UNIVERSITY PARK - Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 10-7 victory over Illinois on Saturday at Beaver Stadium:
Play of the game: Illinois kicker Derek Dimke hit the right upright on a 42-yard field goal attempt on the game's final play.
Offensive player of the game: Penn State tailback Silas Redd rushed for 137 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown.
Article Photos
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Penn State running back Silas Redd eludes a tackle Saturday.
Defensive player of the game: PSU linebacker Gerald Hodges recorded a career-high 19 tackles, including a sack and a forced fumble.
Most telling statistic: The teams combined for 17 punts.
Hidden statistic: The Lions won despite converting just three of 15 third-down opportunities.
Best run: Illinois workhorse Jason Ford absorbed a tough blow from Glenn Carson but bounced off for an 18-yard gain to the PSU 12 in the third quarter, setting up the Illini's lone TD.
Best pass: On fourth-and-6 from the Illinois 32, Matt McGloin threw into the end zone for Moye and drew a pass interference penalty. Four plays later, with 1:08 left, Penn State scored its only touchdown of the game.
Worst pass: There was a smorgasbord, but Rob Bolden short-hopped a 10-yard attempt to Brandon Moseby-Felder, throwing it 5 yards short.
Best catch: Moye adjusted nicely to a 20-yard pass behind him to jump-start the game-winning drive.
Catch it, will ya: With the Lions down 7-0, Moseby-Felder and Justin Brown both had passes hit off their chests on the same drive in the third quarter, forcing a punt. Moye dropped a pass on third down late in the fourth quarter. Hodges dropped an interception in the third quarter.
Hold it, won't ya: Bad day for holding onto the ball as the teams combined for eight fumbles six by Penn State. Redd and Bolden each fumbled twice.
Best call: On third-and-8 from the Nittany Lions' 10, Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase faked a handoff and found tight end Spencer Harris in the end zone for a 7-0 lead with 3:32 left in the third quarter.
Worst call: Giving Bolden four series in the second quarter, which produced three punts and a (Bolden) fumble.
Best block: Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins sealed the corner, allowing Scheelhaase to pick up first-down yardage in the second quarter.
Best tackle: Nate Stupar came across the field to deck Illinois backup quarterback Reilly O'Toole, forcing a punt in the third quarter.
Best hit: Nick Sukay drilled Scheelhaase in the second quarter, causing a fumble that Sean Stanley recovered.
Best kick: Didn't see anything special.
Worst kick: A 42-yard field goal is not automatic, but on the road, after the offense moved to the PSU 25 in the last minute well, see play of the game.
Worst penalty: Illinois fullback Jay Prosch was hit with an illegal-motion penalty, wiping out Ford's 4-yard touchdown run in the last minute of the first half.
Best effort: Kudos to the crowd that braved the elements. Paid attendance was 97,828, but Penn State officials estimated actual attendance at 62,000.
Unsung hero: Penn State redshirt freshman Brad Bars blocked an Illinois punt early in the fourth quarter, and the Nittany Lions used the short field to kick a field goal and cut Illinois' lead to 7-3 with 7:00 remaining.
