Penn State leads Illinois poorly, remains undefeated in battle of ranked teams: Takeaways

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – James Franklin walked up to his offensive linemen on Tuesday and challenged them.

Knowing that Illinois would try to keep this one-possession game going for as long as possible, Franklin needed a nasty line. He wanted them to be physical and knew he needed this group to make a statement.

On Saturday night, Penn State answered the challenge. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 196 yards. Penn State shredded Illinois with 239 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns.

There was no shortage of drama as No. 9 Penn State (4-0, 1-0 in the Big Ten) cruised to a 21-7 win over No. 19 Illinois (4-1, 1-1).

“It showed we can take over a game in the trenches,” quarterback Drew Allar said. “That's what we have to do at certain points in the game. It was really nice to see that today.”

This wasn't the official white out, but one would be hard-pressed to notice any difference between the annual stadium spectacle and what Penn State put on display for 109,911 people at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night.

Here are my takeaways from Penn State's win.

Penn State found a way to stamp it out locally

This team breezed past West Virginia, the defense had a bad half against Bowling Green, and then dismantled an inferior Kent State team. How would Penn State respond if the home crowd is in full swing for a night game but the offense has to move quickly from behind? That's exactly what happened as Illinois opened the game by methodically moving down the field with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

Penn State responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of its own. When Nittany Lions kicker Sander Sahaydak missed a 40-yard field goal in the first half, the Illini responded with their own missed 45-yard field goal attempt. There were countless swings in momentum, with each team missing a field goal, Penn State missing a field goal late in the third quarter, and yet Penn State clinging to a 14-7 lead with less than 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Allar and the offense slammed the door shut with an eight-play, 41-yard touchdown drive.

Six of the pieces were performed during this trip. Penn State regularly used running plays in the fourth quarter and even brought in backup quarterback Beau Pribula for a few field assignments.

“We just showed that we are physically fit. We are tough. That’s who we are as a team,” Allen said. “We’re physically active and we get to work and do the dirty work.”

The ability to run the ball and do so effectively was nothing special for this offense last season. This year the group has been extremely effective on site and will continue to be so. Whether they need to kill time to put a game on ice or play that ground game in inclement weather, Penn State has shown it can do it. After the game, Franklin said he wasn't sure there was a better combination of running backs in the country than Allen and Singleton.

As Allen charged into the end zone for the 5-yard score and effectively iced the game with 1:55 left, the running back lifted his leg as if kicking down a door. His offensive linemen behind him did the same.

“There were some physical runs today,” Franklin said. “That will be important for us the rest of the year, but if you can run the ball like that on offense and stop it on defense, good things will happen to you.”

Nittany Lions with another TD to extend the lead 🙌@PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/ZYSPVuacDc

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 29, 2024

Allar completed 15 of 21 passes for 135 yards. Singleton (16 carries for 94 yards) and Allen (18 carries for 104 yards) each scored a touchdown. Tight end Tyler Warren was again used in a variety of ways, including taking a direct snap for a 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Penn State also didn't turn the ball over as its offense totaled 374 yards.

The Nittany Lions have serious questions about kicker

Sander Sahaydak won the job in the summer but has already struggled this season. Sahaydak is now third in his career with 9 field goal attempts, missing two 40-yard attempts against Illinois. Shortly after Sahaydak's first miss, Penn State missed a field goal opportunity. On a fourth-and-3 at the Illinois 17-yard line, Allar's pass to receiver Julian Fleming gained only 2 yards.

Penn State got to Sahaydak again midway through the fourth quarter, but instead of extending Penn State's 14-7 lead, he missed again. The crowd groaned and some boos followed. However, Penn State also has other options at kicker, including Chase Meyer, who Penn State brought in as a transfer from Tulsa last winter. Ryan Barker, a walk-on, could be another option. Remember: If Meyer or Barker were significantly better in practice, where Penn State records every kick, then they would be on the field and not Sahaydak. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, Penn State changes with Sahaydak in the future.

Franklin said after the game that they will continue to have a kicking competition in practice, but didn't want to get too involved in what they might change in the future. He said he wanted Sahaydak to celebrate the victory just like everyone else.

On Penn State's final extra point attempt of the game, it was Barker who came on in place of Sahaydak. Barker is a convert.

What to make of Penn State's defense?

If the first month of the season has taught us anything, it's that this defense, while still more than capable of helping this team to the playoffs, needs to get itself out of the way. Statistically speaking, Penn State put together a stunning performance. It held Illinois — a team that thrives on running the ball — to 34 rushing yards (1.1 yards per carry) on 32 attempts. Illinois had just 219 yards of total offense and after a touchdown on its first possession, the Illini didn't score for the rest of the game.

“Ultimately, we made this team one-dimensional,” Franklin said. “If you are able to do that, you have a chance to be successful. The exciting thing is that I think there are a lot of things that are easily correctable.”

Furthermore…while this defense has done everything right, perhaps the biggest difference between last year's group and this year's group is that it makes life much harder for itself than it needs to be, primarily due to penalties.

After Franklin bemoaned his team's penalty woes during non-conference play, penalties against Abdul Carter and Amin Vanover helped Illinois score first. It was a theme throughout the game, especially for the defense. With the fourth and sixth rounds six minutes remaining, Carter assessed a false start penalty. That's something refereeing teams are looking for, especially with Carter, after he was caught offside a few times in the season opener. On the next play, an illegal block in the back penalty against cornerback Zion Tracy negated a would-be pick six by AJ Harris. Penn State began the game averaging seven penalties per game and finished the game with six penalties for 63 yards.

“It's hard to complain about a bad decision when we get as many penalties as we do,” Franklin said. “There were countless times we were held and I will watch the tape. … I just want to feel like it goes both ways.”

Franklin had particular trouble with an unnecessary roughing penalty called on linebacker Tony Rojas in the second quarter. Penn State should have left the field, but the penalty extended the drive and put Illinois on Penn State's 13th. Franklin became animated as he detailed how Rojas chased the ball, lowered his shoulder and flattened a player. He set fire to the official on the sidelines.

“What should he do?” said Franklin. “Just because he completely destroyed it, is that a punishment?”

At the end of the day the defense gave up seven points. But mistakes like giving up 30 yards on third-and-21 combined with the penalties need to be cleaned up. If the error rate drops against USC and Ohio State, these penalties could prove costly.

Defensive coordinator Tom Allen remained upstairs in the locker room for the second straight day Saturday after communication issues arose in the first half against Bowling Green. In the weeks that followed, Penn State put analyst Dan Connor on the helmet microphone with midfielder Kobe King in place of Allen.

Penn State was without fullback Dom DeLuca, who was unavailable due to an undisclosed injury he sustained against Kent State. Redshirt freshman DaKaari Nelson moved from safety to outside linebacker over the summer. On Saturday night, Nelson made his first career start, replacing DeLuca.

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Illinois will also have a lot to think about

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer brought his team to the threshold of the score late in the first half. Illinois reached Penn State 2 but was eliminated without any points. A snap over Altmyer's head resulted in a 9-yard loss. The Illini moved backwards before missing a 45-yard field goal attempt.

Altmyer, who completed 16 of 25 passes for 185 yards with one touchdown and one interception, was sacked seven times. Of all the problems Penn State had with penalties, Illinois had nine, and some of them were due to the roaring home crowd. Franklin estimated that the home crowd, which looked and felt like a white-out crowd despite the official white out as recently as November 9, was responsible for seven games affecting Illinois.

(Photo of Tyler Warren rushing for a touchdown: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)