Penn State Nittany Lions football suffered its first defeat of the season Saturday night, losing a first-half lead after Sean Clifford left the game due to injury.
Here's what they're saying about the loss.
Nate Bauer, BWI, Iowa specialist Tory Taylor locks up Nittany Lions with precision punts
"First pinning Penn State to its 2-yard line with a 47-yard punt, Iowa specialist Tory Taylor set up the Hawkeyes’ opening points of the game when Clifford was immediately intercepted on his initial pass attempt of the game. And though the Nittany Lions would emerge from that precarious situation without serious damage, their next five possessions were all in better field position, starting at the 25, 29, Iowa’s 39 off a Jaquan Brisker interception, their 20 and 25 on their first possession of the second quarter.
Upon Clifford’s injury, though, Penn State’s fortunes took a sharp turn in the opposite direction.
Moving backward 15 yards on three false start penalties on Ta’Quan Roberson’s first possession working in relief, the field position battle could not be salvaged by Penn State punter
Jordan Stout, who responded with a 55-yard effort of his own. Instead, a seven-play Iowa possession began what amounted to a cascade of possessions in which the Nittany Lions started with poor field position.
“We talk about the important statistics that we talk about all the time, and we didn't do a very good job in any of them,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “We didn't win the field position battle. We did not win the turnover battle. We did not win the penalty battle. And we did not win the explosive play battle.”
As the game slipped through Penn State’s grasp, Taylor played an even more pronounced role.
With the score locked at 20-13 to open the fourth quarter, the Australian-born Taylor suffocated any Penn State opportunity to move the ball, three times sending possession to the Nittany Lions on punts in the frame. Those efforts left the Nittany Lions at their 1-, 8-, and 8-yard lines, respectively, with Roberson and the offense unable to generate a first down on any of the tries.
Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes’ field position was never worse than their 45-yard line, twice starting on Penn State’s side of the field off Stout punts as the Kinnick Stadium crowd built in its intensity."
Greg Pickel, BWI, PSU's season didn't end at Iowa, but QB convo started anew: One big thing
"Tap the brakes and hold your horses, because Penn State's season didn't end on Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium as some are suggesting.
After watching the Nittany Lions rip off five straight wins before losing by three points on the road to the No. 3 team in the country without their starting quarterback for most of the contest, that's a certainty.
However, at the midway mark of the 2021 season, we're back to asking the same question we were in August: How will the quarterback play be on a week-to-week basis?
Head coach James Franklin had no update on the status of
Sean Clifford after the passer left the game in second quarter with an undisclosed injury and never returned to action. He did come back to the sideline with his uniform and helmet, but there was no obvious signal regarding what was wrong. Is that good or bad news? Who knows, but there's no question that Penn State needs him to get better during the bye week and be ready for action when the team hosts Illinois two Saturdays from now at Beaver Stadium. We can answer that summer question, at least: There is no ambiguity about it, Clifford has not only improved but is far and away the program's best option under center."
David Eckert, BWI, Admirable performance by Penn State defense goes to waste in Iowa loss
"The 23 points the Nittany Lions surrendered on the night were a season high six games in, but that doesn't come close to telling the complete story. Penn State allowed 305 total yards to the Hawkeyes — the lowest total in the three games it has played against ranked opposition to this point in the year.
Backup quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson and the Penn State offense struggled to move the ball, leaving the Nittany Lion defense to embark on what felt like a 30-minute, hockey-style penalty kill effort in the second half as it tried desperately to cling to a lead that seemed unlikely to grow.
Time after time the Penn State defense found itself up against excellent starting field position for the Hawkeyes as the offense struggled to get anything going.
Iowa's average starting field position on the night was its own 40-yard line.
"It's tough, but it doesn't bother us," defensive end Arnold Ebiketie said. "We know we come out on the field with the mindset that we're the best defense out there. It don't matter where they start, we just gotta stop them."
Time after time, the Penn State defense did stop the Hawkeyes. Penn State kept Iowa out of the end zone on the first three drives of the second half, forcing the hosts to settle for a field goal after starting their first drive of the fourth quarter at midfield.
Finally, thanks to poor field position, injuries, and over 34 minutes of Iowa possession, the Nittany Lion resistance broke."
Bob Flounders, PennLive, Penn State’s offense spins its wheels minus Sean Clifford vs. Iowa, and the future doesn’t look so rosy without him
"Penn State (5-1) is off this week but its second-half schedule includes a date at Ohio State in three weeks. Michigan and Michigan State are on the dance card after that.Maybe Clifford is ready for the Lions’ home game with Illinois at Beaver Stadium in two weeks.But if he’s not, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and Roberson have a lot of work to do in the days leading up to that contest."
Marty Leap, Black Shoe Diaries, Three Takeaways From Penn State’s Loss Against Iowa
"One of the shining starts for the Nittany Lions defense on Saturday was linebacker Curtis Jacobs. The former [four]-star recruit was unleashed by Pry on Saturday afternoon and he flew all over the field."
Sam Cooper, Yahoo Sports, No. 3 Iowa storms back from halftime deficit, beats No. 4 Penn State 23-20
"Playing in such a tough environment, Roberson never really had much of a chance. He missed some open receivers, but there were also drops and way too many penalties."
Chad Lestikow, The Des Moines Register, With one brilliant play call, No. 3 Iowa football delivers in big program moment
"Just when the Hawkeyes needed it, came the best play call of the game from Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz
A play-action rollout to the right, as we have seen so many times from this Iowa offense. It’s a staple play that didn’t do much at all most times Saturday against a stiff Penn State defense. But this time, against that vaunted secondary, wide receiver Nico Ragaini stopped his crossing route and turned left to the sideline. He was wide open, and Spencer Petras found the junior receiver for a 43-yard touchdown as Ragaini dived into the corner of the end zone.
It was the perfect moment at the perfect time and sent Iowa to a 23-20 home victory against the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions."
Mike Poorman, StateCollege.com, Penn State Football: Roberson’s Baptism Under Fire Doesn’t Go Well
"Roberson completed just 7 of 21 passes, for only 34 yards, with two interceptions. He also ran 10 times for 27 yards.
Perhaps the most telling stat, though, were the eight false starts by the Nittany Lion offense, which was clearly not accustomed to – actually, “befuddled by” may be more accurate — Roberson calling the signals, especially as the Kinnick Stadium crowd of 69,250 became more boisterous as the game wore on."
Justin Morganstein, The Daily Collegian, Coaches, offensive players to blame for Penn State football quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson’s struggles
"Sure, Ta'Quan Roberson looked hesitant and unsure of himself on multiple reads that should’ve likely been converted for big plays, but how much blame can you put on someone getting their first significant time in a game of that magnitude?
While he deserves his fair share of criticism and did not aid the offense whatsoever while in there, blame should surely be spread across multiple individuals on the offense and the staff, as there were many things within others’ control that were not executed properly."
Chip Patterson, CBS Sports, Tomorrow's Top 25 Today: Georgia takes over No. 1 from Alabama in new college football rankings
"There are plenty more games in Penn State's future that will allow the Nittany Lions to battle their way back into the front of the line for Big Ten Championship Game and College Football Playoff contention. Saturday's three-point loss at Iowa won't be too much of a knock in the big picture, but there's going to be a slight dip rankings-wise after the first defeat of the season."
