Penn State Football: 5 players who earned game balls vs. Iowa

Another big reason why Penn State remained in position to steal away victory at the final whistle was thanks to the strong play of their defense. The Nittany Lions got several huge plays from safety Marcus Allen. The senior forced a big fumble on Akrum Wadley in the third quarter that Penn State turned into a touchdown on the ensuing drive, points that ultimately proved pivotal by the end of the contest.

Allen finished the day with five tackles. Among those stops included the only sack taken by Iowa quarterback Nathan Stanley and two tackles for loss. Allen showed a preternatural ability to seek out the ball and disrupt the Hawkeyes offense on Saturday. It was the most complete performance of his career to date.

In a game where the margin of victory was razor-thin, players like Allen helped tip the scales in favor of the visitors. Without his key plays throughout the game, the Nittany Lions wouldn’t have been able to walk away from Kinnick Stadium with their undefeated record still intact. Allen did his part and takes home one of our game balls this week.