Christian Hackenberg threw two touchdown passes and caught a third to lead host Penn State to a 39-0 defeat of Illinois on Saturday.

Hackenberg completed his first six passes, including a 5-yard dart to wide receiver Chris Godwin for a touchdown that gave Penn State (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) a 6-0 lead with just under six minutes left in the opening quarter. Joey Julius' extra-point attempt was blocked, though.

Linebacker Troy Reeder intercepted Illinois quarterback Wes Lunt on the next series and returned it to the Fighting Illini's 6-yard line. Then, Hackenberg found wide receiver Geno Lewis for another touchdown. The Fighting Illini blocked that extra point as well, keeping the score 12-0.

Tyler Davis came on for Julius and connected on a 42-yard field goal with 4:16 left to play in the second quarter.

On Penn State's opening drive of the third quarter, Hackenberg tossed a pitch to running back Nick Scott and dropped into the left flat. Scott ran right and threw the ball back across the field to Hackenberg, who out-ran two defenders to the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass that made it 22-0.

Freshman running back Saquon Barkley added a leaping 7-yard touchdown run roughly two minutes into the fourth quarter, and running back Mark Allen scored from 20 yards out with 6:33 to play.

Illinois (4-4, 1-3), had just 167 yards of offense, with only 86 of them coming in the final three quarters.