#4 Penn State (5-0, Big Ten) travels to Iowa City to take on #3 Iowa (5-0) for a Big Ten contest that could have College Football Playoff implications and be a preview of the Big Ten Championship Game. The Nittany Lions are coming off 24-0 dismantling of Indiana last weekend in Happy Valley. The Hawkeyes were just as impressive defeating Maryland 51-14 in College Park. William Hill Sportsbook currently has the Hawkeyes as 1-1/2-point favorite although that line could come down to a “pick ‘em” by game time.
Date: October 9, 2021
Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
When: 4:00 PM/Eastern
TV: Fox
Radio: 1210 WPHT
Series History
Penn State and Iowa have met 30-times. The Nittany Lions currently lead the series 17-13
Last Match Up
11/21/2020: Iowa defeated Penn State 41-21 in Happy Valley.
This Game at a Glance…
If you like defensive football this game is going to be one for you. This game has all the makings of a good ol’ fashioned Big Ten slugfest. It could be a repeat of the 6-4 Iowa win from 2004.
The Hawkeyes have the #2 defense in college football allowing an average of 11.6 PPG this season. The Nittany Lions are #3 allowing only 12.0 PPG on average. That’s a lot of shutdown defense.
Offensively both teams are averaging around 30 PPG with plenty of playmakers for both offenses. It will most likely take a big play to break a defensive stalemate.
This game will most likely come down to the foot of a college kicker.
Penn State Wins If…
Not to take the easy way out but Penn State wins if they score more points! Fantastic analysis!
Will the Penn State offense be able to overcome Iowa’s defense and make one or two big plays? Probably but that’s all they’re going to get. Sean Clifford certainly has his choices of weapons with Jahan Dotson and Brenton Strange being his likely targets. Clifford might have to play the best game of his career against the Hawkeyes.
In the end, this game could come down to the leg PK/P Jordan Stout.
Iowa Wins If…
Copy and paste the above, insert under Iowa.
Iowa’s offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz is one of the hot assistant coaching names in college football, will he be able to dial up a game plan to overcome the Nittany Lions defense? QB Spencer Petras, running backs Tyler Goodson and Ivory Kelly-Martin might be enough for the Hawkeyes.
Like Penn State, this game might come down to the leg of kicker Caleb Shudak.
