Penn State football will learn plenty about playoff goals vs. Iowa

Penn State football has yet to be tested on the road this season. Can the Nittany Lions escape Iowa City with a win and remain undefeated?

The Penn State Nittany Lions are 5-0 for the second time in three seasons. After breezing through their non-conference schedule, Penn State has picked up two easy wins over Maryland and Purdue to begin conference play. While the Penn State offense has answered all the offseason questions, the Nittany Lions defense has been just as impressive, ranking as one of the top defenses in the league.

The Iowa Hawkeyes started off the season 4-0 but enter this match up fresh off their first loss of the season to Michigan. Iowa’s defense is, as usual, the strength of this Hawkeye team but their offense could be the down fall of Iowa’s season as they get deep into conference play.

Penn State is looking to notch another win and pick up their first true road victory on the year as Iowa looks to redeem itself and get back on track after last weekend’s loss.

Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s game between Penn State and Iowa:

Date: Saturday, Oct. 12
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Venue: Kinnick Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

The Penn State Nittany Lions need to make adjustments on offense when Iowa makes their defensive adjustments. Last week, it seemed Penn State was well on it’s way to 70 points but after going up 28-0 in a quarter and some change, they only scored seven points as Purdue’s defense frustrated them.

On defense, Penn State just needs to fly around and continue to apply pressure behind the line. Penn State forced 10 sacks last week and help Purdue to -19 yards rushing. Look for the Penn State defense to control this game.

For the Iowa Hawkeyes, their offense will need to dig deep and have their best game of the season. In their only two tests of the season, the offense has mustered up just 21 points combined.

On defense, the Iowa Hawkeyes will need to continue to make adjustments to throw off Penn State’s offense. The Hawkeyes need to eliminate KJ Hamler and force Penn State into some tough third down situations.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Bovada

Point Spread: Penn State -3.5
Over/under: 42.5

Prediction

It’s a night game in Kinnick Stadium and both teams are looking for a statement victory. Iowa’s defense keeps it in the game early but Penn State’s defense returns the favor, almost eliminating any chance of the Hawkeye offense being a factor. In the second half, Penn State’s offense makes some big plays and pull away from the Hawkeyes. A punt return by Hamler completes the trifecta as Penn State stays undefeated.

Final Score: Penn State 34, Iowa 10