Game Notes: Iowa vs. Penn State

Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Game Notes PDF | Football Game Day | Hawk Talk Monthly — September

1: DE A.J. Epenesa leads a defense that ranks third in the country in scoring defense (8.8 ppg) and fifth in the country in total defense (254.2). Those marks rank third and fourth in the Big Ten respectively. The Hawkeyes have allowed just 61 first downs, third fewest in the country and second in the Big Ten. 
 
2: QB Nate Stanley has eight touchdowns this season and 60 career touchdowns passes, third all-time in program history. He trails Chuck Long (74) and Drew Tate (61) on the all-time list.
 
3: QB Nate Stanley has started the last 31 games at quarterback (21-10), and the Hawkeyes have averaged 29.5 points per game in those starts. That average ranks fifth in school history, and 10th nationally among active quarterbacks. Stanley is 13-4 at Kinnick Stadium, 10-10 in all Big Ten games, and 6-4 in conference games at Kinnick Stadium.
 
4: Smith-Marsette leads the team in touchdowns (4) receptions (19), receiving yards (254), and all-purpose yards (468). He averages 29.4 yards on 33 career kickoff returns. The Big Ten record of average kickoff return yardage (minimum 40 returns) is 28.8, set by Stan Brown of Purdue (1968-70).
 
5: RB Tyler Goodson has 40 carries and 14 receptions. His 14 receptions are the most among all Big Ten running backs. His 65 combined touches ranks second on the team to Sargent (72). 
 
6. K Keith Duncan has made 11-of-12 field goal attempts and 14-of-14 PAT attempts. The 11 field goals made tie for second in the country. He leads the team and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring with 47 points. Duncan has connected on all six kicks of at least 40 yards.
 
7. Iowa has allowed five touchdowns this season. Among Big Ten schools, only Penn State (4) and Wisconsin (4) have allowed fewer. 
 
8. The Hawkeyes allowed their first rushing touchdown of the season last week at Michigan. It was the only touchdown of the game. Iowa and Penn State are two of six schools in the country to allow one rushing touchdown or fewer. Georgia is the only team to allow zero rushing touchdowns.
 
9: Iowa hosts Penn State in the 20th night game in the history of Kinnick Stadium. Iowa is hosting Penn State under the lights for the fourth time (1-2), more than any other school. The Hawkeyes are 13-6 all-time in games played under the lights at Kinnick, and 3-4 against ranked opponents.
 
10: Saturday marks the second year in a row the schools are meeting as AP top 25 opponents. No. 17 Penn State beat No. 18 Iowa, 30-24, on Oct. 27, 2018 in University Park, Pennsylvania. The last top 25 matchup between these schools in Iowa City was Oct. 2, 2010, when No. 17 Iowa defeated No. 20 Penn State, 24-3. That was Iowa’s last win in the series.
 
      HAWKEYE HISTORY
      Iowa has played 1,251 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 654-558-39 (.538). That includes a 408-221-16 (.645) record in home games, a 246-337-23 (.425) record in games away from Iowa City, a 330-379-25 (.467) mark in Big Ten games and a 292-186-15 (.607) record in Kinnick Stadium. Oct. 5, 2019 marked the 90^th anniversary of the first game in Kinnick Stadium, a 46-0 win over Monmouth.
      When Iowa hosts Minnesota on Nov. 16, it will mark the 130th anniversary of Iowa football. The Hawkeyes played their first football game on Nov. 16, 1889, against Grinnell.
 
      IOWA HOSTS ANNUAL ANF GAME
      The Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation are hosting the ninth annual America Needs Farmers (ANF) game Saturday. A former Hawkeye will be recognized as the ANF Wall of Honor recipient. The ANF Plaza is located at the northwest corner of Kinnick Stadium.
The ANF honoree will be available for a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 8, immediately following the weekly press conference of head coach Kirk Ferentz.
 
