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KEY MATCHUPS P E N N   S T A T E   V S .   I L L I N O I S | B Y P H I L G R O S Z W H E N P E N N S T A T E H A S T H E B A L L O T H E R M A T C H U P S PENN STATE RUNNING GAME 103.3YPG, 2.9 YPC ILLINOIS RUN DEFENSE 266.9 YPG, 5.3 YPC THE LOWDOWN Some matchups pit strength against strength. This pits weakness against weakness. Penn State ranks last in the Big Ten in rushing offense, while Illinois is last in rushing defense. The big question here is whether PSU has turned the corner now that LT Donovan Smith and LG Miles Dieffenbach are back in action. Illinois has al- lowed 25 rushing TDs, more than any Big Ten team. The Illini do have two solid LBs in Mason Monheim (98 tack- les) and Earnest Thomas III (8.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks). The key for Penn State is to dominate at the point of attack. If Bill Belton and Akeel Lynch can get to the second level, the Lions' offense will have a chance to seize control. EDGE Even PENN STATE PASSING GAME 251.4 YPG, 11.3 YPC ILLINOIS PASS DEFENSE 200.7 YPG, 10.9 YPC THE LOWDOWN Christian Hackenberg has struggled lately, and the Lions' pass offense now ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Even so, they should have the edge against an Illinois' pass defense that ranks 11th in the conference and has inter- cepted a Big Ten-low four passes. Hackenberg's completion percentage is down to 55.5, and he's thrown more in- terceptions (14) than anyone in the Big Ten. Still, if Penn State gives Hackenberg time to throw the football, DaeSean Hamilton and Geno Lewis should create mismatch problems for CBs Eaton Spence and V'Angelo Bentley. In addition, 6-foot-7 TE Jesse James should create problems for 6-1 SS Zane Petty. EDGE Penn State PENN STATE PASSING GAME VS. ILLINOIS PASS DEFENSE ILLINOIS RUNNING GAME 104.6 YPG, 3.4 YPC PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE 83.1 YPG, 2.5 YPC THE LOWDOWN Illinois will likely have a tough time running the ball on Penn State, which continues to rank first in the nation in rush defense. The Illini are 13th in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game, only slightly ahead of Penn State. The Illini's leading rusher is Josh Ferguson with 581 yards on 119 attempts. Donovonn Young has carried 65 times for 248 yards. Penn State's front seven should dominate Illinois. The Nittany Lions' No. 1 goal on defense will be to make Illinois one-dimensional. The key matchup here will pit guards Michael Heitz and Joe Spencer against defensive tackles Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson. EDGE Penn State ILLINOIS RUNNING GAME VS. PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE ILLINOIS PASSING GAME VS. PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE THE LOWDOWN Illinois has the Big Ten's best punter in Justin DuVernois. The senior leads the league with a 44.8-yard average. The Illini also have a solid punt returner in Bentley, who is averaging 10.2 yards per attempt. At place- kicker, the contrast could not be more stark. Sam Ficken has converted 22 of 26 field goal attempts for Penn State, while Illinois has attempted only six field goals all season and missed four of them. EDGE Penn State SPECIAL TEAMS THE LOWDOWN For a while, this was one of the Big Ten's hotter rivalries. Illinois coach Tim Beckman sent six of his as- sistants to State College shortly after the Nittany Lions' NCAA sanctions were announced in July 2012, a move that infuriated Bill O'Brien and Michael Mauti, among others. They got their payback, winning in 2012 and '13, and the current players insist there are no hard feelings anymore. We'll see. EDGE Penn State THIS 'N' THAT THE LOWDOWN Illinois still has a chance to attain bowl eligibility, but a loss Saturday would end those hopes. Having won only two Big Ten games in three seasons, Beckman may be running out of time to turn things around. He's never coached against James Franklin, and this game could go a long way toward determining his future in Cham- paign. EDGE Penn State COACHING STAFF W H E N I L L I N O I S H A S T H E B A L L PENN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. ILLINOIS RUN DEFENSE N O V E M B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 4 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 3 ILLINOIS PASSING GAME 255.6 YPG, 11.8 YPC PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE 162.5 YPG, 11.1 YPC THE LOWDOWN Even though they've been forced to play three quarterbacks this year, the Illini have one of the Big Ten's best passing offenses. Redshirt sophomore Wes Lunt is expected to start against Penn State. Lunt, a transfer from Oklahoma State, has completed 65.3 percent of his attempts for 1,671 yards. He's thrown 14 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. The Illini's top receiver is Mike Dudek, who has already broken Illinois freshman records by catching 51 passes for 787 yards. The key matchup here will pit Penn State's cornerbacks against Dudek and Geronimo Allison. EDGE Even

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