Penn State football: 5 Nittany Lions that are key to victory over Iowa

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 05: Micah Parsons #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts after recording a sack against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half at Beaver Stadium on October 5, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

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STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 05: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions warms up before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Beaver Stadium on October 5, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

2. Sean Clifford, QB

While we’re on the topic of the offense, we might as well look at the focal point of it all. This week will define who Sean Clifford is as a passer once again. He’s looked excellent at times but had to be carried by his defense and his backfield at other times as well.

The great thing about Clifford is he seems to be pretty solid in taking care of the ball. With only two turnovers through five games, Clifford hasn’t been much of a liability on that front. We’ll see if he can continue to keep that narrative alive though with his toughest test yet.

Iowa is surely beatable, but this week, Penn State doesn’t have the home-field advantage. They technically didn’t in Maryland either, but the Terps fan base doesn’t equal up to the Hawkeyes’. This will be a hostile environment for Clifford, and it will be tough to overcome. Penn State won’t get by with an average performance — Clifford has to be the guy to take over.

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