Can Penn State Rebound to Beat Iowa? Here Are the Nittany Lions' Keys to Victory

Penn State plays its first game of the post-James Franklin era against the Hawkeyes at sold-out Kinnick Stadium.

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State and Iowa meet on Saturday for the 33rd time and first since the Nittany Lions’ 31-0 shutout victory in the 2023 White Out game at Beaver Stadium. It’s also Penn State’s first game without head coach James Franklin since 2014, so it’s difficult to know what to expect.

Penn State interim coach Terry Smith said this week that the Nittany Lions still were “hurt and torn” about Franklin’s firing but would find their “why” by kickoff. 

"We tell the truth in the building, and we all failed coach Franklin," Smith said. "That's why he's not here. We failed him. So we have to take ownership of that, and as we move forward we have to correct it. We want to play for him, we want to play for us, but at the end of the day it's the game of football, and every guy in the locker room has their own why."

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on the Peacock streaming service. Paul Burmeister and former Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson will be on the call.

Here’s how Penn State can snap its three-game losing streak when it faces the Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium..

Penn State vs. Iowa preview, predictions

Make Ethan Grunkemeyer’s life easier

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State’s offense certainly didn’t make life easy on quarterback Drew Allar for six games. ESPN reported that Allar had surgery this week to repair the broken ankle he sustained against Northwestern, meaning that Ethan Grunkemeyer will make his first career start at Kinnick Stadium. 

Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki needs to simplify the playbook and give Grunkemeyer quick slants, screens or underneath routes to settle him into the game. The Iowa crowd is famous for creating a raucous environment, and a difficult playbook with long-developing routes will make Grunkemeyer’s night even harder. 

Wide receivers Trebor Peña and Devonte Ross are known for their speed, shiftiness and diverse route trees. They’re excellent options for Kotelnicki to scheme slants, screens and mesh concepts. If Penn State can’t get anything going through the air because of a complicated playbook, the offense will stagnate against Iowa’s 5th-ranked run defense. 

Feature running back Kaytron Allen

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

It’s no secret who the more productive Penn State running back has been in 2025. Kaytron Allen has 208 more rushing yards than Nicholas Singleton on the same number of carries. Allen’s 6.7 yards per carry is nearly double Singleton’s (3.7). 

It’s been simple for the Nittany Lions; when Allen garners consistent touches, the offense looks livelier. But Allen hasn’t been featured enough. Iowa brings the nation’s fifth-ranked run defense, seventh-ranked total defense and eighth-ranked scoring defense. It’s a tall task for the Nittany Lions. 

For Penn State to pierce a strong Hawkeyes defense, it will need to use its best players consistently, and Allen has been the team’s most productive offensive player all season.

Make Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski beat you

Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) runs the ball while being chased by Wisconsin Badgers safety Matthew Jung (29) during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium. | Ross Harried-Imagn Images

Here’s a quick dive into the numbers. The Hawkeyes have the 42nd-ranked rushing offense in the FBS and are 24th in time of possession. Meanwhile, Penn State ranks 70th in run defense and 127th in time of possession.  

That looks like a recipe for disaster for the Nittany Lions. So Penn State needs to stop Iowa’s run game and force quarterback Mark Gronowski, who has thrown only three touchdowns this season, to beat it. That means halting a three-headed running back committee (Kamari Moulton, Xavier Williams and Jaziun Patterson) that averages a combined 175 yards per game.

The Nittany Lions’ run defense will be a deciding factor. Loading the box and stopping the run could lead Penn State to victory, as the Hawkeyes rank 128th in passing offense and 100th in starting quarterback rating in the FBS.