My turn to take a swing at a post game. Boy I wish I hadn’t volunteered.
Iowa mostly outplayed Penn State over 60 minutes and, despite some truly insane twists and turns, Iowa emerged a 25-24 winner after a late Kaden Wetjen touchdown plus a stop gave Iowa the win. Iowa improved to 5-2 and 3-1 with the win, while Penn State somehow dropped to 3-4 and a staggering 0-4 in league play.
From the get go this looked like one of those games. Iowa took the first possession of the game but couldn’t catch a slant on third down. The deflection was intercepted with one hand by Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley at the Iowa 35. Uh oh.
10 plays later, after Iowa missed not one, not two, but three attempts at a tackle for loss on fourth down and after Iowa stopped Penn State on fourth and goal from the 1 but was offsides, the Nittany Lions found the end zone through Kaytron Allen to take a 7-0 lead. Seriously, how is Iowa trailing?
Iowa responded with a solid drive, moving to the Penn State 21. But Iowa failed to convert a third down pass to Reece Vander Zee and had to settle for a 39-yard field goal from Drew Stevens. It wouldn’t be Stevens’s last involvement in the half.
Penn State was forced to punt on their next drive and the dynamic Wetjen returned the kick 25 yards to the Penn State 35. It sure looked like he was hit late out of bounds but the call was not given. Iowa was forced into a 46-yard field goal attempt, but Stevens pushed the kick wide. Ugh. Points left on the field.
The teams traded punts before Penn State put together a nice drive into Iowa territory. On third down from the Iowa 38, a pass that looked like a throwaway, Deshaun Lee hauled in a diving interception at the 4 for the first Penn State turnover of the night.
Iowa made it out of the shadows of their goalposts but were forced to punt from their 39 after Mark Gronowski started to slide short of the line to gain instead of diving head first which would’ve been a first down. It turned out to be no big deal, as Xavier Nwankpa – playing in his natural position at free safety and playing what is his best game in an Iowa uniform to date – picked off a tipped pass and returned it to the Penn State 1. Gronowski found the end zone on a tush push to put Iowa in the lead, finally, at 10-7.
The Nittany Lions seemed intent on giving Iowa the early first quarter miscues back with a brutal late half drive, punting back to Iowa with 47 seconds left and Iowa still in possession of a timeout. Iowa picked up a first down and drove to the Penn State 48. Instead of attempting a hail mary or simply punting, Iowa – get this – attempted a 66-yard field goal. Before the first kick, Penn State called a timeout. The first attempt was a solid 10 yards short. Instead of seeing that and attempting the deep ball or just punting, or even taking a knee, Iowa tried the 66-yarder again. The Iowa line was blown up – Penn State nearly blocked Iowa’s PAT attempt just a few minutes prior – and Xavier Gilliam blocked the kick. The block ricocheted directly to Elliot Washington II, who returned the block 35 yards for a 14-10 halftime lead.
Of course, Penn State received the ball to start the second half. Penn State drove to Iowa territory and seemed ready to stall, but a pass interference on Koen Entringer kept the drive alive, and eventually Penn State found the end zone. Somehow, someway, Penn State led 21-10. Danger zone for Iowa. Season on the line.
Iowa responded with possibly their best drive of the year, highlighted by a 38-yard rumble from Gronowski. Iowa drove inside the Penn State 5, and on third and goal, Gronowski faked the Penn State defense out on an RPO to cut the lead to 21-16. Iowa attempted a 2-point conversion, for some reason, and failed, so trailed by 5. I could be wrong, but I believe Iowa hasn’t converted a 2-point attempt since Wisconsin 2020 (of course it’s Wisconsin; kudos to CBS today for all the wide, panning shots of an empty Camp Randall in the afternoon slot. Reminder that they stink.)
Penn State’s next drive was stopped on downs, a Penn State 4th and 1 at their own 40. Penn State attempted to have the motion man take a quick snap, but Iowa was wise to the play and stopped it for no gain. Iowa took possession and immediately ripped off a 21-yard run from Kamari Moulton. The Hawks drove to Penn State’s 13 but had to settle for a field goal. 21-19, Penn State.
Penn State again dodged trouble with a fumble near midfield, a fumble bouncing directly to their tight end. On the next play, Penn State fumbled a snap but again recovered on first down. Dodging and weaving, this Penn State team. They did it again on 3rd and 11, dodging another sack for a huge conversion. The Nittany Lions continued to burn clock – this game zoomed by – but Iowa held and forced a field goal. 24-19.
Mark Gronowski took the next play 67 yards to the Penn State 8, then Kaden Wetjen scored on an end around to put Iowa in the lead, 25-24. Iowa attempted another two-pointer and failed again – don’t chase points – but Iowa led, 25-24, with 3:54 remaining.
Penn State drove to their 49, but a 4th down was stopped with a heave incomplete. It was an amazing call Phil Parker – a blitz dialed at the best possible time, with Nwankpa again blowing the play up – and Iowa clung to their 1-point advantage. Penn State still had time and two timeouts, but Tim Lester channeled Iowa versus Michigan State, 1985, and called a bootleg for Gronowski. The whole Penn State defense bit, and Gronowski easily picked up the first down to ice the game. He finished with 130 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
I’ll be back for The Morning After. Somehow. I’ll be a few beers in. LET’S FREAKING GOOOOOOOO.
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