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Penn State vs. Illinois: Early point spread released on Nittany Lions, Fighting Illini

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•09/09/23
Penn State
Penn State defeated Auburn on Saturday night in Happy Valley. (Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)

The early point spread for the Penn State vs. Illinois game last week has been released, and the Nittany Lions will open up as a considerable favorite.

According to FanDuel, the opening line has Penn State giving 13.5 points to the Fighting Illini.

That line comes after two big wins for the Nittany Lions, albeit against mostly overmatched foes. Penn State downed West Virginia in the opening weekend of action, posting an impressive 38-15 win in the key non-conference game.

In Week 2, Penn State took care of Delaware 63-7 in a blowout from the opening whistle. Starting quarterback Drew Allar threw for 204 yards and a touchdown, but it was the Penn State ground game that really got going.

Led by Kaytron Allen‘s 103 yards and one touchdown, the Nittany Lions piled up 315 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in the game.

Illinois, meanwhile, is 1-1 on the season after beating Toledo 30-28 and falling to Kansas on the road 34-23.

Penn State vs. Illinois should be a good early-season conference test for both.

Joel Klatt: Penn State should feel good

One prominent college football analyst believes there’s plenty of reason for Penn State to get very excited about this season. Forget how easily the Nittany Lions have rolled through their first two opponents. Other Big Ten contenders have struggled here and there.

“If I was Penn State right now how would I feel if I was a fan? I would feel giddy. Yeah, I would feel giddy,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt said on his show this week.

“You know why I would feel giddy? Because I would feel pretty confident based on what I saw, not only out of my team at Penn State, but also around the Big Ten that I’m rooting for a team that is no longer just clearly third in that division based on Week 1. If I’m a Nittany Lion fan, I’m giddy at the fact that it’s pretty clear this is an absolute three-team race in the East.”

Klatt thinks Penn State can handle one of Michigan or Ohio State.

“There’s no other way to put it: Penn State could easily play with and beat one of those two teams for the first time in a number of years,” he said. “I am confident in saying that Penn State is absolutely on the level with Michigan and Ohio State. So how would I feel if I was a Penn State fan? I’d be giddy about that, giddy after Week 1.”