Take a look back at the highs and lows in Penn State's 35-7 win over Illinois.
Linebacker Michael Mauti had a big day on defense and on special teams.
GAME BALL (OFFENSE) - Zach Zwinak, Penn State
The soft-spoken sophomore set a career-high with 100 yards rushing on 19 carries and picked up the first two rushing touchdowns of his career. Zwinak took advantage of his blocking when he got it and created holes himself when he didn't, helping Penn State to 173 yards on the ground.
GAME BALL (DEFENSE) - Michael Mauti, Penn State
The senior linebacker had six tackles, half a sack, two interceptions and came within about four feet of one of the greatest defensive touchdowns in team history. Mauti got his team fired up to play before the game and, more importantly, backed it up with his own play.
GAME BALL (SPECIAL TEAMS) - Mauti
Penn State punter Alex Butterworth deserves a nod for his best game of the season (a 43.3-yard average on three kicks), but Mauti made the play that set the tone for the game on special teams, then trucked Davis (who seemed to have an allergy to fair catches Saturday) on the next return for good measure.
PLAY OF THE GAME - Mauti's interception of Nathan Scheelhaase at the goal line and his 99-yard return to the Illinois 1-yard line. No, he didn't get into the end zone, and no, Penn State didn't wind up with any points, but it prevented an Illinois score and exemplified the effort Mauti put into a game that clearly meant a lot to the senior linebacker.
BEST PASS - It was a little bit behind his receiver but Illinois running back Donovonn Young got his halfback toss off quickly enough that wide receiver Spencer Harris had plenty of time to get under it before Penn State's Malcolm Willis could arrive, giving the Fighting Illini their only score of the game early in the third quarter.
WORST PASS - Scheelhaase forced the throw to Ryan Lankford and Mauti secured it for a play that nearly turned into a 14-point swing for the Nittany Lions.
BEST RUN - Young caught Penn State in a bad coverage and raced 52 yards to the Penn State 37-yard line in the first quarter.
WORST RUN - It qualifies as a run, but the 19-yard sack Matt McGloin took from his own 24-yard line forced a Sam Ficken field-goal attempt that he missed and squandered a great scoring chance for Penn State in the second quarter.
BEST CATCH - Lankford made a diving grab of a Scheelhaase for a 16-yard gain on the first play of the third quarter.
WORST DROP - Lankford, who had an otherwise solid afternoon with seven catches for 104 yards, bobbled a well-thrown pass by Scheelhaase right at the sideline in the first quarter.
BEST KICK - Illinois' Justin DuVernois bounced a 57-yard punt to Penn State's 1-yard line in the third quarter, angling it so that Penn State's Evan Lewis had no chance to catch it on the fly.
WORST KICK - Sam Ficken pulled a 47-yard field goal try wide left in the second quarter. His blocked 18-yarder on the final play of the first half was uglier but was on the protection, not the kicker.
BEST RETURN - Mauti's 99-yard interception return to the 1-yard line. He built up a head of steam, followed his blocks, stayed patient and lunged forward into the end zone just after his knee came down.
BEST TACKLE - DaQuan Jones and Mike Yancich stuffed Donovonn Young at the 1-yard line on the final play of the game, wrapping up a strong statement by the Penn State defense with an exclamation point.
BEST HIT - Penn State safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong lowered the boom on Young early in the second quarter on a short third-down pass.
BEST SACK - Deion Barnes and Sean Stanley sandwiched Scheelhaase at his own 3-yard line and brought him down on a third down in the fourth quarter, helping their offense get great field position on the exchange.
BEST CALL - Illinois caught Penn State's defense flat-footed on Josh Ferguson's 22-yard halfback pass for a score to wide receiver Spencer Harris early in the third quarter.
WORST CALL - Illinois coach Tim Beckman opted to go for it on a 4th-and-1 from the Penn State 28-yard line midway through the second quarter with his team trailing 14-0. Gerald Hodges and Jordan Hill stuffed Scheelhaase for no gain, giving Penn State the ball on downs. Illinois should have tried what would have been a 45-yard field goal with the wind.
MOST TELLING STATISTIC - 3-0. Illinois had three giveaways and Penn State had none. The Nittany Lions turned those turnovers into 14 points and didn't make the mistakes that would have given Illinois the momentum it needed to get back in the game.
