UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Quarterback Christian Hackenberg is in some sort of zone the past two weeks.
Whether the junior is slinging touchdowns, reeling off long completions or extending plays with his legs, this Hackenberg looks much different than the one who was asked to manage games earlier this season.
For the second consecutive week, Penn State’s Hackenberg put together an outing reminiscent of his standout freshman season, one where he moved the offense up and down the field and got the ball to his playmakers. And for the second straight week, it resulted in a win, with the Nittany Lions (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) also riding a dominant defense that shut out Illinois, 39-0.