Iowa vs. Penn State Picks and Predictions

The Iowa Hawkeyes will host the Penn State Nittany Lions at Kinnick Stadium this week. Coming off a shutout 37-0 over the Wisconsin Badgers, Kirk Ferentz and Co. aim to continue the winning run with a healthier Mark Gronowski.

With interim head coach Terry Smith making his sideline debut for the Nittany Lions, Penn State is desperately seeking stability after consecutive losses to UCLA and Northwestern. The Hawkeyes are riding on a commanding momentum from last week’s win and are slight favorites for the game. So, what does the Iowa Hawkeyes On SI staff think?

Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) looks for an open player during the second half of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday October 11, 2025 at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nishant Gupta, Staff Writer

With interim head coach Terry Smith making his sideline debut following James Franklin's stunning $49.7 million buyout, the Nittany Lions face a daunting road test at Kinnick Stadium. Redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, replacing the injured Drew Allar, steps in for his first collegiate start. He faces a Hawkeyes defense ranked seventh nationally, which has allowed just 246.7 yards per game.

Iowa's confident defensive unit should overwhelm Penn State's inexperienced quarterback. The Nittany Lions have dropped three straight after starting 3-0 and Gronowski’s men are likely to make it four on Saturday.

Iowa 27, Penn State 21

Jennifer Streeter, Staff Writer

The Penn State Nittany Lions enter their game against the Iowa Hawkeyes with lots of eyes on them following the hugely expensive firing of head coach James Franklin.

Iowa's defense should be able to limit big plays and dominate time of possession in what is an undoubtedly districting time for Penn State, who is already undergoing some inexperience at the quarterback slot with Ethan Grunkemeyer getting himself ready for his first career start. Pair all of this with the fact that they Hawkeyes have home field advantage at Kinnick Stadium, and this should be a fairly clean win for Iowa.

Iowa 24, Penn State 17

Lane Mills, Staff Writer

It’s weird for the Iowa Hawkeyes to be entering a game against Penn State as the favorite, but given the circumstances, it isn’t remotely surprising.

Iowa, following a shutout win over the Wisconsin Badgers, appears to be entering peak midseason form against a Nittany Lions team on a three-game skid and down a head coach. While the visiting team may exhibit some renewed fire under an interim HC, the Hawkeyes, by all metrics, should take this one easily on their home field. The offense looked great last week, Mark Gronowski is seemingly healthy, and the team’s defense has consistently impressed in spite of the team’s two losses.

Iowa 30, Penn State 17

Jordon Lawrenz, Staff Writer

Penn State's firing of James Franklin makes this game very interesting. While I don't expect the Nittany Lions to change overnight, I'm intrigued to see how they look without their $50 million man running the show.

QB Drew Allar's injury complicates thing. On paper, that gives the advantage to Iowa. As long as QB Mark Gronowski is back to 100%, I have no doubt the Hawkeyes will win. Don't sleep on freshman QB Ethan Gunkemeyer, he could very well come to Kinnick Stadium and have the game of his life.

Iowa 24, Penn State 16

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!