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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The University of Iowa football team lost its first road game in nearly two years Saturday night, dropping a 41-14 decision to No. 12 Penn State in Beaver Stadium. Penn State’s win snapped Iowa’s school-record nine-game road win streak.
“Penn State played an excellent game,” said UI head coach Kirk Ferentz. “They put a lot of pressure on you defensively, they executed well, and were clicking on all cylinders. Certainly, we are disappointed that we didn’t respond better and play more competitively.”
Iowa, playing its second straight game against a top-15 opponent, was unable to slow down Penn State’s offense that totaled 599 yards and 24 first downs.
The Hawkeyes, who entered Saturday’s game averaging 168 yards rushing per game, was limited to 30 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Akrum Wadley was Iowa’s leading rusher with 28 yards on nine carries.
Penn State scored on four of its six first-half possessions. The home team scored the only points of the first quarter on a Saeed Blacknall 19-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Trace McSorley.
The Nittany Lions threatened again on their second offensive possession, but Hawkeye junior Josey Jewell got a hand on Tyler Davis’ 30-yard field goal attempt to block the kick. The block was the first of Jewell’s career and first by a Hawkeye this season.
Penn State stretched its lead to 21-0 following a Saquon Barkley 57-yard scoring run and a McSorley 1-yard run.
Iowa (5-4, 3-3) trimmed the deficit to 21-7 on its final drive of the first half. Quarterback C.J. Beathard connected with Wadley for a 12-yard touchdown on a screen pass. Wadley made a couple defenders miss over the middle in highlight-reel fashion before scampering into the end zone for his team-leading 10th score of the season (8 rushing, 2 receiving).
The Nittany Lions drained the final 4:13 of the second quarter, which culminated with a 30-yard field goal as time expired to give the home team a 24-7 halftime advantage.
Penn State (7-2, 5-1) scored a field goal in the third quarter and added two touchdowns in the fourth period.
Beathard tossed his second touchdown of the contest with 6:30 remaining finding Jeminic Smith over the middle for a 36-yard touchdown. The 36-yard catch was the sophomore’s second touchdown of the season.
Smith matched a career high with five catches for 85 yards and a score, while Beathard completed 16-of-24 for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Brandon Snyder led the Hawkeyes with a game-high 12 tackles, including two for loss. It marked the second game this season Snyder was credited with double-digit tackles (13 at Rutgers). Jewell had 10 stops, his fifth double-digit tackle effort of the season.
Saturday’s game was played in front of 106,194 fans, the 10th largest road crowd the Hawkeyes have played in front of in program history.
Iowa returns home on Nov. 12, hosting nationally-ranked and unbeaten Michigan. Game time is 7:12 p.m. (CT). The game is sold out.
“We have a week to respond, so the biggest thing is how we respond and handle this both individually and collectively,” Ferentz said.
