Sept. 28, 2008

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1. The 24 points Illinois scored tonight were the most allowed by Penn State this season, surpassing the 14 points scored by Oregon State, and the Nittany Lions' 38 points were the fewest they have scored this season. In addition, Illinois' 189 rushing yards were by far the most PSU has allowed this season, surpassing the 92 rushing yards that OSU posted.

2. Arrelious Benn hauled in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Juice Williams with 3:25 left in the first quarter, Benn's first TD reception of the season and third of his career, then followed with a 54-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter. Three of his four career TD catches have come against Penn State (the other vs. USC in the 2008 Rose Bowl). The play was initially ruled an incompletion but was overturned following official review.

3. Benn caught a 54-yard TD pass from Williams early in the fourth quarter, marking his second receiving TD of the game and the third time he has scored two touchdowns in a game in his career (vs. PSU, 9/29/07; vs. EIU, 9/6/08). Benn finished the night with four catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns, his first career 100-yard receiving game.

4. Illinois' 14 first-quarter points are the most scored by the Illini this season and most since accomplishing the feat against Northwestern on Nov. 17, 2007. 5. The Fighting Illini stopped Penn State on fourth down just before halftime, meaning Illinois has stopped its opponents on 5-of-6 fourth-down conversions this season.

6. David Lindquist forced a fumble by Stephfon Green that was recovered by Martez Wilson, Illinois' fifth fumble recovery of the season and eighth turnover forced.

7. Travon Bellamy's nine tackles and eight solos were a career high, besting his previous high of five against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 13.

8. In his first career action, Donsay Hardeman recorded six tackles, including five solos.

9. Freshman Jason Ford scored his first collegiate touchdown with 10:21 left in the first quarter on a two-yard plunge to cap a six-play, 60-yard scoring drive that marked the first points Penn State has allowed in the first quarter in 2008.

10. With his start tonight, Jeff Allen became the first true-freshman offensive lineman to start a game at Illinois since Ray Redziniak in 1997.

11. Tonight's crowd of 109,626 is the third-largest to ever watch Illinois play and the largest outside of Ann Arbor.