It’s officially “Champions Week” in Happy Valley. Penn State football (3-5) is hosting Illinois (2-5) for its final game at Beaver Stadium this season.

The Fighting Illini have struggled this year, only managing to beat Rutgers and Nebraska. The Nittany Lions, on the other hand, are suddenly on a three-game win streak.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday night’s game.

Television

Saturday’s matchup will kick off at 5:30 p.m. and be broadcast on FS1. Corey Provus and analyst Robert Smith will be on the call.

Radio

Penn State Sports Network — Steve Jones and Jack Ham
Local: 99.5 & 103.7 FM/1450 AM, Sirius: Ch. 135, XM: 196, Internet: 958

Weather

This might be one of those games you’ll be thankful you’re on your couch. The game will start well after sunset and temperatures will stay in the high 20s throughout the game.

State College got a lot of snow this week, but there’s only a 1% chance of rain at kickoff, according to AccuWeather. Expect a dry 31% humidity and a dew point of 20 degrees.

Last Meeting

Penn State blew Illinois out 63-24 when these two teams last met in 2018. Miles Sanders rushed for 200 yards and three scores while Trace McSorley cashed in three touchdowns of his own.

The Nittany Lions hold a 19-5 record over the Fighting Illini dating back to 1954.

Injuries/Suspensions

James Franklin typically plays his injury cards close to his chest, so we aren’t sure about the team’s health status. Noah Cain and Pat Freiermuth will miss Saturday’s game after suffering season-ending injuries. Tariq Castro-Fields has been absent for a large part of the season, but his status is unkown.

Illinois’ top receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe opted out of this final game to enter the NFL draft. Rod Smith is also filling in as the Fighting Illini’s head coach after Lovie Smith was recently fired.

We won’t know until kickoff if anyone has tested positive for the coronavirus. James Franklin said Penn State has experienced a high amount of false-positive tests so far this year, which is a concern the morning of any game.

Betting Lines

Penn State is a 14.5 point favorite against Illinois, according to OddsShark. The Nittany Lions are 3-5 against the spread this year. The over-under is set for 52.5 points, six higher lower than Penn State’s previous game against Rutgers. The over hit last week.

Media Coverage

Onward State will have you covered throughout today’s game. You can find big plays, photos, analysis, and more on our main @OnwardState Twitter account and Facebook page, and we’ll provide play-by-play commentary from @OnwardStSports.

Football write Ryan Parsons (@rjparsons9) and will provide live updates from the press box. Will Pegler (@gritdude) and Gabe Angieri (@gabeangieri) will also help provide coverage throughout the game.

Onward State

• Jahan Dotson Named Big Ten Special Teams Player Of The Week
• Breaking Down Post-Michigan State Reactions For Penn State Football
• Six Nittany Lions Earn All-Big Ten Offensive Honors
• Pat Freiermuth Named Kwalick-Clark Tight End Of The Year
• James Franklin Learning ‘More Than He Ever Has’ Through Challenging Season
• Five Nittany Lions Earn All-Big Ten Defensive Honors
• Penn State Football Keeping Recruits ‘Connected’ Despite Pandemic
• Penn State Highlights Wide Receiver, Tight End Strength In 2021 Recruiting Class
• Staff Predictions: Penn State vs. Illinois
• The Official Penn State-Illinois Drinking Game
• Previewing The Enemy: Illinois Fighting Illini