Penn State football Highs and lows
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By Neil Rudel
nrudel@altoonamirror.com
Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 23-20 loss to Iowa on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium:
Play of the game: On third-and-7 from the Iowa 14 in the second quarter, Hawkeye linebacker Jack Campbell drilled Sean Clifford on a delayed blitz, forcing an incompletion and making the Lions settle for a field goal and 17-3 lead. Clifford jogged to the locker room, holding his back and was done for the day.
Offensive player of the game: Maybe he's not a true offensive player, but Iowa punter Tory Taylor averaged 44.3 yards on nine punts. He put six inside the 20, five inside the 10 and three inside the 5.
Defensive player of the game: Lion defensive end Arnold Ebiketie made nine tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and a sack.
Most telling statistic: Penn State rolled up 221 yards in five Clifford possessions and just 66 yards thereafter with backup QB Ta'Quan Roberson leading the team.
Most deceiving statistic: The PSU defense made 11 tackles for loss.
Hidden statistic: The Lions converted their first five third downs and finished 5-of-16.
Best run: Clifford kept the chains moving by alertly scrambling for first downs. On third-and-7, he tucked for 22 yards to the Iowa 17, setting up a field goal and a 17-3 lead.
Best pass: Spencer Petras lofted a 44-yard touchdown pass to Nico Ragaini with 6:26 remaining, giving Iowa a 23-20 lead.
Worst pass: Clifford's first interception. Rushed in the end zone by Seth Benson, Clifford was picked off at the Lions' 8 by Iowa's Jestin Jacobs. Roberson missed an open Jahan Dodson late.
Best catch(es): Dotson went high for a first-quarter reception, and Cam Sullivan-Brown did the same in the third quarter.
Catch it, will ya: Tight end Brenton Strange dropped two third-quarter passes from Roberson. Sullivan-Brown missed a high one, too.
Hold it, won't ya: Roberson fumbled his first snap but recovered.
Best tackle: Ebiketie dumped Petras for a 9-yard loss on third down to the Lions' 16, forcing an early field goal.
Best block: Iowa fullback Monte Pottebaum was a difference maker for the Hawkeyes' ground game.
Best hit: Brandon Smith put a licking on Arland Bruce in the second quarter.
Worst tackle: Nit corner Tariq Castro-Fields allowed Keagan Jonson to elude him at the sideline and gain 42 yards in the fourth quarter.
Best kick: Iowa's Caleb Shudak made a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, shaving State's lead to 20-13.
Best call: Leading 20-13 in the fourth quarter but with Iowa at the PSU 8, Brent Pry twice sent cornerback Daequan Hardy on blitzes that were successful and forced a Hawkeye field goal.
Worst call: On third-and-3 from the Penn State 48, up 23-20, Iowa all but covered up with Petras settling for a 4-yard loss and the Hawks then punted. Odd.
Worst penalty: Make it penalties. Once Roberson entered, PSU had eight false-start penalties.
Best effort: Iowa gunner Ivory Kelly-Martin extended to keep a 53-yard punt from going into the end zone, downing it at the Lions' 1 in the fourth quarter.
Unsung hero: Iowa safety Matt Hankins made five tackles, and his stop of Keyvone Lee in the fourth quarter forced a turnover on downs at the Iowa 45 with 3:39 left. He also intercepted a late pass.
Best moment: Iowa's tradition of the entire stadium, both teams included, waving to the cancer patients at Children's Hospital, which overlooks Kinnick Stadium.