recovered by Kobe King, an interception by Abdul Carter and an interception by Daequan Hardy.
- The Nittany Lions forced two takeaways in the third quarter on an interception by Johnny Dixon and an interception by Cam Miller.
- Penn State recorded four interceptions in a game for the first time since November 15, 2014 against Temple.
- The Nittany Lions forced five takeaways in a game for the first time since September 16, 2017 against Georgia State (two fumbles, three interceptions).
- Penn State has seven takeaways this season (five interceptions, two fumble recoveries).
- Penn State has forced multiple takeaways in a game 51 times since 2014 and twice in 2023.
- The Nittany Lions held Illinois to 62 rushing yards. Penn State has held an opponent under 100 rushing yards in 50 games since 2014.
Adisa Isaac
- DE Adisa Isaac tallied a pair of half-tackles for loss and now owns 17.5 career tackles for loss.
- He had a half-sack, giving him 7.5 for his career.
- He finished with four tackles.
Kalen King
- CB Kalen King posted four tackles (3 solo) and added a pass breakup.
- He now owns 27 career passes defended (24 PBU, 3 interceptions).
Dominic DeLuca
- LB Dominic DeLuca forced a fumble in the first quarter. It was his first career forced fumble.
- He has forced two takeaways this season (one fumble, one interception).
- DeLuca recorded a tackle for loss on the play in which he forced the fumble.
- The redshirt sophomore finished the game with career-high six tackles.
Kobe King
- LB Kobe King recovered a fumble in the first quarter. It was his second career fumble recovery.
- King recorded a tackle for loss in the second quarter.
- He finished with four solo tackles.
Chop Robinson
- DE Chop Robinson notched a tackle for loss in the first quarter.
- He added a pass breakup, the third of his career.
Abdul Carter
- LB Abdul Carter picked off a pass in the first quarter. It was his first career interception.
Daequan Hardy
- CB Daequan Hardy intercepted a pass in the first quarter. It was his fourth career pick.
Johnny Dixon
- CB Johnny Dixon intercepted a pass in the third quarter. It was his fourth career interception.
- Dixon returned the interception 21 yards for his longest career interception return.
Cam Miller
- CB Cam Miller intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter, the first of his career.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Alex Felkins
- K Alex Felkins tied his career high with three field goal makes. He had three field goals in four previous games while at Columbia.
- Felkins converted a 20-yard field goal in the first quarter.
- Felkins knocked in a 45-yard field goal in the first quarter. It was his 12th career make from 40+ yards.
- Felkins hit a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter.
- Felkins made all three of his extra-point attempts.
- On the field goal, Felkins hit the 200-career point mark. He now has 209 career points.
Gabriel Nwosu
- K Gabriel Nwosu landed four kickoffs for touchbacks.
Riley Thompson
- P Riley Thompson averaged 43.8 yards per punt on six punts.
- Thompson hit a 45-yard punt to the Illinois 19 in the second quarter.
- He added a 44-yard punt to the Illinois 12 in the fourth quarter. He has 29 career punts inside the 20.
- On the 45-yard punt, Thompson went over 3,000 career punt yards. He now has 3,199 career punt yards.
Nicholas Singleton
- KR Nicholas Singleton had a 31-yard kick return in the second quarter and a 23-yarder in the third quarter, his ninth and 10th career returns of 20+ yards.
Kaden Saunders
- PR Kaden Saunders had a career-long 19-yard punt return in the second quarter to setup a Penn State scoring drive to close out the first half.