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

Marcus Allen’s forced fumble was a huge play, but Grant Haley helped make it as big as it was by recovering the loose ball. The senior cornerback fell on the ball at his own 25, helping kill an Iowa drive that was threatening to score. With Penn State scoring on the ensuing series, it was a potential 14-point swing that ultimately played a key role in whether or not James Franklin’s team escaped with a win or suffered its first defeat.

Haley did a lot of the yeoman work that didn’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet. He did a great job of containing the Iowa receivers, as Nathan Stanley finished with fewer than 200 passing yards on the day. He did notch one solo tackle, but wasn’t pressed into making too many stops because he kept receivers from even getting the ball in the first place.

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After a long and productive career in Happy Valley, Haley showed veteran poise on Saturday afternoon. As the Nittany Lions fought to preserve their unbeaten record in 2017, Haley’s fumble recovery provided a key shift in momentum. In retrospect, Haley’s fumble recovery was another play that helped turn the game. As a result, Haley goes home with our final game ball of Week 4.