Well, I'm about to head on down to the field. Don't know if you'll hear from me again, so take care everybody.

FUMBLE!!!!! Bowman caused it, Scirrotto recovers at the Illini 36. Could be the final nail in the coffin.

On the play, Daniel Defrene got smacked pretty good. Still jogs off the field.

Out of town, Alabama dashes Georgia's bid for No. 1, defeating the Dawgs 41-30 in Athens.

******

Penn State starts the drive with 12:42 left in regulation. The crowd, making a rare appearance in the fourth quarter, is doing every kind of wave imaginable. Slow. Fast.

Back to the game, Clark converts a 3rd and 1 with a roll out to the far side. Then, he finds Williams for a 16-yard strike to the Illini 30.

Clark finds Andrew Quarless in the back left corner of the end zone. The 17-yard completion puts PSU up two possessions with 9:03 left in regulation.

Score: PSU 38 Illinois 24

Scoring Drive:
7 plays, 77 yards, 3:39

Don't know why, but a few folks are headin to the exits, a questionable move with the amount of time left. Even the rain is slowing down.

*******

So, about that Regus Benn ...

Juice found him wide open on the near side. Benn scampered 54 yards to the end zone.

Score: PSU 31 Illinois 24

Scoring drive:
4 plays, 73 yards, 1:53

*******

HOLY $%&! ... D-Will takes the ensuing kickoff 94 yards to the house, prompting a Zombie Nation bounce session, and more importantly, a 31-17 lead.

Williams hit the seam and scooted down the far side. This is kind of play that changes the game, kinda like Regus Benn a year ago.

*******
Lions drives starts up with 3:06 left in the third quarter. Clark drops back, hits Williams for five yards. Next play, Stephfon puts the ball on the turf, and Illinois stud linebacker Martez Wilson recovers.

A busted wide receiver reverse pass, and two Juice scrambles leave the Illini with a 4th and 9.

This time it's Matt Eller (no relation to the stud on my right) taking the kick, and drilling the 43-yard kick.

Score: Penn State 24 Illinois 17

Attendance just announced... 109,626, good enough for the eighth largest crowd ever at the Beav.

Well, this third quarter is in the books. Rain coming down hard now. Looks like we'll in for a dandy for the final 15.

******

Illinois keeps running the ball down Penn State's throat. Then they made it into the redzone where the PSU defense put the clamps on Juice. A.J. Wallace batted down a pass in the end zone to bring up 4th down.

Here's Michael Cklamovski lining up the 33-yard field goal attempt toward the north end zone.

Annnnd, wide right! Illini still down 10. Penn State takes over on their own 20.

*******

With Illinois driving in Penn State territory, Anthony Scirrotto got shaken up after a collision near the Illini sideline. Scirrotto walked off on his own strength, figuring to be back patrolling the secondary soon.

*******

The Nittany Lions stopped the Illini on the opening drive of the second half. With the Lions first possession, Evan Royster blasted the Illinois D with a 37-yard sprint down the left sideline.

The drive stalled on the doorstep, forcing Penn State to settle for three.

Kelly has now kicked a field goal in each of the last 25 games.

Score: PSU 24 Illinois 14

Scoring Drive:
6 plays, 41 yards, 3:14

*******

Sup folks, this is Nate Mink taking you through the third quarter action here at Beaver Stadium. I got to tell you, being the women's volleyball beat writer, I feel kinda spoiled getting treated to a tight game.

Blue Sapphire PJ Maierhofer turned in a hot halftime performance, doin her thing twirling three fire-lit batons while the Blue Band did the turf a favor staying seated.

Here's a look at the key stats at the half.

PASSING:
D. Clark 10-for15, 138 yards, 1 TD.

RUSHING:
E. Royster 7 carries, 59 yards
D. Clark 8 carries, 27 yards, 1 TD
D. Williams 4 carries, 23, yards 1 TD
TEAM: 25 carries, 118 yards

RECEIVING:
D. Williams 3 catches, 49 yards, 1 TD

*******

And a knee from Daryll Clark brings the first half to an end. Exciting start, followed by some good defensive stands.

PSU 21 Ill 14, Halftime

***

The Lion defense has come alive. On second and long Navorro Bowman pressured Juice Williams into making a terrible incompletion. Then on 3rd and long, newly reinstated defensive end Maurice Evans swallowed Williams for a loss of 18. Four straight solid series by Penn State's D.

***

Penn State's next drive stalls at the Illinois 31 after a failed 4th and 1 attempt when the Lions gave it to Stephfon Green. Not sure why they didn't go with Evan Royster, the more powerful option at tailback.

***

Juice Williams missed his man poorly on 3rd and 11, and the Penn State defense forced its third stop in a row. The defense is finally starting to show a little life and another Penn State scoring drive could be the start of the end for the Illini.

***

Penn State can't take advantage of the turnover, and Kevin Kelly's quick kick is downed at the Illinois 7-yard line. Nice kick by Kelly, nice coverage by the Lions and nice call by the coaching staff. It's too wet to attempt a 55-yard field goal in a one-score game. Penn State's defense is coming off of a pair of stops and can make a statement with another three and out.

***

Second and nine for the Illini and Juice WIlliams guns a perfect pass right to Anthony Scirrotto. Pen State takes over at the Illinois 48.

***

Two plays later and Derrick Williams takes an end around for five yards and a touchdown. Couldn't imagine a better night for a shootout in the rain in Happy Valley.

In the words of Pittsburgh Penguins play-by-play man Mike Lange, get in the fast lane grandma, the bingo game's about to start.

Drive summary: 7 plays, 57 yards, 3:32

PSU 21 Ill. 14, 9:09 2nd quarter.

