Joel Klatt Makes Prediction For Massive Top 25 Big Ten Matchup

The No. 19 Illinois Fighting Illini will travel to the No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions for a battle of Big Ten undefeateds in Week 5, one of the biggest matchups of the college football slate.

Illinois, led by fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema, has been one of the surprises of the 2024 season thus far. After finishing 5-7 last season, the Illini sit at 4-0 with ranked wins over Kansas and Nebraska.

James Franklin's Nittany Lions have also had a perfect start this season (3-0), though the level of competition has been underwhelming. Illinois will serve as the toughest opposition thus far for star quarterback Drew Allar and company.

Penn State had no issue with Illinois last season, cruising to a 30-13 win on the road. The environment will be much different this time around with the Nittany Lions hosting an infamous "White Out" in Beaver Stadium.

Penn State is currently listed as a massive 19.5-point favorite, per ESPN Bet. But Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt doesn't foresee the game playing out in that fashion. He thinks highly of what Illinois does defensively, though he predicts the Nittany Lions to walk away with the win.

"Penn State wins," he said on "The Joel Klatt Show." "They get the "White Out" energy that James Franklin is looking for in a very tough environment, and I think Penn State wins by 10 (points), 27- 17."

It wouldn't be a surprise for Illinois to keep this matchup close after winning two games (Kansas/Nebraska) as a heavy underdog this season. Junior quarterback Luke Altmyer has played like a star, completing 71% of his passes for 862 yards with 10 touchdowns to zero interceptions. Penn State's defense will be a monumental test, though, as the Nittany Lions rank ninth in the country in total defense.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC).