What could have been? 5 takeaways from Penn State's 23-20 loss at Iowa

IOWA CITY -- Penn State and Iowa played the close game everyone expected them to on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium, even if one side did not have two key players for most of it.

The Nittany Lions played a majority of the contest without quarterback Sean Clifford, who left in the second quarter due to injury and never returned, and that allowed the Hawkeyes to do just enough on offense while PSU could not for a 23-20 victory. The Lions played almost all four quarters without starting defensive tackle PJ Mustipher, as well.

Here are our takeaways from the game as Penn State dropped to 5-1.

Penn State can only wonder how this game would have turned out if Clifford was healthy for all 60 minutes.

The veteran did throw two interceptions, including one on the Lions' first offensive snap of the game, but he was a fine 15 of 25 for 146 yards before exiting due to the undisclosed injury. At that point in time, the Lions held a 17-3 lead.

They would only score three more points the rest of the way, of course, as backup Ta'Quan Roberson had a couple of fine moments but mostly a lot of poor ones as the offense around him failed to function as a whole due to penalties and generally ineffective play. The third-year passer finished 7 of 18 for just 34 yards and two interceptions, though he did run for 24, too. Ultimately, the Penn State offense had only 92 yards after halftime, which is never going to be good enough to win on the road against a top-five foe.

Now, all eyes turn toward how long Clifford could be out, because while Penn State's season isn't over after this one loss, it might as well be if its QB1 is out for the year or even a month. The team will have to move on, but fans will certainly be left thinking about how this game could have played out if some things went differently and what that means for the season.

Many have asked if this was the most injuries a Penn State team has suffered in one game, and while such a thing isn't tracked, the answer is probably yes.

PJ Mustipher was lost on the fifth play of the game and spent the second half on crutches. Clifford emerged from the locker room after leaving in the middle of the second half with his football pants still on but no uniform. And, multiple players were attended to on the field during the game, including defensive tackle D'Von Ellies, safety Jaquan Brisker, receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, safety Jonathan Sutherland, and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie. Back John Lovett watched the game in street clothes, as well.

It was a long day for the medical staff and team in general, and there are lots of bumps and bruises to tend to during a well-timed off week.

Unfortunately, the backup quarterback situation has always been viewed through a lens of skepticism, because Ta'Quan Roberson has had almost no legitimate game reps before this season, and there were only a few during the first five weeks of 2021.

Penn State was forced to go to him with Clifford sidelined and not even in uniform during the second half, however. His scrambling ability kept some series alive and he was the victim of a pair of drops from tight end Brenton Strange that ended drives, but by and large, his job was to not give Iowa great field position due to a turnover, and he did that but almost nothing more, and that was the biggest culprit as the Hawkeyes came back to win. Too many throws sailed high, the run game did next to nothing, and the offense was hardly in sync.

Penn State will be in trouble if it has to go a long duration without Clifford. Roberson has some talent, no doubt, but he's not ready to be the starting quarterback. Of course, depending on the status of No. 14, there may be no other choice.

Penn State's defense was flying around yet again in a Big Ten contest.

Ellis Brooks and Curtis Jacobs were simply terrific from their linebacker spots. D'Von Ellies played well in his most expanded action to date, end Jesse Luketa was constantly chasing Iowa players down, and corner Daequan Hardy had two huge plays, a tackle for loss and a sack, on the same drive in the middle of the fourth quarter.

We could continue picking out individual standouts. Safety Jaquan Brisker had an interception, Arnold Ebiketie had a sack, and Jacobs did, too. This was an incredible unit-wide effort from start to finish in a brutal spot once Clifford went out, and this group answered the bell time and time again and did everything it could to keep Penn State in a preferable position.

Some will quibble with the late game breakdown that led to Nico Ragaini's game-winning touchdown catch or the fact that this Iowa offense scored 23 points, but it's just unclear what more Brent Pry's group could have donefiv

Where would Penn State be without Jordan Stout?

Iowa punter Tory Taylor was really good, too, as he and Stout continued to pin each other's offense deep. Stout finished with five punts for an average of 50.4 yards and kicked two field goals, one from 32 and the other from 44, while also booming touchback after touchback despite it being a windy day. He, too, did all he could to try and give the Nittany Lions their best chance to win.

Penn State is off this week then faces Illinois two Saturdays from now at Noon back at Beaver Stadium.

*******

• Talk about this article inside The Lions Den

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue-White Illustrated

• Follow us on Twitter: @BWIonRivals, @NateBauerBWI, @RivalsSnyder, @DavidEckert98, @GregPickel, @ThomasFrankCarr

• Follow us on Instagram

• Like us on Facebook