AP Photo/Matthew Putney
Iowa now has the inside track in the Big Ten to the College Football Playoff following a massive 23-20 victory over No. 4 Penn State on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Spencer Petras hit a wide-open Nico Ragaini for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 6:26 left in the game to give Iowa its first lead since the opening frame.
With his team backed up on its own 8-yard line, James Franklin opted to go for it on fourth down. Ta’Quan Roberson threw his second interception with 2:13 remaining to effectively doom the Nittany Lions to a defeat.
Penn State was rolling along in the second quarter up 17-3. Then Sean Clifford exited with an undisclosed injury after going 15-of-25 for 146 yards and two interceptions. Despite playing less than a full half, he finished as the team’s leading rusher (36 yards).
Clifford’s injury turned the contest into a war of attrition as the two teams combined for 592 yards.
With the win, the No. 3 Hawkeyes are now one of three unbeaten teams left in the conference alongside No. 9 Michigan and No. 11 Michigan State.
Notable Performers
Ta’Quan Roberson, QB, Penn State: 7-of-21, 34 yards, two interceptions; 10 carries, 27 yards
KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Penn State: five receptions, 61 yards
Spencer Petras, QB, Iowa: 17-of-31, 195 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa: 25 carries, 88 yards; two receptions, 16 yards
Nico Ragaini, WR, Iowa: four receptions, 73 yards, one touchdown
Iowa Survives
Iowa entered the game averaging the 12th-fewest yards (320) in FBS. The Hawkeyes were also 63rd in offensive drive efficiency and 48th in offensive points per drive, according to Football Outsiders.
An opportunistic defense can carry a team a long way, but Iowa’s inability to move the ball consistently is going to be a problem sooner or later. Just not on Saturday.
The offense wasn’t capitalizing on the excellent field position it often had thanks to the defense.
Petras didn’t have much luck targeting wide receivers on shorter throws after Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry and the Nittany Lions coaching staff drew up a game plan to remove that option.
Because of that, life was almost more difficult for Iowa as it got closer and closer to the goal line. Midway through the fourth quarter, a 42-yard reception by Keagan Johnson set the Hawkeyes up with a 1st-and-goal from the Penn State 8-yard line. They had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Caleb Shudak after Petras was sacked on third down.
Still, the Hawkeyes were only one big play away from taking control of the game because of how well its defense and special teams performed. Ragaini’s pivotal catch was exactly that moment.
Clifford Injury Grounds Penn State Offense
Roberson had a shaky introduction to the game.
The redshirt sophomore fumbled his first snap, and Penn State was flagged for three straight false starts as it went three-and-out on his first possession. The Nittany Lions’ next drive ended in an interception by Riley Moss on second down.
When Clifford was shown without his pads to open the second half—all but confirming he wouldn’t return—the alarm bells started ringing for Penn State.
It didn’t help that Hawkeyes punter Tory Taylor pinned the Nittany Lions deep into their own territory. Driving the length of the field would’ve been difficult enough with Clifford under center. The task became even more hard with Roberson.
But Penn State was the equivalent of a weary boxer desperate to run out the clock late in a fight. The Nittany Lions were only able to dodge the knockout blow for so long.
Roberson was a 4-star recruit and the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in 247Sports’ composite rankings for 2019. The New Jersey native isn’t without talent, and Saturday’s circumstances were less than ideal for his first meaningful snaps.
But Penn State could be in real trouble if Clifford’s injury is bad enough to knock him out for multiple games.
What’s Next?
Iowa hosts Purdue on Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET, while Penn State has a week off before welcoming Illinois to Happy Valley on Oct. 23.
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