STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Casey Washington caught a 2-point conversion pass from Brandon Peters to end the first nine-overtime game in NCAA history and lift Illinois over No. 7 Penn State 20-18 on Saturday.
The teams were tied at 10 after regulation, exchanged field goals in the first two overtimes, then began to alternate 2-point attempts in the third OT as part of a format tweaked ahead of the season.
Neither team converted until the eighth overtime, when Isaiah Williams ran one in to put Illinois (3-5, 2-3 Big Ten) up 18-16. Noah Cain kept it alive for Penn State (5-2, 2-2) with a 2-point run of his own.
In the ninth OT, Sean Clifford’s pass to Parker Washington was broken up by linebacker Khalan Tolson. Peters then found Washington near the back of the end zone for the winning completion.
The 2-point conversion shootout started in 2019, the season after LSU and Texas A&M played a seven overtime game that left both teams badly beaten up. The rule was tweaked this year, with the 2-point conversion possessions beginning with the third overtime instead of the fifth.
Chase Brown and Josh McCray combined for 365 rushing yards and a touchdown for Illinois, and James McCourt kicked three field goals.