      IOWA TO HOST 2009 TEAM REUNION
      Members of the 2009 Iowa football team will be recognized this weekend as part of the home football game with Penn State. As many as 50 members of the 2009 team are expected to be at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
      The 2009 Hawkeyes posted an 11-2 overall record, dropping an overtime contest (20-17) at Ohio State in game that decided the Big Ten title. The Hawkeyes won their final game of the regular season in Kinnick Stadium and concluded the campaign with a 24-14 win over ninth-ranked Georgia Tech in the 2010 Orange Bowl.
      Orange Bowl representatives Phillis Oeters and Henry Viera will also be present for the in-game recognition.
 
    THE SERIES
    Saturday will be the 29th meeting between Iowa and Penn State. The Nittany Lions have won the last five meetings and hold a 16-12 advantage in the series. Penn State leads the series, 10-9, since 1993 when the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten Conference.  Iowa is 5-9 all-time in games played in Iowa City.
    Saturday marks the second year in a row the schools are meeting as AP top 25 opponents. No. 17 Penn State beat No. 18 Iowa, 30-24, on Oct. 27, 2018 in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The last top 25 matchup between these schools in Iowa City was Oct. 2, 2010, when No. 17 Iowa defeated No. 20 Penn State, 24-3. That was Iowa’s last win in the series.
 

 
      HAWKEYES AT NIGHT
      Iowa hosts Penn State in the 20th night game in the history of Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes are 13-6 all-time in games played under the lights at Kinnick, and 3-4 against ranked opponents. Iowa is 1-0 at night this season, opening the year with a 38-14 win against Miami, Ohio. It was the first time in program history Iowa has opened the season under the lights at Kinnick Stadium. Below is a list of night games in Kinnick Stadium:
 
Date                      Opponent           Result                   Start Time
Sept. 5, 1992       #1 Miami, FL       L, 7-24                   7 p.m.
Sept. 18, 1999    N. Illinois              W, 24-0                 5:15 p.m.
Sept. 14, 2002    Iowa State           L, 33-36                 5:05 p.m.
Sept. 20, 2003    #16 Arizona St.  W, 21-2                 5:05 p.m.
Sept. 30, 2006    #1 Ohio State     L, 17-38                 7:13 p.m.
Sept. 8, 2007       Syracuse              W, 35-0                 7:07 p.m.
Oct. 10, 2009      Michigan              W, 30-28              7:12 p.m.
Oct. 2, 2010         #20 Penn State W, 24-3                 7:12 p.m.
Oct. 15, 2011      Northwestern   W, 41-31              6 p.m.
Oct. 20, 2012      Penn State          L, 14-38                 7 p.m.
Sept. 19, 2015    Pittsburgh           W, 27-24              7:12 p.m.
Nov. 14, 2015     Minnesota          W, 40-35              7:12 p.m.
Sept. 10, 2016    Iowa State           W, 42-3                 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 12, 2016     #2 Michigan        W, 14-13              7:12 p.m.
Sept. 23, 2017    #4 Penn State    L, 19-21                 6:42 p.m.
Oct. 28, 2017     Minnesota          W, 17-10              5:35 p.m.
Sept. 15, 2018    Northern Iowa  W, 38-14              6:40 p.m.
Sept. 22, 2018    #18 Wisconsin   L, 17-28                 7:35 p.m.
Aug. 31, 2019     Miami, Ohio       W, 38-14              6:45 p.m.
Oct. 12, 2019      #9/10 Penn State                             6:44 p.m.
 
