What Bret Bielema said following Illinois' shocking upset of Penn State
Both Illinois and No. 7 Penn State came into Saturday looking to make a statement on the defensive side of the ball. There was clear that the defenses would be the only reason that either team won as the game went into nine overtimes. At that point, it wouldn’t be which team’s offenses would get the edge, it would be which team’s defense would give up the deciding score.
Illinois’ defense would only allow 227 total yards of offense from Penn State with only 62 of them coming from the rushing game. They also allowed only 14 first downs from Penn State as they were stout on third downs allowing only 4-of-17 third conversions from Penn State.
This was one of the biggest upsets in the history of Illinois football. The last road win versus an AP top 10 team was on Nov. 10, 2007 against No. 1 Ohio State. This was only the third win for Illinois under first-year head coach Bret Bielema.
Bielema "We want to play a Big Ten team on the road and be the toughest team." Says the team practiced the overtime rules but says it's nothing like during game time. "It gets the guys going. Every play is another opportunity."
— Alessandra Pontbriand (@APontbriandTV) October 23, 2021
#Illini head coach Bret Bielema on what he told the team before this 20-18 win in 9 OTs at No. 7 Penn State:
"I want to play a Big Ten football game where we're the toughest team on the field for four quarters and 60 minutes."
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) October 23, 2021
#Illini head coach Bret Bielema on the 8th OT:
"Isaiah Williams really wanted to get in that end zone. Probably the smallest guy in the field but he played like the biggest." https://t.co/xdTG9bA52Y
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) October 23, 2021
#Illini coach Bret Bielema after 20-18 win in 9 overtimes at No. 7 Penn State:
"In my experience, when you get gone here at Penn State, the showers are really cold. So all week long we kept preaching let's go get a cold shower."
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) October 23, 2021
Bielema says starting Art Sitkowski was decided earlier in the week but he liked how Brandon Peters stepped up at the end of the game when Sitkowski left with an injury.
— Alessandra Pontbriand (@APontbriandTV) October 23, 2021
Bielema:
"They fight for each other. I think BP, especially this week was difficult for him."
On this 9-OT win at Penn State being career win 100.
"Hopefully this is the start of 100 more here."
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) October 23, 2021
"I love the enthusiasm and energy. They fight for each other." – Bielema
— Alessandra Pontbriand (@APontbriandTV) October 23, 2021
Illinois upsets #7 Penn State 20-18 in 9 OTs in the longest college football game ever!
Bielema "This journey started together on this field." Remembers when he met the team last season when Illinois faced Penn State.https://t.co/gy0PQcTlk3
— Alessandra Pontbriand (@APontbriandTV) October 23, 2021
#Illini Bielema: I thought about being on this field on the day I took the job, I told those guys on Thursday morning that this journey started on this field.
— Alec Busse (@alec_busse) October 23, 2021
