Iowa comes from behind to down Penn State, 23-20
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The No. 4/4 Penn State football team fell to No. 3/3 Iowa 23-20 in a Big Ten showdown in Iowa City on Saturday.
The Nittany Lions got off to a quick start in the game, jumping out to a 17-3 lead in the first half, but the Iowa defense would hold Penn State to just three second half points as the Hawkeyes came from behind for the victory.
In a defensive affair, the Penn State defense held Iowa to 305 yards of total offense. Linebacker Ellis Brooks led the unit with a career-high 14 tackles in the contest. Jaquan Brisker tied a career-high with nine tackles while adding an interception and a pass breakup. Arnold Ebiketie was a force off the edge for Penn State, recording 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack to go along with his nine tackles.
Both of the Nittany Lions’ offensive touchdowns came on the ground, with Noah Cain punching in a 2-yarder and quarterback Sean Clifford scoring from four yards out. Clifford completed 15-of-25 passes for 145 yards before leaving the game late in the second quarter. Clifford went to the locker room and returned to the sideline in civilian clothes for the second half. There was no immediate word on the status of his injury; Clifford had taken a helmet to his midsection while throwing a pass and did not return.
The Nittany Lions struggled offensively in the second half as the Hawkeyes used a strong punting game and field position to ultimately churn out the win.
Iowa capitalized off a turnover to get on the board first. After a Jestin Jacobs interception set the Hawkeyes up inside the 5-yard line, the Penn State defense stood strong to hold Iowa to a field goal in the game’s opening minutes.
The Nintany Lions quickly moved down the field on their ensuing drive, moving 75 yards in just 2:31 to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Noah Cain.
Jaquan Brisker would give the Nittany Lions their first takeaway, intercepting a tipped pass to give Penn State the ball in Iowa territory. After Sean Clifford connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 30-yard gain deep into the red zone, the quarterback would score on his own with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Penn State would extend its lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter on a Jordan Stout 32-yard field goal to make it 17-3 Nittany Lions.
Iowa cut into the lead on its next position as Spencer Petras found Charlie Jones for a 9-yard touchdown to cut the Penn State lead to seven.
Stout would push the Nittany Lion lead back to double digits midway through the third with a 44-yard field goal.
Iowa’s Caleb Shudak would cut Penn State’s advantage back to single digits in the closing minutes of the third quarter with a 48-yard field goal. They would add another three points minutes later on a 36-yarder from Shudak.
The Hawkeyes would jump ahead with a quick strike late in the fourth quarter when Petras hit Nico Ragaini for a 44-yard touchdown to give Iowa a 23-20 lead that would hold as the final score.
Penn State heads into its bye week with a 5-1 record with six Big Ten contests remaining on its schedule. The Nittany Lions will return to action in a home contest against Illinois on Oct. 23 at Beaver Stadium.
