Penn State Football: Winners and Losers from the Illinois Game

Bradley Leeb-US PRESSWIRE

The Penn State Nittany Lions continued their winning streak on Saturday, winning 35-7 at Illinois. The victory was the third in a row for Penn State and the third career victory for head coach Bill O'Brien.

The Nittany Lions dominated, taking advantage of three turnovers en route to the victory.

As with every game, there were winners and losers. Penn State played solid in all aspects of the game except for one that will need to be improved if the Lions want to be competitive in the Big Ten.

Here are the winners and losers from the Penn State-Illinois game.

Winner: QB Matt McGloin

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McGloin continued his hot streak in Week 5. Though he only threw for 211 yards, he was once again efficient in leading the offense.

McGloin accounted for three touchdowns against the Illini, one through the air and two on the ground. It was the second straight week in which McGloin scored two rushing touchdowns.

The senior signal-caller spread the ball around, completing passes to five receivers, and avoided any turnovers. McGloin continues to grow as a quarterback and is the clear leader of the Penn State offense.

Loser: K Sam Ficken

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A new week, but the same old story with Ficken. He saw his kicking troubles continue in Week 5. The sophomore kicker was 5-for-5 on extra points, but missed both of his field-goal attempts.

Ficken missed a chip-shot field goal at the end of the first half that should have been automatic.

Unfortunately for Ficken, this is not his first time on the "loser" list. Ficken has had a rough year, converting on only two of his eight field-goal attempts. Fans will remember Ficken for his awful Week 2 performance at Virginia. He missed four field goals and an extra point in that 17-16 loss.

Coach Bill O'Brien has continued to stick with Ficken. However, his Week 5 performance may be enough to land him a spot on the bench.

Winner: RB Zach Zwinak

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Zwinak had a big day against Illinois. The hard-running sophomore ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Zwinak was coming off a 94-yard performance in Week 4 against Temple.

Zwinak did not start against the Illini, but he ended up being the most effective Nittany Lion runner. He proved that he could be counted on to gain short yardage when needed,

The Penn State offense has relied heavily on the pass. However, if Zwinak can build upon his last two weeks, he could be in line for even more carries in Week 6 against Northwestern.

Winner: TE Matt Lehman

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Everyone expected Bill O'Brien to continue his use of tight ends as pass receivers at Penn State just as he did with the New England Patriots. And tight end Kyle Carter had been one of quarterback Matt McGloin's favorite targets heading into the Week 5 tilt against the Illini.

But junior tight end Matt Lehman took the spotlight away from Carter on Saturday, catching five passes for 70 yards and a touchdown to finish as the Lions' leading receiver. Lehman did have one other touchdown reception this season, a 14-yard catch in Week 1 against Ohio.

Lehman proved In Week 5 that the Nittany Lions have great depth at tight end. The big tight end showed soft hands and the ability to get open down the field.

Look for Lehman to be more involved in the offense.

Loser: Illinois Coach Tim Beckman and His Staff

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Beckman and his staff belongs on this list because they provided extra motivation for the Nittany Lions in Week 5.

When the NCAA handed down the sanctions against Penn State this past summer, coaches flocked to State College to recruit Penn State players. The NCAA ruled that players could transfer until August 2013 without having to sit out the usual one year.

The Illini coaches were seen on campus in the days after the NCAA's announcement. That a Big Ten team was on campus trying to recruit upset a lot of the current players. Linebacker Michael Mauti spoke out against Illinois, and it was obvious that he and the rest of the defense were motivated in Week 5.

The Lions were clearly the better team in Week 5, but the actions by the Illinois coaches gave the Lions another reason to win.

Winner: LB Michael Mauti

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Mauti seemed to have extra motivation against Illinois. He was to be all over the field, recording six tackles and making two interceptions. Mauti also had 105 yards in interception returns.

Mauti anchored the Penn State defense from his middle linebacker spot. The defense allowed only seven points. For the season, Penn State has allowed only 13.6 points per game.

The senior linebacker played a huge game against the Illini and figures to continue to lead the usually steady Penn State defense.