#2 Penn State rallied from a 21-0 deficit and won their first Big Ten Championship in dramatic fashion by driving 96 yards (6:54-mark) in the game's final minutes for the game-winning touchdown in a 35-31 victory.
The game was setup for a classic "great offense vs. great defense matchup."
Illinois entered with the top ranked defense in the Big Ten and featured one of the greatest linebacker corps in Big Ten history - in Simeon Rice (#3 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft), Kevin Hardy (#2 overall pick in '96 Draft), John Holecek (8-year NFL career) and 2-time All-American and '94 Butkus Award winner Dana Howard.
Penn State featured arguably the greatest offense in college football history - averaging over 47 points and 520 yards per game - featuring numerous All-Americans in QB Kerry Collins (#5 pick in 1995 NFL Draft), RB Ki-Jana Carter (1st-overall pick in '95 Draft), TE Kyle Brady (9th-overall pick in '95 Draft), G Jeff Hartings (1st-rnd pick in '96 Draft), and WR Bobby Engram (15-year NFL career) as well as offensive lineman in T Andre Johnson (1st-rnd pick), and G Marco Rivera (11-year NFL career),
Kerry Collins finished the game 24 of 38, for 300 yards and 1 TD. Collins completed 13 of 15 passes in the 4th-quarter and was a perfect 7 for 7 on the game-winning drive. Ki-Jana Carter rushed 22 times for 110 yds and 1 TD, Kyle Brady caught 5 passes for 73 yards, and FB Brian Milne rushed for a career-high 3 touchdowns.
Illinois RB Ty Douthard rushed for a career high 171 yards and scored 2 touchdowns.
The Nittany Lions would finish the year a perfect 12-0.