      STANLEY CLIMBS SCHOOL AND CONFERENCE CHARTS
      QB Nate Stanley has eight touchdown passes this season and 60 in his career, third all-time in program history. He trails Chuck Long (74) and Drew Tate (61) on the all-time list.
      Stanley has started the last 31 games at quarterback (21-10), and the Hawkeyes have averaged 29.5 points per game in those starts. That average ranks fifth in school history, and 10th nationally among active quarterbacks.
      Stanley is 13-4 at Kinnick Stadium, 10-10 in all Big Ten games, and 6-4 in conference games at Kinnick.
      Stanley has 17 career multi-touchdown games, including three this season. He completed three touchdown passes in the season opener against Miami, Ohio, three more in Week 2 against Rutgers, and two against Middle Tennessee in Week 4. He has 10 career games with at least three passing touchdowns. Only Long has more in program history (11).
      Stanley threw 26 touchdown passes in 2018, second most in the Big Ten, one shy of tying Chuck Long (1985) for the most in single season school history, and tied for second most all-time in single season history. Stanley also threw 26 touchdown passes in 2017. Stanley’s 52 touchdown passes from 2017-18 are the most ever in school history over a two-year span. Long tossed 49 touchdown passes from 1984 (22) to 1985 (27).
      Stanley threw for a career-high 2,852 yards in 2018, the seventh-highest single-season total in school history. He ranks sixth in career passing yards (6,576) and sixth in career total offense (6,439).
      Stanley is named to six preseason watch lists and listed on the preseason Big Ten third team by Phil Steele.
 
     POCKET PRESSURE
     DE A.J. Epenesa leads a defense that ranks third in the country in scoring defense (8.8 ppg) and fifth in the country in total defense (254.2). Those marks rank third and fourth in the Big Ten respectively. The Hawkeyes have allowed just 61 first downs, third fewest in the country and second in the Big Ten.  
     Iowa has allowed five touchdowns in five games. Among Big Ten schools, only Penn State (4) and Wisconsin (4) have allowed fewer.
     The Hawkeyes allowed their first rushing touchdown of the season last week at Michigan. It was the only touchdown of the game. Iowa and Penn State are two of six schools in the country to allow one rushing touchdown or fewer. Georgia is the only team to allow zero rushing touchdowns this season.
     Iowa’s defense allowed just five first downs against Rutgers in Week 2. That ties for the fewest allowed in the Kirk Ferentz era (Syracuse, 2007). Rutgers’ 125 yards of total offense ranks as the fifth lowest total in the Ferentz era.
     Epenesa leads Iowa with two sacks and five quarterback hurries. He led the Big Ten and ranked ninth in the country with 10.5 sacks in 2018.
     Epenesa is named to four preseason All-America first teams, is listed on six preseason watch lists, and is preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com.
     Epenesa recorded at least one sack in nine of 13 games last season and was named first-team All-Big Ten by league media, and second-team All-Big Ten by league coaches. He ranked second in the conference and 16th nationally in forced fumbles (4), and ranked fourth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss. He totaled 37 tackles, four pass breakups, eight QB pressures, and a blocked punt in 2018. He recovered his own forced fumble and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown at Illinois.
     The Hawkeyes ranked third in the Big Ten last season with 35 sacks, the second highest single-season total in the Ferentz era (2002, 40).
 
     RETURN TO SENDER
     WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette is named on the Paul Hornung Award watch list, an honor bestowed to the most versatile player in college football.
     Smith-Marsette leads the team in receptions (19), receiving yards (254), and all-purpose yards (468). He rushed for a touchdown (14 yards) in Week 4, his team-best fourth touchdown of the season. He set a career-high with 113 receiving yards in Week 2.
     Smith-Marsette averages 29.4 yards on 33 career kickoff returns. The Big Ten record of average kickoff return yardage (minimum 40 returns) is 28.8, set by Stan Brown of Purdue (1968-70).
     In 2018, Smith-Marsette led the Big Ten and ranked No. 2 in the country, averaging 29.5 yards on 24 kickoff returns. He was named Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year in the Big Ten Conference.  He had 23 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns. His 15.7 yards per catch led the Hawkeyes (minimum 20 receptions).  
 
