Champaign, Illinois – Collegefootballfan.com looks forward to seeing No. 7 Penn State (2-0) visit the Fighting Illini (1-1) for our first game ever at Memorial Stadium on the Illinois campus. The action kicks Week 3 off early at 11 am CST. We add Memorial Stadium as our 81st FBS venue on this journey.
Look for the Illini defense with DT Johnny Newton to challenge the potent Penn State running game of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen early. This will be game where QB Drew Allar with good pass protection from his solid but developing line will need to open up the passing game effectively. The Illini will be looking for a new start in conference play after losing to Kansas last week and edging Toledo in its opener. The run-pass offense led by Jaylon Daniels gave their defense problems, but PSU will be relying on multiple playmakers dished to by Allar to gain big yards here.
Defensively the Nittany Lions should keep the Illini in check, but Illinois Head Coach Bret Bielema can throw some fits their way as in the past. In 2021, his team bested the Lions in nine OTs, 20-18, but QB Sean Clifford was not up to par for the Lions after an injury suffered against Iowa. Illinois hangs close in the first half, but the Lions pick up steam in the second.
Extra points: SEC is 2-6 this season against Power Fives already; 1-4 versus the ACC. Only win came against Virginia by Tennessee we attended and even though the Vols gave the Cavs plenty of opportunities, they did nothing. I reported in my new book that over the past five years, the SEC’s regular season records versus Power Fives indicate the won 60% of the time. Among all other conferences and annual games against FCS schools and basically all at home, they’ve won 92% of those non-conference games. Over the last five season (with non non-conference games played in 2020, they’ve accumulated 55 wins over FCS competition (Vanderbilt lost to East Tennessee in 2021). All the FBS teams rack it up on the FCS now a la Penn State’s 63-7 win over Delaware last week. The FBS teams like to hand out big pay days for wins. This has to stop.
I offer a different way for the FBS to show their benevolence to the FCS teams so both subdivisions can play games with more meaning for their respective championships and still give the teams with smaller budgets more money. You can read about my proposal when my new book Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly gets released on Amazon.com. Look for my announcement regarding this soon! See the cover below along with the book description with the endorsement of Dick Vitale, renowned college basketball analyst and a great fan of college football to be posted on Amazon with the release.
About the Book:
Dick Vitale, top college basketball broadcaster and analyst says, “If you are a football lover like I am, you will enjoy reading this book by Steve Koreivo as he shares his insights and passion for college football.” Koreivo regales throughout his lifelong adventure attending 676 games over 50 years while balancing this passion with family, faith, education, career, friendships and everyday life from boyhood into retirement.
As much as he loves the excitement, traditions, spirit and experiences of traveling, attending, and tailgating across the country and over time to see as many college teams play as possible, he has concerns regarding some of the current changes taking place. As there is no doubt that money is essential to support collegiate athletics, he sees the emphasis taken away from some of the intangibles to be instilled – like teamwork, loyalty, hard work and commitment.
In the words of the great football coach Vince Lombardi who coached Army at West Point as well as the Green Bay Packers to Super Bowls: “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Realize that slightly only over two percent of college football players go on to play professional football. The majority move on to other professions and career paths. College football offers intangibles as lessons for life learned outside of formal classroom education in order for players to be successful as men, as fathers, and as leaders in whatever profession or career path they choose to contribute to society for the rest of their lives.
Beyond the fun, memorable and entertaining football memoirs and travels by the Author, he also shares his insights in two essays. In the first, he depicts how a combination of changing factors can possibly turn the game into one no longer played by student-athletes. He envisions college football turning too far away from the intangibles that need to be taught to being totally focused only on profits for certain schools. In his second essay, he proposes how to make college football better for players and for fans alike with ideas to enhance competition among more Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams rather than continuing along to favor just the handful that currently dominate. His journey continues beyond his tales in this book. Enjoy his journey and his insights.