Iowa 41, Penn State 21: A Place in History
Why is Penn State 0-5 for the first time in its 134-year football history? Because it has to play first halves.
Penn State set that very unwanted milestone Saturday in a 41-21 loss to Iowa at Beaver Stadium. Yet, for the fifth time this season, the Lions tried to rally in the second half and showed some measure of life in a continuing season of dreariness.
How did it happen? Let's unwind.
-Penn State's defense, an absolute disappointment this season, nevertheless delivered a big moment in the third quarter, when safety Lamont Wade recovered a fumble. Enter quarterback Sean Clifford, who ceded Saturday's start to Will Levis.
Clifford threw touchdown passes on his first two attempts, including a 68-yarder to Jahan Dotson that was among the team's prettiest offensive plays of the season.
It was a compelling and fun burst for the Lions, who otherwise showed little offensive verve and turned over the ball four more times. And, alas, it ended. Clifford was intercepted (albeit on a tipped ball) on his third possession and threw a pick-six in the fourth quarter.
-Nevertheless, Penn State once again lost this game in the first half. Iowa took a 24-7 lead into the break, becoming the fifth opponent to lead Penn State by double digits at halftime. The Lions have been outscored 117-33 in first halves.
-Defensively, Penn State is a mess. The linebackers are out of position, miss tackles and don't react well. Iowa linebacker Nick Niemann made 13 tackles in the first half, seven more than Penn State's linebackers combined.
Iowa was particularly successful power-running behind Mekhi Sargent, who averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Brent Pry needs an offseason to revisit this unit.
-Penn State is minus-9 in turnovers this season. Teams have scored 51 points via turnovers against the Lions. Iowa scored 24, capitalizing on two fumbles and two interceptions.
-Penn State's power-running game was uneven, which made some of its aggressive decision-making questionable. In the second quarter, Penn State ran a run play with Levis on 4th-and-1. As it had done, Iowa blitzes the run and stopped Levis for a 1-yard loss.
So on its next series, Penn State got even more aggressive, having Levis throw a timing route downfield to Dotson on 4th-and-2. The pass fell incomplete, Iowa took over at the Penn State 49-yard line with 53 seconds and scored a touchdown before halftime.
That was the sealant Iowa applied to a 24-7 halftime lead and, ultimately, the victory.
-Levis made his second career start and led a 75-yard touchdown drive in the first half. He wasn't asked to do much other than run quarterback draws and throw some simple passes.
Levis was O.K. but fumbled twice, both of which produced Iowa touchdowns. The first was on an attempted third-down option pitch, which missed the targeted running back.
-Penn State's offense continues to face personnel problems. All-America tight end Pat Freiermuth did not play because of an apparent injury, and starting running back Devyn Ford did not play after the first series.
As a result, Penn State's only two scholarship backs available were freshmen Keyvone Lee and Caziah Holmes.
-Freiermuth's string of consecutive games with a catch ended at 29.
-Further, redshirt freshman quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson was not in uniform, promoting true freshman Micah Bowens to the No. 3 spot.
-Penn State has allowed points on its opening defensive drive for the fourth consecutive game. The good news: Iowa settled for a 40-yard field goal after tight end Sam LaPorta couldn't grasp a potential touchdown catch on third down.
