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After a dominating, 35-7 win for the Penn St. Nittany Lions over the Illinois Fighting Illini, linebacker Michael Mauti was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week. Mauti had two interceptions and returned them for a combined 105 yards. He also added six tackles, a forced fumble and a half-sack, leading the stifling defensive effort that kept the Illini to 74 rushing yards in the game.
Mauti, a 6-2 senior from Mandeville, La., has 48 tackles through five games. In fact, Saturday's performance was the first time he had fewer than nine tackles for Linebacker U.
Penn State and Mauti will next take on Northwestern Oct. 6, in the Nittany Lions' (3-2, 1-0) first game against a ranked opponent so far this year. The Wildcats are the No. 24 in the country, but quarterback Matt McGloin and the Mauti-led defense has turned around the Nittany Lions' season amid the massive NCAA sanctions.