Illinois vs Penn State rivalry
Penn State leads the series 22-6 in meetings on record since 1954.
Next meeting
Illinois and Penn State do not play each other in the 2026 regular season.
All-time series
Illinois 628 meetings since 195422 Penn State
Series leader: Penn State.
See the full all-time Illinois vs Penn State head-to-head record and every meeting on record.
By decade
1950s 0 2
1960s 1 0
1970s 0 1
1990s 0 5
2000s 2 6
2010s 2 5
2020s 1 3
Series notes
Meetings played28
Series wins, Illinois6 of 28
Series wins, Penn State22 of 28
Decided by 3 points or fewer5 of 28
Side by side, 2026 season
Illinois Penn State
- 30.6 11th
- Points per game
- 32.0 8th
- 26.0 15th
- Points allowed
- 16.0 6th
- 404.8 10th
- Total yards per game
- 400.0 11th
- 6.7 7th
- Yards per play
- 6.1 11th
- 155.6 9th
- Rush yards per game
- 156.4 7th
- 249.2 8th
- Pass yards per game
- 243.6 10th
- 22.4 9th
- First downs per game
- 21.0 11th
- 45.5% 8th
- Third-down rate
- 40.0% 13th
- -1 12th
- Turnover margin
- +6 2nd
- 2 17th
- Takeaways
- 9 2nd
- 3 18th
- Sacks
- 6 15th
- 6 5th
- Sacks allowed
- 6 5th
- 43.4 4th
- Penalty yards per game
- 47.2 5th
- 27:26 18th
- Time of possession
- 30:09 12th
Season totals from CollegeFootballData. Small figure: rank within the Big Ten; the better side is highlighted.
Recent meetings
Results are read from official box scores and republished after every meeting.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the record in Illinois vs Penn State?
Penn State leads the series 22-6 in meetings on record since 1954. That is Illinois 6, Penn State 22 across 28 meetings on record.
When do Illinois and Penn State play next?
Illinois and Penn State do not play each other in the 2026 regular season.