STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — After three underwhelming nonconference wins to start the year, it was hard to tell just how good Penn State was going to be.
Iowa’s defense and special teams provided a resounding answer Saturday night, yet again using the Nittany Lions as a springboard to success.
“It lets us realize that we’re capable of being a good team,” said linebacker Pat Angerer, who led Iowa with 14 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. “We obviously have a lot of work to do, but we’re getting there.”
Iowa has won eight straight since upsetting then-undefeated Penn State, 24-23 last November in Iowa City to hand the Nittany Lions their first loss and knock them out of the 2008 national title chase.
The latest upset sent Iowa (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) rocketing back into the latest AP Top 25 poll at No. 13 after being unranked for two weeks, while Penn State (3-1, 0-1) tumbled 10 spots to No. 15.
The Hawkeyes’ offense could use some work after stumbling themselves against Penn State in a defensive slugfest played in pouring rain. Iowa receivers dropped several passes, and the offensive line got caught off-guard when the Nittany Lions blitzed more in the second half.
Then again, the offense didn’t need to do much more with the way their defense was flying all over the field.
Normally cool Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark looked out of rhythm, his offensive line harassed by the Hawkeyes defensive front. The Lions turned the ball over three times as their offense sputtered.
“I don’t know. I have to look at the tape before we start saying this is what happened,” coach Joe Paterno said. “Obviously we’ll see that turnovers were a big thing in the game.”
Clark started out hitting his first five passes, including a 79-yard touchdown catch by Chaz Powell, but finished 12 of 32 for 198 yards with three interceptions.
Two of those picks came in the game’s final 12:21, which started with Adrian Clayborn’s momentum-turning 53-yard blocked punt return for a score and also covered Evan Royster’s lost fumble after a long kick return by Powell.
“It was really unbelievable to see,” Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi said about watching his team’s defense work in the fourth quarter.
Iowa has come a long way since starting the season by barely holding off FCS school Northern Iowa to drop out of the polls. Since then, they’ve routed Iowa State and shut down Arizona star tailback Nic Grigsby before foiling Penn State.
Penn State’s nonconference schedule was perhaps weaker. The defense looked solid in routs of Akron, Syracuse and Temple, though the offense couldn’t piece together a complete game.
Things looked good in a dominating first quarter in which Penn State outgained Iowa 147-54. Clark played well in the pocket, and Paterno shook up the play-calling by unleashing his mobile quarterback on designed keepers.
But the offensive line began to wither under Iowa pressure. Starting right tackle DeOn’tae Pannell was lifted after getting badly beaten by Iowa defensive end Broderick Binns on a sack in the end zone that led to a safety.
Royster, a 1,200-yard rusher last year, finished with 69 yards on 17 carries, his third sub-100 yard performance of the season.
Clark gave his offensive line a pep talk after the game.
“There were a couple mistakes here and there from everybody,” Clark said. “What we do after this will determine what type of football team we are. We still have a lot of football left.”
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Associated Press
Iowa sends Penn State back to drawing board
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