Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions Matchup

Check out our free Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions pick and preview for this CFB week 5 game in University Park. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 5 CFB matchup.

At 7:30 ET, Penn State will be hosting Illinois at Beaver Stadium in University Park for what should be a great matchup. Penn State comes in with a 3-0 record, and Illinois is also undefeated at 4-0. The over/under is at 47.5 points, and Penn State is the -17.5 point favorite. The game will be broadcast on NBC.

Fighting Illini vs. Nittany Lions Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Illinois Fighting Illini at Penn State Nittany Lions
Where: University Park at Beaver Stadium
Date: Saturday, September 28th
Betting Odds PENNST -17.5, ILL +615 | PENNST -972 O/U 47.5

Fighting Illini Preview:

Illinois is now 4-0 after pulling off an upset on the road against Nebraska. The Illini, who were +9.5 point underdogs, not only won the game but also covered the spread. This Big Ten matchup ended with a 31-24 score in overtime, surpassing the over/under line of 42.5 points with a combined 55 points.

Illinois trailed 10-7 after the first quarter but fell behind 17-10 by halftime. They managed to tie the game at 17-17 by the end of the third quarter, and after both teams scored 7 points in the fourth quarter, Illinois came out on top in overtime to remain undefeated.

Fighting Illini Offense Breakdown

Quarterback Luke Altmyer led Illinois to a 31-24 overtime victory over Nebraska, throwing for 215 yards and four touchdowns while completing 77.8% of his passes. Pat Bryant was his top target, hauling in five receptions for 74 yards.

The Fighting Illini's offense totaled 383 yards, with 168 yards coming on the ground. Kaden Feagin was the leading rusher, gaining 69 yards on 12 carries.

Fighting Illini Team Defense

Illinois' defense will be looking to tighten up after giving up 297 passing yards and three touchdowns to Nebraska in their most recent game. The Illini picked off one pass but allowed 24 completions on 35 attempts. Overall, they surrendered 347 total yards and 20 first downs, but they were able to limit Nebraska's ground game to just 50 yards on 32 carries.

Nittany Lions Preview:

Nittany Lions Offense Breakdown

Penn State's offense was unstoppable in their 56-0 win, racking up 718 total yards. The Nittany Lions' ground game was effective, gaining 309 yards and scoring three touchdowns. In the passing game, they added 409 yards and five touchdowns.

Quarterback Drew Allar was nearly perfect, completing 81% of his passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating of 158.33. Nicholas Singleton led the rushing attack with 81 yards, while Omari Evans was the top receiver with four catches for 116 yards and a score.

Nittany Lions Team Defense

Penn State's defense was dominant in their most recent game, holding Kent State to just 71 total yards. The Nittany Lions allowed only 18 passing yards on 2 completions, and Kent State's ground game was limited to 53 yards on 29 carries. Penn State's defense was also effective in preventing first downs, allowing just 6 in the game.

Fighting Illini vs Nittany Lions Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Illinois has played well in their previous 5 road games, going 3-2 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 23 points per game while allowing 26. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
The Penn State Nittany Lions are 3-0 ATS in their last three home games and 3-0 straight-up.
In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Illinois Fighting Illini have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 4-1 in these scenarios.
Penn State has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.