By Woodrow Carroll
The last time the University of Illinois football team faced Penn State prior to the Saturday, Sept. 16 meeting in Champaign, the two schools engaged in a memorable nine-overtime game ultimately won by the Fighting Illini, 20-18, in 2021. The game last weekend had absolutely none of the drama of their previous meeting, nor an Illinois victory.
A crowd of just under 50,000 watched Memorial Stadium watched for Illinois to spring an upset of the No. 7-ranked Nittany Lions. The Illini defense started well,. but, ultimately Penn State prevailed, 30-13.
If Illinois, 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten, is to be on track, it would be in its home game with Florida Atlantic, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.
The Owla of Florida Atlantic (Boca Raton) are members of the American Athletic Conference and are 1-2 overall. The Illini game with Penn State was the first of nine Conference games. Florida Atlantic closes out the Illini non-conference schedule.
Those looking for a telling figure as to why Penn State defeated Illinois, glance at the quarterback picture.
Illinois starting quarterback Luke Altmyer was intercepted four times before being pulled. Drew Allar, the Penn State quarterback had no pics, a very telling figure. An error free effort was needed by Illinois for an upset and it was not there.
The Illinois-Penn State series goes back to 1954, long before the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten, and it is a one-sided series in Penn State’s favor! The Penn State victory hiked the visitor’s series’ edge to 21-6.
The Illinois football picture, which looked so good with the Illini 7-1 midpoint of of last year, is starting to unravel this year. Going back to the middle of last season, Illinois has lost six of eight since then.
The State or Illinois’ three Division I football programs, Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois, suffered mightily Saturday, Sept. 16. Each lost and not once did any of the three teams take the lead.
Northwestern, which ended a 12-game losing streak the prior week by beating UTEP, was no match for host Duke Saturday’ Sept. 16 and ended up falling, 38-14, and Northern Illinois was a 35-11 loser at Nebraska.
If there is life in the Northwestern Wildcats, the next two weeks should tell the story. Back-to-back home games with Minnesota and Penn State will be a reality check.
The Minnesota Gophers (2-1), coached by former Kaneland High School and Northern Illinois star, P.J. Fleck, were on the short end of a 31-13 score with North Carolina Saturday, Sept. 16. The Gophers are in the Big Ten West with Illinois and Northwestern. The Big Ten West is wide open with Minnesota given Division prospects of championship.
Northern Illinois, 1-2, will be home to Tulsa at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. The Golden Hurricanes beat the Huskies, 38-35, in Tulsa last season. This season, Tulsa has mauled Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 42-7, and in return suffered losses to Washington, 43-10, and Oklahoma, 66-17. For Northern Illinois, with a road game at MAC favorite Toledo the following week, a good showing against Tulsa is vital.
Nonetheless, Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.) defeated Central Michigan, 41-17, Saturday, Sept. 16, and will take its 4-0 record to a 6:30 p.m. home game against Ohio State, Saturday, Sept. 23.
With back-to-back national championships, the Georgia Bulldogs are 29-1 the past two seasons. The lone loss for Georgia was in the SEC (Southeast Conference) championship game with Alabama in 2021, a defeat the Bulldogs avenged in the NCAA championship game. Note, if you will, Georgia’s 30-game total.
Most observers viewed Ohio State as superior to Purdue last season. Yet, the Boilermakers (8-6) ended up playing 14 games to only 13 for the Ohio State (11-2). Purdue represented the Big Ten West in the Conference championship game and lost, 43-22, to Michigan. Purdue was routed, 63-7, by LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Ohio State lost its final regular-season game to Michigan and that loss put the Wolverines in the Big Ten championship game with Purdue.
Yes, Ohio State qualified for the NCAA playoffs and lost a thriller to eventual-champion, Georgia. Yet, that meeting with the Bulldogs was the lone postseason game for the Buckeyes because of timing.
Final thought! The way things stand, Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois, will be happy with 13 games this season, which would mean a bowl game!