Penn State football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Iowa in Week 9

Penn State football will look to gain some momentum after three straight shaky performances. Can the Nittany Lions get it done against Iowa?

This will prove to be a critical weekend for Iowa and the rest of the Big Ten West. With a win and a possible Wisconsin loss to Northwestern, the Hawkeyes will poise themselves to make a run at Indianapolis if they were to run the table. But before they can think about the future, they have to get past a Penn State team while struggling, is still a very good football team with a stud quarterback in Trace McSorley.

Penn State enters this game with their chances of a Big Ten championship virtually gone with their two losses to Ohio State and Michigan State in back-to-back weeks. However, James Franklin isn’t the type of coach to let his team quit on him in the middle of the season. Penn State has won the last two match-ups against the Hawkeyes and hope to use this game to springboard a strong finish to the 2018 season.

Iowa comes in with a lot to play for in terms of championship aspirations. If they win, they get a huge conference win and maybe gives them the national respect that many think they deserve. Penn State’s offensive line will have their work cut out for them, going against an Iowa front that is one of the best in college football and only allow 79.6 rushing yards per game and only allows 258.1 total yards per game.

Here’s where to catch this Saturday’s Big Ten showdown:

Date: Saturday, Oct. 27
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: State College, Penn.
Venue: Beaver Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Penn State has gotten away from the formula that made them successful in the non-conference slate: unleashing Trace McSorley. He is an absolute game-changer at quarterback and has the ability to carry his team. While the forecast does call for rain, McSorley is a veteran quarterback who is more than used to the elements. If Penn State is serious about winning this game, James Franklin has to show trust in his star quarterback’s abilities.

For Iowa, following the simple formula that has gotten them to this 6-1 record: an efficient offense and an absolutely suffocating defense. Nate Stanley didn’t have a very good game last week due to 40 mph winds swirling around Kinnick Stadium, but managed to find a way to get it done. With similar weather conditions expected this Saturday, Stanley will need to find a way to just get it done once again, with the help of a good rushing attack and the brick wall defense.

Betting Odds

Courtesy of OddsShark

Line: Penn State -6.5
Over/under: 51.5

Prediction

This game is going to be a defensive struggle, especially with the forecasted weather conditions. Iowa has an offense that isn’t affected as much by the weather as Penn State does. It will become one of those fabled, black and blue, Big Ten slugfest with the toughest team left standing. That team will be Iowa in a close win that legitimizes Iowa as a conference title contender for the rest of 2018.

Prediction: Iowa 20, Penn State 17