Penn State is sick, hurt, beat up. After last week’s loss to Iowa, in which the Lions suffered the indignity of simply being pushed around on the line of scrimmage, they’re mentally and emotionally damaged, too.
They’re still better than Illinois. But the Illini have talent, and if they lose badly Saturday, at home, their season is over in one sense while just beginning in another. You can pack it in, but you still have to show up for meetings and practice etc. for the next two months. I can’t believe they won’t make a stand here. Even if they hate their coach.
I don’t believe a loss here means Penn State’s toast. They can still go 9-3, maybe even 10-2. They should be able to handle teams with bad defenses, and there are a number of those in the Big Ten.
Big picture: Despite all the veteran stars, this could be a transitional year for Penn State’s program. When have they ever, at least in the Big Ten era, won without a decent offensive line? When have they taken less than years to develop an o-line? There are no automatics when you can’t block people.
Illinois 24, Penn State 21.
