Penn State vs. Illinois Clash: Top 20 Game Preview

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00:00It's number nine, Penn State hosting number 19 Illinois coach.

00:07It's a 17 and a half point spread for a top 20 battle in the big 10.

00:12Just how competitive do you think tonight's game is going to be between

00:15the Illini and the Nittany Lions?

00:19Now, you know, I love Illinois to end the spread.

00:23They, you know, they are a very physical team.

00:24Brett Billiman knows what he's doing.

00:27They're going to run the football and they're going to try to keep

00:29Penn State on the bench and with as physical as they are and the way

00:33they run the football, I don't see this game getting to be that much

00:36difference in the point spread.

00:38Uh, Penn State's going to win.

00:39They're too talented.

00:41Uh, they're explosive.

00:42They're talented.

00:43They've got now, they had a little bit of a hiccup against Bowling Green, but

00:46they've got a better football team, but I like Illinois to slow it down, run

00:50the football and keep it much closer.

00:53Coach, in regards to playing in Happy Valley, you did that back in your days

00:57in Akron, you played them very well and you stepped up against power five

01:01opponents throughout your tenure.

01:03You actually knocked off Pittsburgh in regards to their house as the

01:07underdog in regards to this matchup.

01:09What can Illinois do to actually pull off the upset and strike it over Penn

01:14State and as a double digit underdog?

01:18Well, anytime you're a double digit underdog, you gotta look at

01:21the two most important things.

01:23Turnovers and explosive plays.

01:25A one play drive can kill you when you're the underdog and turnovers take away and

01:30give the other team another possession.

01:32So you gotta make sure you win those two battles, but I'll say this.

01:35If you keep it close early at Penn State, their fans get into it.

01:39I don't know if it's a white out game, but it usually is at Penn State.

01:42I've coached there and I've played there.

01:44Uh, you've got to stay close early to get those fans out of the game.

01:48And I think that's what, what Illinois has to do.

01:51And I think that's what they will do.

01:53They will slow it down.

01:54If they could not give up the explosive play, what I call the one play drive.

01:58You don't want one play drives.

02:00They've got a chance to keep it close and quiet that stadium down.

02:06The official whiteout game coming later this year for Penn

02:09State against Washington.

02:10But coach, you're right.

02:11White out energy is the call from James Franklin for tonight's top 20

02:15tilt hosting the Illini.

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