     SARGENT LEADS RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE
     RB Mekhi Sargent leads the team in carries (61) and rushing yards (311). He has started the last nine games and is named on the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List.
     RB Toren Young ranks second on the team in carries (41) and rushing yards (291). He has led Iowa in rushing each of the last two weeks, and ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 7.1 yards per carry. He rushed for a career-high 131 yards in Week 4. It was his first career 100-yard rushing game.
     RB Tyler Goodson has 40 carries and 14 receptions. His 14 receptions are the most among all Big Ten running backs. His 65 combined touches ranks second on the team to Sargent (72).  
     Young (131) and Goodson (97) rushed for career-highs Week 4 against Middle Tennessee State. The Hawkeyes rushed for 351 yards in the game, the fourth highest total in the Ferentz era.
     Juniors Ivory Kelly-Martin, Sargent, and Young shared the workload in 2018. The trio combined for 392 carries, 1,723 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns (nine by Sargent, five by Young, and two by Kelly-Martin). Sargent had 40.6 percent of the carries (159-745), Young had 34.7 percent of the attempts (136-637), and Kelly-Martin has 24.7 percent of the carries (97-341).
 
    YOUNG, SARGENT SURPASS 1,000 CAREER RUSHING YARDS
    Junior running backs Toren Young and Mekhi Sargent each surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards in Iowa’s win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 28.
    Sargent entered the game with 953 rushing yards and moved past 1,000 for his career on a 12-yard run late in the first period. He ended the contest with 91 rushing yards. His career totals include 1,056 yards on 220 attempts. He is the 48th Iowa running back to surpass 1,000 career yards and currently ranks 44th on the all-time list.
    Young entered the contest with 950 career yards and surpassed 1,000 on a 15-yard run early in the second quarter, becoming the 49th Iowa running back to surpass the century total. He led the Hawkeyes with a career-high 131 rushing yards against Middle Tennessee. Young now has 1,121 career yards on 222 attempts to rank 37th on the career list.
    Sargent moved over 1,000 career yards on career attempt 207, while Young went past 1,000 yards on career attempt 209.
 
     GRAND THEFT SECONDARY
     DB Michael Ojemudia is tied for second in the Big Ten lead with two interceptions. He intercepted a pass in each of the first two weeks.  LB Djimon Colbert recorded the first interception of his career in Week 2. SS Geno Stone had one interception in Week 5.
     The Hawkeyes have four interceptions this season. Iowa led the Big Ten and tied for second in the country in 2018 with 20 interceptions. Over the last three seasons, no school has more interceptions than Iowa. The Hawkeyes have 45 interceptions since 2017, one more than Boston College has over the same period.  
     Entering this season, Iowa has at least one interception return for a touchdown in each of the last 11 seasons, and 16 of the last 18 seasons.
 
     DUNCAN GETTING HIS KICKS
     K Keith Duncan has made 11-of-12 field goal attempts and 14-of-14 PAT attempts. The 11 field goals made tie for second in the country. He leads the team and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring with 47 points. Duncan has connected on all six kicks of at least 40 yards. He kicked a career-long 49 yard field goal against Middle Tennessee in Week 4.
     Duncan is seeing his first action since 2016, when he made 9-11 field goal attempts and 38-39 PAT attempts (one was blocked). That year he kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired to lift Iowa over #2 Michigan, 14-13. 
     Duncan was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week and Lou Groza Award Star of the Week on Sept. 16 following his performance at Iowa State. Duncan connected on a career-best four field goals at Iowa State. His final kick from 39 yards provided the margin of victory with 4:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. He also connected from 25 yards on Iowa’s first drive of the game and from 40 yards on the final play of the first half. He nailed a 42-yarder late in the third quarter. 
     The Big Ten weekly honor was the second of his career. He was previously recognized in 2016, earning the weekly honor following Iowa’s 14-13 win over Michigan. Duncan contributed two field goals in that win, including the game-winner from 33 yards on the final play of the game.  

