1. Penn State is the more explosive team
One of the key factors for any offense in college football is explosiveness and how often you can create explosive plays. Look at the recent national champions and playoff teams and there is something that they all have in common. If you can score a touchdown from anywhere on the field, then that gives you a big advantage.
Penn State has one of the most explosive players in college football in wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Ask Wisconsin and Auburn how good Dotson is and how he can change the game in one play. Penn State loves to throw the ball downfield and get chunk plays and it is going to be up to Iowa’s defense to stop that from happening.
Iowa’s defense is as good as any in college football outside of Georiga. It is going to be a challenge for Penn State to create explosive plays and put points on the board. But the fact that they can and Iowa struggles to do so gives the Nittany Lions a big advantage and it is why I think that Penn State wins this game.