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Sunday, November 11, 2001

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Penn State defense has been looking for an opportunity to assert itself, to make a big play with the game on the line. Yesterday, such an opportunity came, but like much of the season, the defense failed to come through with a stop when it needed one.

	Penn State safety Yisrael can't stop Illinois running back Rocky Harvey from scoring the winning touchdown yesterday. (Tom Roberts, Associated Press)

Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner completed a 30-yard pass on third-and-10 from his 20 with 3:05 remaining, then led his team to the winning touchdown with 1:19 left for a come-from-behind 33-28 victory before a sellout crowd of 70,904 at Memorial Stadium.

Illinois scored 26-second half points, including 19 in the fourth quarter as the Lions (3-5, 2-4 Big Ten) blew a 14-point halftime lead and had their three-game winning streak stopped.

The Lions' defense was on the field for 20 minutes in the second half. Illinois (8-1, 5-1) took advantage of Penn State's tiring defense and grabbed the lead twice in the final 12 minutes.

"Everything we did didn't seem to stop them," safety Shawn Mayer said. "It's very disappointing. We had too many opportunities. We just blew them."

"I think they were tired," Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said of his defense. "I don't know if we ran five offensive plays in the fourth quarter. Our offense couldn't do anything, and we lost our poise [on defense]. They were trying so hard to make a play that I think they started guessing a little bit."

	More on Penn State: Penn State Report: 11/11/01

Penn State ran eight plays in the fourth quarter, two of them pass interceptions by backup quarterback Matt Senneca, who had to play when Zack Mills' left ankle was sprained near the end of the first quarter.

Even with an unproductive offense that gained just 61 yards in the second half, Penn State was in position to win the game with 3:29 left after Larry Johnson returned a kickoff 97 yards, the Lions' second special teams touchdown of the day, for a 28-27 lead.

But Kittner eluded pressure on a third-and-10 and connected with Brandon Lloyd down the sideline to the 50. Illinois capped the drive with a 13-yard run from Rocky Harvey.

"We were a little tired, but we should have been able to stop them," defensive end Michael Haynes said. "We had the game. We let it slip through our hands."

The defense failed to come through, but the game turned midway through the third quarter when Penn State called a trick play with the Lions in Illinois territory.

Penn State had tricked Illinois for a touchdown in the first half when Eric McCoo threw a 63-yard halfback option touchdown pass to Tony Johnson. But when the Nittany Lions went to the well in the second half, Illinois was ready and the play turned the tide of the game.

With a 21-14 lead, the Lions called a reverse pass on a second-and-7 from the Illinois 41. Senneca handed off to McCoo, who handed off to Tony Johnson, whose pass intended for Senneca was intercepted at the 11.

"They blitzed too many defenders," Johnson said. "They penetrated too fast. I couldn't get a good look downfield."

Illinois went 81 yards in 12 plays to make the score 21-21, then kicked field goals on its next two drives for a 27-21 lead.

"No question about it," Paterno said of the trick play being critical. "That and the play Kittner made on the third-and-10 changed the game. Turnovers will kill you."

Penn State had four of them, all interceptions, three from Senneca, who was ineffective. Senneca was 6 for 23 for 52 yards and three interceptions.

Mills, whose ankle was sprained on Penn State's second scoring drive, did not return after helping the Lions to a 14-0 lead on the final play of the first quarter.

Mills took an injection of a painkiller on the bench in the first half and warmed up for a short time in the fourth quarter, but Paterno did not want to risk further injury.

"He couldn't run or push off," Paterno said. "I debated putting him in there in the shotgun, but I was afraid he would get another whack and we'd lose him longer. I didn't think it was worth the chance."

Paterno even thought about putting true freshman Michael Robinson in the game to jump-start his stagnant offense, but he didn't want to lose Robinson's redshirt season by playing him for just a few plays.

"I don't think he could have done any better than Matt anyway," Paterno said.

Mills was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, but he said he could have gone back into the game, although he said, "It didn't feel great."

Penn State had leads of 14-0 and 21-7 at halftime, but the Lions did not score in the second half until Larry Johnson returned the kickoff.

"I put it all on myself," Senneca said. "I let the team down. That's all me."

The Lions scored first in a game for the first time this season when Bruce Branch returned a Steve Fitts punt 71 yards for a touchdown 65 seconds into the game. Branch split the middle of the Illini coverage, cut to the outside and sprinted past Fitts for his school-record fourth punt return for a touchdown.

The Lions benefited from some sloppy play from Illini in the first quarter. Lloyd dropped a long pass on third down on the first drive. On the next drive, Brian Hodges dropped another third-down pass on the Penn State 35, and the Illini were forced to punt.

Kittner, who was 16 for 33 for 195 yards and a touchdown, was just 2 for 9 in the first quarter for 17 yards.

Penn State opened up a 14-0 lead on the final play of the first quarter when Eric McCoo ran in from a yard out, capping an eight-play, 57-yard drive. Mills' ankle was injured on a quarterback draw on the Illinois 15. Hobbling, Mills stayed in the game and threw to John Gilmore on the next play for 9 yards. On third-and-3, Mills threw Larry Johnson for 5 yards to the 1.

The Penn State offense bogged down with Senneca in the game, gaining 10 yards with two punts and an interception on three drives. The interception set up Illinois' first touchdown.

Kittner got a first down on a 7-yard pass to Aaron Moorehead. That play sparked the Illini. On the next play, Kittner threw 29 yards to Moorehead down the sideline, setting up a 17-yard pass to Hodges on a bootleg to make score 14-7 with 4:44 left before halftime.

Penn State then dipped into its bag of tricks to restore its 14-point lead. On the ensuing drive, on a second-and-6, Senneca pitched right to McCoo, who threw a 63-yard halfback option touchdown pass to Tony Johnson.

Johnson outjumped two Illinois defenders for the ball at the 30, then bounced off safety Bobby Jackson and raced to the end zone.