     FERENTZ MOVES UP BIG TEN CHARTS
     Head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 156 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fifth in league history. He is one of five coaches in Big Ten Conference history to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The top five includes Woody Hayes (202), Amos Alonza Stagg (199), Bo Schembechler (194), Joe Paterno (162), and Ferentz (156).
     Ferentz has 92 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach. The 92 conference wins rank sixth among the conference’s all-time winningest coaches in Big Ten games.
     Ferentz (156-102) became Iowa’s all-time winningest coach on Sept. 1, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois, 33-7. It was Ferentz’s 144th win as Iowa’s head coach, one more than his predecessor, Hayden Fry (143-89-6). Fry coached Iowa for 20 years (1979-98). Ferentz is in his 21st season in 2019.
     Both Ferentz (156, 92) and Fry (143, 96) rank in the top six in overall wins and Big Ten wins. Only Iowa and Michigan have two coaches ranked in the top 10 of both win categories (Bo Schembechler 194, 143; and Lloyd Carr 122, 81).
     Iowa is the only school in the country to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
  
     IN THE RANKINGS
     Iowa is ranked No. 17 in the AP poll and No. 18 in the coaches poll. Iowa has four opponents ranked in the top 25 (#8/8 Wisconsin, #9/10 Penn State, #16/16 Michigan, and #25/— Minnesota). Those four opponents have a combined 19-1 record.
     Iowa is 0-1 against ranked teams this season, falling 10-3 at Michigan on Oct. 5. The Hawkeyes last win over a ranked opponent was against No. 18 Mississippi State, 27-22, on Jan. 1 at the 2019 Outback Bowl.
     These are Iowa’s most recent wins versus nationally-ranked opponents:
     Home:             55-24 over #3 Ohio State, 11/4/17
                                40-10 over #15 Nebraska, 11/25/16
                                14-13 over #2 Michigan, 11/12/16
     Road:               40-10 over #20 Northwestern, 10/17/15
                                10-6 over #18 Wisconsin, 10/3/15
                                38-28 over #24 Michigan, 10/16/10
     Neutral:          27-22 over #18 Mississippi State, Outback Bowl, 1/1/19
                                27-24 over #12 Missouri, Insight Bowl, 12/28/10
                                24-14 over #9 Georgia Tech, Orange Bowl, 1/5/10

      HAWK TALK WITH KIRK FERENTZ
    Head Coach Kirk Ferentz is featured on “Hawk Talk with Kirk Ferentz” each week during the regular season. The radio call-in show is hosted by Gary Dolphin, the play-by-play voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes.  The show airs live each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. from VUE Rooftop at the Hilton Garden Inn in Iowa City. There is no show during the Hawkeyes remaining bye week (Wednesday, Oct. 30).
 
     REINVENTING THE STADIUM WAVE
      The University of Iowa football program received the prestigious 2017 Disney Sports Spirit Award after launching a heart-warming tradition at its home games last season that touched the lives of scores of young patients at the University’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
      In a tradition that started at the 2017 season opener, fans inside Kinnick Stadium and patients and families inside the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital exchange waves at the end of the first quarter of each home game.
      The UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital opened in 2017. It is connected to the south end of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and overlooks Kinnick Stadium from the southeast grandstands. During Iowa football home games, patients and their families can watch the game from the top floor (Level 12), one of the highest vantage points in Iowa City.
 
      ALL ABOARD TO KINNICK STADIUM!
      The Hawkeye Express, the passenger train that transports fans from Coralville to Kinnick Stadium, is in its 16th season in 2019.
      Adults can ride the train for $15, round trip, while children (12-and-under) ride for free. All passengers must have a ticket. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the UI Ticket Office or on game day (cash only on game day) at the Hawkeye Express depot located near the boarding ramp.  The trip to Kinnick Stadium is approximately 10 minutes. Media credentials are accepted, as well.
      Free parking is located in lots near the Comfort Suites and Coral Ridge Mall.  Fans can begin boarding the train three hours prior to kickoff. Return trips begin at the start of the fourth period and run 90 minutes after the game.
      The Hawkeye Express is owned by the Iowa Northern Railway Company and operates on the Iowa Interstate Railroad.

Iowa football hosts Minnesota in the battle for Floyd of Rosedale on Saturday, Nov. 16.  Fans are encouraged to wear black for the Blackout game, and it is the annual military appreciation celebration. Active duty military and veterans are eligible for a military ticket discount. Click here for tickets and pre-paid parking and additional game information.