Highs & Lows: Iowa

Penn State fell to 0-5 on the season - for the first time in program history - when it dropped a 41-21 decision to Iowa Saturday afternoon.

BWI editor Nate Bauer recaps the highs and lows from the game.

PLAYER OF THE GAME Iowa’s Mekhi Sargent and Tyler Goodson were both too much for Penn State’s defense to handle Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium, Sargent racking up 101 yards and two scores on his 15 carries, complemented by Goodson’s 78 yards and a score on 20 carries. Repeatedly handed optimal field position, the Hawkeyes did what every other opponent has done to Penn State this season by making the Nittany Lions pay for it.

PLAY OF THE GAME At no point was this clearer than when Penn State unsuccessfully attempted a fourth-and-2 late in the first half. Unable to convert for the second time on the afternoon, the Nittany Lions gave the Hawkeyes field position in Penn State territory, which turned into an Iowa touchdown just seven plays, 49 yards, and 42 seconds later. Despite a third-quarter comeback of sorts by the hosts, it was all the cushion Iowa needed to earn the win. Afterward, Penn State head coach James Franklin said he was trying to inject momentum and life into the offense.

BEST PASS Sean Clifford’s entrance into the game came well after it had already been decided, but his first snap proved to be a good one for the beleaguered quarterback and the Nittany Lions. Pulling a double-fake, Clifford found and delivered an on-point pass to tight end Brenton Strange for a 28-yard touchdown. He followed it with a touchdown on his very next attempt, this time a perfectly placed bomb to Jahan Dotson for a 68-yard score.

BEST RUN Just as Penn State started to show some sign of life, Iowa came out and put the hammer down. On back-to-back runs, Sargent bulldozed his way through the Nittany Lions’ defensive line, first for 12 yards and for 17 the next as he barreled over all three levels of Penn State’s defense.

BEST CATCH Catch might not be the right category, but both Strange (for his first career touchdown) and Dotson were crucial components to the “best pass” category as described above.

WORST DROP Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker had the ball in his hands for a surefire interception at the Hawkeyes’ 45-yard line just a few minutes into the second quarter. In disbelief at seeing the ball on the Beaver Stadium turf, Brisker and the Nittany Lions regrouped to force an Iowa punt.

BEST SACK Down and out after a gut punch finish to the first half, Penn State’s defensive line went full throttle to open the third quarter. First Shaka Toney evaded a hold to produce a strip-sack on Spencer Petras, then Adisa Isaac followed the effort with one of his own, this time working inside through a neatly formed gap, to push the Hawkeyes back 20 yards on two plays.

BEST HIT Unblocked off Levis’ blind side, Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell absolutely unloaded on the Nittany Lions’ quarterback late in the third quarter. The hit jarred the ball loose, again, but the NIttany Lions were able to recover and punt.

BEST EFFORT Jayson Oweh shed a block, then went full-extension to drag Tyler Goodson to the ground for a 4-yard loss on what might have been a bigger gainer. The play, followed by a Toney sack on the next, was enough to force an Iowa punt before the end of the first half.

WORST EFFORT Levis’ pitch to Keyvone Lee, coming in the wake of a critical defensive stop, was yet another indicator of Penn State’s offensive lapses. On third-and-2 in the second quarter, the pitch went behind Lee and dropped to the field, where a horde of Hawkeye defenders eagerly scooped it up. Yet another turnover, yet again in Penn State’s territory, the miscue set Iowa up with prime field position.

BEST RETURN As if his interception at the line of scrimmage wasn’t enough, Iowa defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon reeled in the Clifford pass late in the fourth quarter and rumbled 71 yards the other way to give the Hawkeyes a 41-21 final advantage.

BEST DECISION Few would have argued for Clifford to start this week given the disastrous open to the first four games in the 2020 season, but his second-half entrance was exactly what Penn State needed. It just didn't last. Able to produce back-to-back touchdowns, Clifford got the Nittany Lions back into the game only to see it upended shortly thereafter with a pair of costly interceptions.

WORST DECISION Acknowledging Penn State’s need to generate points amidst a stalled offense, the decision to go on fourth-and-2 late in the first half proved to be especially costly. Having already run into a brick wall on third-and-1, the inability to connect on a fourth-down floater came with little surprise. Again gifted possession on Penn State’s side of the field, the Hawkeyes were able to increase their lead to 17 points with a touchdown before the end of the half.

MOST TELLING MOMENT In Franklin's post-game press conference, the head coach announced that Pat Freiermuth would have season-ending surgery this coming week in response to an injury sustained in the Ohio State game. It was yet another major blow to Penn State's available personnel this season.

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