A closer look at Iowa football’s matchup against Penn State

IOWA CITY — It took 18 days for Penn State’s season expectations to fly out the window. Now, Iowa football has a chance to take advantage of its opponent’s uncertainty in front of a sold out Kinnick Stadium.

Kick-starting a three-game home stretch for the Hawkeyes, Iowa welcomes college football’s most talked about team — but not in a positive light.

After the Nittany Lions fired longtime head coach James Franklin on Sunday afternoon, Penn State will be led by interim head coach Terry Smith for the first game after a coaching change that shocked college football.

The distractions for Penn State will follow it onto the field in some capacity — whether it be through chatter or pure curiosity.

Here’s a few things the Hawkeyes can do to prepare for whatever the Nittany Lions could be Saturday night.

3 keys to victory

Keep the complementary football

One of the biggest compliments Iowa had for itself after the win over Wisconsin was that all three phases clicked together. The defense forced turnovers, the offense got points on the board consistently and special teams connected on every field goal.

It’s not a simple task, nor does it guarantee a perfect football game, but complementary football is a surefire way to contain any momentum in a football game.

“You're trying to do it all the time, but that doesn't always materialize,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “That's the challenge. Again, the opponents have a lot to do with that.”

Penn State has players who can score if given the opportunity, but its three losses have shown how quickly things can unravel when momentum swings toward its opponents. The Nittany Lions have been outscored 64-58 in the last two games, and all three of their losses are by one score.

Run defense again

Penn State’s running back room and offensive line were considered one of the best in the country in the preseason. Although it hasn’t panned out as so, the Nittany Lion running backs are explosive and difficult to tackle.

Iowa’s defense has stood firm in its ability to halt the run game all season long, now sitting fifth in the country by allowing 79 rushing yards per game. The mark also is the best in the Big Ten.

The Nittany Lions are playing with a new quarterback in redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer. It leaves the offense with a big question mark, with whether or not Penn State chooses to run the ball or pass the ball more. If the answer is run the ball and trust running back Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, it’s another task for the Hawkeye defense line.

Limit Devonte Ross

Iowa fans remember the name Devonte Ross pretty well. The Penn State wide receiver played for Troy last year, scoring three touchdowns against the Hawkeyes in a nonconference matchup.

Ross had 142 passing yards in five receptions, including a 63-yard long ball. He returned a punt for a touchdown, too. Ross’ explosive performance was part of Penn State’s attraction to the wide receiver when he entered the transfer portal last season, and now he’s got another shot at Iowa.

“Our goal this year is to get a hand on him,” Ferentz said. “I've never seen that in a game. It's almost impossible to do, but we witnessed it, so it's not impossible. It's unbelievable.”

If the Hawkeyes secondary can eliminate him as a go-to option, it could help smother an uncertain passing game by Grunkemeyer. Penn State has a receiving core that can make an impact, but with Grunkemeyer’s first game being on the road in Iowa City, there’s no guarantee that the Nittany Lions will throw the ball as often as they would with star quarterback Drew Allar.

Regardless of if Grunkemeyer hands off the ball, throws deep shots or even a handful of screen passes, Iowa knows what Ross can do with the ball in his hands, and keeping away from the end zone will be the rest of the Hawkeyes a lot less worried.

Prediction

So much is in the air with this Penn State team, and with so many eyes on the Nittany Lions, Iowa has a chance to pounce on a team that’s got more questions than answers.

Iowa 24, Penn State 17

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