UNIVERSITY PARK — Illinois field goal….and the perfect answer. Derrick Williams 94-yards to the house. Wow. Finally a D-Will kick return against a QUALITY team.
Note that updates are going to be light in the second half because of deadlines and the late time here.
Bend but don’t break….Penn State’s defense yields yards, but doesn’t give up any points as Illinois misses a field goal after Juice Williams under throws Regis Benn in the endzone.
By the way we checked with Illinois SID Cassie Arner (who has been very, very helpful this week) about why Arrelious’ nickname is Regis, she has no idea. It’s something that Benn’s mom started calling him as a kid and just stuck.
SECOND QUARTER UPDATES
Penn State’s offense desperately needs to go up two scores, Clark throws over the middle and just misses Derrick Williams.
With the ball inside the Illini 40, Penn State opts to go for it, Stephfon Green is stuffed….and this is with double-tights and Dan Lawlor in the game. Bad call. Right decision to go for it, bad call to give it to Stephf. Give it to Lawlor or run play-action to a tight end.
ABC/ESPN, I got your Pontiac Game Changer right here….Anthony Scirrotto, over the middle, diving interception.
PSU’s defense desperately needed a turnover or a stop of the Illini offense, they get it. Now if they capitalize offensively, this baby is theirs to lose.
Clark though, just over throws Williams on a bomb.
Question…if you are Illinois’ defense, how in the world is Deon Butler THAT wide open?? Again, here is the good thing about PSU in this contest, they continue to play their game. They aren’t clamming up, they aren’t going to run, run, run…and it appears things are indeed bouncing thier way. Clark just had a snap go over his head and recovered to turn it into a positive gain (of one yard, but hell, it wasn’t a loss, was it now?)
By the way, this game is really fun to watch….like watching a video game.
Oh man….perfect defensive stand by the Nittany Lions, they force a punt, Derrick Williams fumbles.
Penalty by Illini for “illegal touching”….what the heck is illegal touching in college football? OK, the explanation, the punt actually hits Illinois’ Martez Wilson, the ball is downed there, Williams gets a MAJOR break.
FIRST QUARTER UPDATES
Clark makes the Illini pay for the penalty with a beautiful fake to Willaims and a flawless throw to Williams in stride. We are knotted at 14-14 with 0:22 to go in the first quarter. If you took the over, you are good shape.
The horse collar is a major no-no in college football boys…
Now PSU gets their review. Clark, clearly down on a fumble, play reviewed, fumble overturned.
The key here is that Penn State is playing their game. Down a score, they aren’t going to that conservative approach that has killed them so many times in the past. They are spreading the ball out…but the sense here is that Illinois is very much well rested and, is there a better coach in American than the Zooker against ranked teams?
Illinois benefits from the first review of the game. Upon review it appeared that he dragged his feet with the ball in possession on a 33-yard pass initially ruled incomplete. Bravo to the officiating crew, it’s the right call. Benn appeared to lift his heels when catching the ball but dragged his toes to maintain the possession.
14-7 Illini.
Daryll Clark answers with a 1-yard run. He also helps himself on the drive with a beautiful 15 yard misdirection.
Penn State has burned a time out, seemingly confused on their sidelines after a Derrick Williams 4-yard run that looked much more exciting than it was. Williams was thatclose to breaking it down the sideline and taking it to the house to tie it up.
Penn State appears to be playing awfully tight right now…
Mo and Abe have appeared in goal line defense after the Illini move the ball with total ease to score the game’s first touchdown, a 1-yard run by Daniel Dufrene. Those are the first points PSU has allowed in the first quarter all season long.
We are four plays in and still no sign of Jordan Norwood….Graham Zug was the third wide receiver when they went to that set. Brett Brackett also saw action on the first series.
First offensive series, PSU comes out a tad tight…Butler drops a sure catch on third and nine.
PREGAME UPDATE
A bit of breaking news, it was confirmed by PSU SID Jeff Nelson that wide receiver Jordan Norwood tweaked his hamstring in practice this week. He did not do much in warmups tonight.
Though he is dressed.
How about the day in college football? Wisconsin, Florida. Plus there has to be a loser between Georgia and Alabama. That coupled with USC’s shocking loss to Oregon State Thursday makes it this simple for the Nittany Lions…win, and do so comfortably they could possibly be a top five team.
Take care of biz first and it’ll be OK.
And I think it’s also time to take Michigan State seriously as a Big Ten title contender.
Purdue, not so much.
By the way, the’White House,’ outside of the top of the student section looks ridiculous.
