What We Learned From Penn State's Latest Bitter Loss at Iowa

The Nittany Lions lose an 11-point second half lead, falling to the Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end Max Llewellyn (48) pressures Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) at Kinnick Stadium. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A new era for Penn State began on Saturday at Iowa, one without head coach James Franklin and quarterback Drew Allar. But some of the same issues emerged in a 25-24 loss to the Hawkeyes, the Nittany Lions' fourth straight at Kinnick Stadium by five points or less. 

Interim head coach Terry Smith said before the game that the team was “fragile” and “hurt and torn” after Franklin’s firing, but the Nittany Lions nevertheless came to play vs. the Hawkeyes. Still, they blew an 11-point second-half lead in falling to 0-4 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2020.

Here’s what we learned from Smith’s first loss as the interim head coach.  

Penn State’s shaky run defense is a chronic issue 

Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski carries the ball downfield against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Kinnick Stadium. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With a 24-19 lead and less than five minutes to play, Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski took a read option 67 yards down the left sideline after a missed tackle by cornerback Elliot Washington II. The Hawkeyes scored a touchdown one play later on an eight-yard jet sweep to Kaden Wetjen to take a one-point lead. 

Wetjen’s carry was one of 33 for Iowa, which totaled 245 yards rushing and three touchdowns and averaged 7.4 yards per carry against Penn State’s 71st-ranked rushing defense. 

“We’ve got to improve,” linebacker Dom DeLuca said. “We’ve got to be able to make the stop at the end of the game and get the offense the ball back.”

Penn State’s run defense has been a major issue for much of the season. Saturday’s game marked the second in the last three in which Penn State allowed more than 240 rushing yards and third in the last five it has allowed more than 175. 

Not to mention, Northwestern had its way on its final drive to ice the upset over the Nittany Lions last week. In all, run defense has been a significant part of Penn State’s demise in 2025. And opposing quarterbacks have been the culprit. 

UCLA’s Nico Iameleava ran for a career-high 128 yards against Penn State. On Saturday, Gronowski ran for a season-high 130 yards, with carries of 67 and 38 yards. His previous high this season was a 13-carry, 55-yard performance against Rutgers.

“Defensively, we can’t get stops when we need stops,” Smith said. “It’s glaring. I have to get it fixed.”

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer looked like a first-time starter

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The redshirt freshman performed about how you’d expect for a first-time starter in a hostile stadium. Grunkemeyer showed some flashes, but for the most part looked antsy and made some regrettable mistakes.

Those glimpses of success started on his first drive. On 4th-and-4 in Iowa territory, Grunkemeyer miraculously escaped the pocket, rushing for a first down that set up a 1-yard Kaytron Allen touchdown. 

In the second quarter, Grunkemeyer showed off his passing potential. He stepped up in the pocket and delivered an on-target pass to freshman wide receiver Koby Howard while having his jersey tugged. The play was similar to Allar’s touchdown throw to Harrison Wallace III in last year’s Big Ten Championship Game.

But the lows were notable. Grunkemeyer finished the game 15-for-28 for 93 yards and two interceptions. His first turnover was essentially an arm punt. But on his second, Grunkemeyer forced a ball to a covered Luke Reynolds, which popped in the air and was intercepted by safety Xavier Nwankpa. The turnover set up a Hawkeyes touchdown in the final two minutes of the half. 

“Not good enough,” Grunkemeyer said of his performance. “We lost the game. We’ve got to get better and learn from it.”

Grunkemeyer’s pocket impatience served him no good. His instinct was to run when the first read wasn’t there, even when he had a clean pocket. For example, Grunkemeyer looked unsteady on a first-half third down, moving around in a clean pocket before airmailing the ball into the sideline for intentional grounding. 

All around, it was a tough day for Grunkemeyer. And without Allen, it’s hard to imagine that Penn State would have scored more than one touchdown Saturday. 

A much different Penn State offense

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Jaxon Smolik (14) scrambles during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Without Franklin and Allar, coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s offense looked more like it did last season. There were plenty of motions, option runs and quick passes. And Kotelnicki deployed new backup quarterback Jaxon Smolik in the role Beau Pribula played last season. 

Still, Penn State ran into some familiar offensive issues as well, notably when called a power run to Nicholas Singleton on the final drive's 3rd-and-5. Iowa stuffed Singleton for a 1-yard gain, then sent a full-house blitz at Grunkemeyer on fourth down.

Still. Penn State scored 24 points with a backup quarterback against the nation’s seventh-ranked defense. Though it wasn’t enough, the difference from the first six games was striking.

Penn State leaned on running back Kaytron Allen

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen seeks to evade the tackle of Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Koen Entringer. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kaytron Allen has been Penn State’s best offensive player all season. On Saturday, Smith and Kotelnicki acted that way.

When the offense needed him most at Iowa, Allen was Penn State’s most productive player yet again. He finished with a season-high 28 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns in his first workhorse role of the year. Allen turned in a highlight series to start the third quarter, running six times for 53 yards and a score. 

Allen topped 20 carries for the first time in 13 games, and it was his second 100-yard performance of 2025. It’s clear that Allen is the team’s lead running back, with Nicholas Singleton (six carries, 15 yards) playing a companion role.

Up next

Penn State has a bye week before visiting top-ranked Ohio State on Nov. 1 at Ohio Stadium.