Penn State vs. Iowa: Prediction Roundtable

See what the VBR staff has predicted for Penn State against Iowa this week.

Penn State is riding a four-game win streak and currently finds itself ranked No. 12 in the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings. This week brings another tough game in what is sure to be a rocking Beaver Stadium.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in town and are coming off a bye week. No doubt Kirk Ferentz spent time with his team watching tape on Penn State’s quick-strike offense. Iowa has been a thorn in the side of the Nittany Lions, particularly at Beaver Stadium.

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The VBR staff gives their predictions for the primetime game on Saturday night.

Site Expert Barry Leonard

On paper, this is Penn State’s toughest remaining test. Iowa is down this year, but have proven to be a very tricky opponent, particularly in Happy Valley. The Hawkeyes

The Nittany Lions are riding high in the middle of a four-game winning streak and just received a No. 12 ranking in the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings. There’s no doubt that the team will be fired up for this one. Throw in another raucous crowd that has all day to tailgate, and the atmosphere in Beaver Stadium should once again be electric.

Iowa is a much better defense than the Nittany Lions faced last week in Purdue. I don’t expect Penn State to be able to move with as much ease as they did in the second half against the Boilermakers. Instead, I look for this to be more of a slow-paced, defensive battle for much of the game.

In the end, I’m expecting another big day from Saquon Barkley and perhaps another big play on special teams. This one will be close for a while, but the crowd and the talent of Penn State will be too much for the Hawkeyes.

Penn State 28
Iowa 17

Contributor Marty Leap

On Saturday night the 12th-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions will host the Iowa Hawkeyes. This is a big game for the Nittany Lions. Not only will it be a big recruiting weekend, the Nittany Lions also find themselves in a great chance to make a New Year’s Six bowl if they win out.

While Iowa has an advantage at offensive line, that is where their advantages end. Penn State is a much more athletic team than Iowa and the Nittany Lions have more talent. However, the Hawkeyes can not be taken lightly.

Iowa quarterback CJ Beathard has been nursing a sore knee all season which has limited his game. Also hurting the Hawkeyes in the passing game is that star wide receiver Matt VandeBerg is out for the season with an injury. It is key that the Nittany Lions pressure Beathard on Saturday night.

One Iowa player to keep an eye on throughout the night is defensive back Desmond King. The senior is one of the best defensive backs in the country, and is also an electric return man. It is important to contain him in the return game, while also not allowing him to hurt you with his ball hawking skills at cornerback.

While I do not think Iowa has the athletes or talent to hang with Penn State all night long, this one will not come easy for the Nittany Lions. Kirk Ferentz is a very good coach and will have his Hawkeyes ready to play. They will battle Penn State for four quarters, but in the end the Nittany Lions’ athleticism and the Beaver Stadium crowd makes the difference. I predict the Nittany Lion defense gets a late interception to seal the win.

Penn State 28
Iowa 20

Contributor Corey Hunter

The Nittany Lions return this weekend to square off with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Penn State, fresh off of their 62-24 triumph over Purdue, will face one of their more difficult matchups in November. The game is so important that Head Coach James Franklin has called for another whiteout in a tweet earlier this week.

Iowa has been the same type of team ever since Head Coach Kirk Ferentz took over the reigns in 1999. The Hawkeyes want to play a slow, ball-control offense. They want their big offensive linemen to open holes and allow the running backs to punish opposing defenses.

On defense, Iowa plays a ball-hawking style with defenders that can make solid tackles.

On Saturday I would expect to see the same Iowa brand of football. They have been very good this year on defense, ranking in the top half of the Big Ten in total defense and allowing a scant 18.9 points per game.

On offense, senior quarterback CJ Beathard has been a steady influence under center. He’s thrown 11 TDs with only four INTs. Junior Akrum Wadley ranks eighth in the Big Ten averaging nearly 80 yards per game on the ground.

I expect Iowa to game plan to slow down Saquon Barkley. Trace McSorley has shown that he is more than capable of leading the offense as needed. Penn State likely will not be able to score at will as they did in the second half at Purdue last week, but I think they have enough to stifle the Hawkeyes.

As of this writing, Penn State is an eight-point favorite according to some Las Vegas books. That’s a little too rich for my blood. Give me the Hawkeyes +8, but I’ve got the Nittany Lions winning this game.

Penn State – 27
Iowa – 21

Contributor Shane Lunnen

This weekend’s game against Iowa is probably the toughest one left for the Nittany Lions this season. Penn State is coming into this game with a lot of momentum from their four game winning streak plus a little hype now with their No. 12 ranking in the first playoff rankings, a little high in my opinion.

The key for the Lions will be shutting down the Hawkeye offense, led by quarterback C.J. Beathard. He’s a pretty efficient quarterback and having a solid, but not great season. He’s also a more traditional pocket passer. The Lions must get more pressure this week with their front four instead of relying so much on blitzing. The Hawkeyes also have two capable running backs in Akrum Wadley and LeShun Daniels. The Lions must contain both in order to have success this week.

The Iowa defense is pretty good when it comes to scoring defense, 16th in the nation while giving up just 19 points per game, but their numbers against the rush and pass are just average. Iowa’s best player is their shutdown corner Desmond King. Joe Morehead must game plan around King and Trace McSorley might be wise to not challenge him through the air. If the Lions continue with the balanced attack we have seen over the last few weeks, they should be able to move the ball against Iowa with not too many problems.

Next: Penn State Recruiting Roundup: November 3, 2016

As for predictions, this one won’t be easy. Before the season, I pegged either this game or the Michigan State game as a loss. Now with the Lions rolling and Iowa pretty much out of the Big Ten West race, I feel a little more comfortable in calling a Penn State win. It will be a close one though, but another night game in Beaver Stadium will provide just the edge the boys in blue need.

Penn State 31
Iowa 23

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