It’s not unexpected to see No. 9 Penn State bolt out to a 3-0 start entering Big Ten Conference play.On the other hand, Illinois getting off to a 4-0 start and earning a No. 19 ranking in this week’s Associated Press poll probably wasn’t on too many bingo cards a month ago.That makes the teams’ meeting Saturday night in State College, Pa. a big game, particularly for the Fighting Illini. After opening conference play last weekend with a 31-24 overtime victory at Nebraska, they’d love nothing more than to take down one of the preseason favorites.”When you get into Big Ten play, it’s different, and Illinois has done a really good job,” Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said. “They’re a physical bunch. The quarterback is playing at a high level.”Which is a big reason why the Illini are surpassing most preseason expectations. Luke Altmyer has thrown for 10 touchdowns in four games after managing just 13 scoring strikes last year. Most importantly, he’s not been intercepted in 105 passes this season after being picked off 10 times in 2023.Altmyer’s 71.4 percent completion rate is the best of his career and he’s improved his yards per attempt by more than one. Add on a balanced rushing attack and a defense that resembles the one of two years ago that enabled Illinois to contend, and you have a team that fourth-year coach Bret Bielema can believe in.”Defensively, we get better as the game goes along,” Bielema said.Case in point: how Illinois ended the win at Nebraska. After Altmyer fired the go-ahead touchdown pass on the Illini’s overtime possession, they sacked Dylan Raiola on first, second and fourth down to seal the outcome.
