It was an odd way to start Big Ten play, but Penn State kicked off conference action this season on a Friday night at Illinois.

It was also an odd game in the sense that the No. 10 Nittany Lions were supposed to roll over the Fighting Illini — and they eventually did — but nearly halfway through the third quarter, the team trailed the home underdog 24-21. Even going into the final quarter, Penn State only led 28-24.

Anything could have happened. An upset was brewing.

But then came 5 straight TDs by the Nittany Lions. Prior to that point, RB Miles Sanders scored 3 TDs of his own. He helped keep Penn State alive through 3 quarters.

And by the game’s end, once the 63-24 score turned final, the junior back from Pittsburgh, Pa. ran it 22 times for 200 yards and 3 TD — all career-highs.

After the 39-point victory, Sanders celebrated with his mom:

https://twitter.com/audsnyder4/status/1043360174310916096

Hopefully for Sanders, his mom and the rest of the Penn State coaching staff and fans, he’ll have many more times to celebrate this season. Next week, the Nittany Lions face No. 4 Ohio State in Happy Valley.