STATE COLLEGE – Penn State celebrated its annual White Out game Saturday night at Beaver Stadium, which was appropriate.
The seventh-ranked Nittany Lions used a defensive avalanche to bury No. 24 Iowa 31-0 before 110,840 rain-drenched fans.
Penn State (2-0 Big Ten, 4-0) stretched its winning streak to nine by smothering the Hawkeyes (0-1, 3-1) and gaining a measure of revenge for its controversial loss in 2021 in Iowa City.
The Lions held Iowa to no first downs after its first series until its reserves picked up one with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. They never allowed the Hawkeyes to cross their 18-yard line.
Penn State outgained Iowa 397-76, the fewest total yards by a Lions opponent in the Big Ten era.
It was a lopsided victory in a series that has been tight. Five of the previous six games had been decided by six points or less.
Drew Allar completed 25-of-37 passes for 166 yards and four touchdowns, two to tight end Tyler Warren, one to tight end Khalil Dinkins and the final one to wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith.
Allar has yet to throw an interception in 185 career passing attempts. Penn State is the only FBS team not to commit a turnover this season.
Through three quarters, Penn State ran a mind-boggling 77 plays to 25 for Iowa. The Lions forced six fumbles and recovered four, two by linebacker Curtis Jacobs that led to a 10-0 halftime lead.
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara, who led Michigan to a win at Beaver Stadium in 2021, completed 5-of-14 passes for 42 yards. The Hawkeyes played without tight end Luke Lachey and running backs Kaleb Johnson and Jaziun Patterson, who were all injured.
Defense dominated the first half on both sides. Penn State forced the first break of the night when Dani Dennis-Sutton forced tight end Erick All’s fumble, which Jacobs recovered at the Lions’ 18.
From there, Penn State grinded out a 17-play, 53-yard drive to set up Alex Felkins’ 46-yard field goal. The longest gain of the series was Allar’s 13-yard pass to tight end Theo Johnson. The Lions overcame a personal foul penalty and a holding call to score the first points of the night.
After each offense stalled, Riley Thompson’s punt hit an Iowa player and Jacobs recovered at the Hawkeyes’ 39.
Penn State then needed 10 plays to maneuver 39 yards, the final 9 coming on an Allar laser to Dinkins for a touchdown on fourth-and-1.
The Lions held Iowa without a first down the rest of the half and to minus-3 yards in the second quarter before going to the locker room with a 10-0 lead. Penn State outgained the Hawkeyes 162-63 in the first two quarters and forced five consecutive three-and-out possessions after their first series.
Source: Berkshire mont
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