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Penn State controlled the game from the start and dominated the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday night.
After receiving a surprising No. 12 ranking in the first edition of the CFP rankings, many wondered how the Penn State Nittany Lions would react. A tough test against Iowa faced them Saturday night, but the Nittany Lions were up to the challenge. Penn State scored on the first drive and never looked back on its way to a 41-14 victory over the Hawkeyes.
Quarterback Trace McSorley tossed a 19-yard strike to Saeed Blacknall on the first drive.
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Beaver Stadium was rocking with an unofficial White Out. The crowd was into the game early and never faded.
Penn State showed what can happen when the Joe Moorhead offense is hitting on all cylinders. The Nittany Lions racked up 599 yards of total offense, including 359 on the ground. Star running back Saquon Barkley ran for 167 yards and a touchdown. He also added a 44-yard touchdown reception.
McSorley threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns and once again avoided any turnovers. He also ran the ball 14 times for 40 yards and a touchdown. Though it doesn’t necessarily show up in the stats, McSorley also kept several pass plays alive with his ability to scramble.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin led the Nittany Lions with 87 receiving yards. His four receptions tied with tight end Mike Gesicki for the team lead.
Backup quarterback Tommy Stevens showed the trickery of the offense when he entered the game as a running back and ran 13 yards for a touchdown.
The biggest story at Penn State right now is the turnaround on defense. After being one of the worst defenses in the nation the first few games, the Nittany Lions have continued to improve. The return of linebacker Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda have been a big key to the success.
Cabinda led the team against Iowa with eight tackles. Defensive tackle Kevin Givens added four tackles and a sack.
Overall, Iowa was held to just 234 yards, including 30 on the ground.
With the win over the Hawkeyes Penn State is now 7-2 on the season. The Nittany Lions will put their five-game win streak on the line next week at Indiana.
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