***

And it's raining in Beaver Stadium, thankfully I, and my blogging computer, are dry in the press box, so you'll still get your regular updates. After the crazy punt, Penn State is moving the ball and currently sits at the Illinois 22, 2nd and 9.

***

Penn State's defense finally gets a stop, thanks in large part to a pair of Illinois holding penalties.

But just when it appeared as though the Lions might be able to snatch the game, the ensuing punt hit Knowledge Timmons in the back and was recovered by the Illini. But after review, the officials ruled the punt hit Illinois gunner Martez Wilson in the shoulder before hitting Timmons.

Penn State takes over first and 10 at its own 43.

***

Howdy yall, it's Wible here to take you through the second quarter and all I can say is dang!. I don't think anybody expected this tight of a game. An an hour for the first quarter, we could be here past last call.

Illinois is showing some swagger and the week off surely helped the Illini

***

The Lions dodged a bullet on the first play of the ensuing drive as Daryll Clark was hit and lost the ball. The call on the field was fumble, and Illinois had recovered on the Lions' 19. But another instant replay reversal gave Penn State the ball back and gave it a chance to recover.

Some passes over the middle and a horse-collar penalty on a 3rd-and-two set-up a 22-yard touchdown reception by Derrick Williams and the Lions have tied the score up with 22 seconds left. The drive was seven plays, 81 yards in 2:51.

Apparently the defenses didn't know their was a ballgame tonight as this has all the makings of a high-scoring slugfest. Both offenses are moving the ball at will, and Illinois has possession as the game enters the second quarter.

Taking over on the blog for the second quarter is football reporter Andrew Wible.

*******

Illinois' dynamic offense is on show tonight as the Illini have retaken the lead with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Arrelious Benn. The play was ruled incomplete on the field, but after further review the call was reversed, as Benn drug his feet in the front left corner of the endzone.

The touchdown capped a seven-play, 60-yard drive that took only 2:51. Both scoring drives have taken under three minutes, as the Illini offense looks unstoppable in the early going.

The crowd erupted into boos when officials overturned the call after the review from upstairs. But the biggest issue for the Lions right now is their inability to control Illinois' no-huddle offense.

WIth 3:25 left in the first quarter, Illinois leads 14-7.

*******

The Lions respond right back with a long scoring drive of their own. A solid mix of rushing and passing plays ate up huge chunks of yards and led to a Penn State touchdown. Daryll Clark's one-yard touchdown run ended an eight-play, 73 yard drive that lasted four minutes. With 6:16 remaining in the first quarter, the game is knotted at seven.

Clark's touchdown run has re-energized the crowd and might shift momentum. Illinois' next drive could be significant to stem the tide. Watch for the Illini to keep using the no-huddle.

*******

Illinois drives right down the field and scores a touchdown on a one-yard run by Jason Ford. The Illini take a 7-0 lead on a six play, 60-yard drive that took only 2:39.

The points were the first given up by the Lions in the first quarter this season.

Illinois moved the ball efficiently down the field by implying a no-huddle offense and letting quarterback Juice Williams audible at the line of scrimmage.

The crowd here at Beaver Stadium has been silenced for the moment, and Illinois could not be happier with the first two possessions of the game.

*******

Penn State is forced to punt after picking up a quick first down. Illinois will get the ball at its own 40-yard line.

*******

The Illini won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Penn State will start from its own 10-yard line after 11-yard return by A.J. Wallace.

*******

This is Collegian Night Sports Editor Kevin Zitzman reporting live from the press box in a packed Beaver Stadium.

The matchup all the fans have been waiting for is less than 20 minutes away and the student section has its pompoms out in full force. The Nittany Lion made his way to the 50-yard line and has electrified the "whitehouse."

The kickoff is scheduled for 8:12. Make sure to come back to the footblog for updates as soon as the game gets under way.

*******

DE Maurice Evans and DT Abe Koroma are running with the second-team DL during warm-ups. Joe Paterno said on his radio show Thursday that Evans and Koroma would play.

The two were suspended for the past three games and were charged with a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession recently.

-- JL

*******

This is Travis, greeting you all from the press box inside Beaver Stadium.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be a rowdy one tonight. This evening's game between No. 12 Penn State and No. 22 Illinois will be televised nationally on ABC and the student section is already packed. At least it's more full now -- an hour and a half before kickoff -- than it was in the early minutes of each of the Lions' first three home games.

This will be my parents second game inside Beaver Stadium, and they both had a pretty funny experience earlier.

Some drunk idiot in the RV section on Park Ave. had no clue where he was and kept fist-pumping with my step dad -- who thought it was hilarious -- until the poor kid tripped over a cornhole board and fell flat on his face.

As for the actual game. Here are some things to look for.

This will be Illini quarterback Juice Williams' second trip to Beaver Stadium. His first -- as a true freshman in 2006 -- was less than memorable. Williams was battered by Paul Posluszny and Co. in a 26-12 defeat.

Tonight it will be louder than it was two years ago. This game will be just the second full-stadium white out in Penn State's history. Will Williams be able to tune out the crowd and lead his team down the field?

If the Illini can move the ball, how will Penn State's defense respond? For the past couple of seasons, Penn State's defense has been anchored by a linebacker. Dan Connor, Sean Lee and Posluszny shouldered the loads for Penn State recently. This year, none of the linebackers have really separated themselves from the bunch. Last week Navorro Bowman had a great game, but can he follow that up with another good performance in-conference?

How much will Abe Koroma and Maurice Evans contribute tonight? Aaron Maybin has excelled in place of Evans who was suspended for the past three games. What kind of shape will Koroma and Evans be in after not practicing until earlier this week?

Keep reading, we'll keep bringing you more from the press box.

--TJ