The defense slipped once, and it cost them
This was one of those games where Penn State needed the defense to win it a game. And it nearly did. But eventually, losing a lopsided battle of field position cost Penn State, and the Nittany Lions getting lost in coverage just once proved to be the difference in the game.
In a game where the last thing you could do was let Spencer Petras beat you, Penn State let Spencer Petras beat them. Finding a wide-open Nico Ragiani for a 44-yard touchdown is a play that will go down in the history of this series as one of the many regrettable moments for Penn State. Iowa at least had to work for their other touchdowns scored in the game, but that was the first play of a series just past the midway point of the fourth quarter.
It was an absolute dagger.
The bye week comes at a perfect time
Win or lose, Penn State’s bye week came at a pretty good time on the schedule. Penn State is now midway through the season and this matchup with Iowa left Penn State a bit bruised and battered. Taking an extra week off to recover should be welcomed after the first half of the schedule, especially considering the matchups still come down the road against teams like Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State.
And if Clifford is going to be out for an extended period of time, then the extra time to get Roberson more comfortable running the offense will be extremely handy. Penn State gets a home game against Illinois after the bye week before having to make the difficult road trip to Columbus, Ohio to face the Buckeyes.
There’s still plenty to play for
It was true going into the game and it remains the truth coming out of it, even on the losing end. Penn State’s path to a Big Ten championship game has not been altered. With all of their division opponents still ahead of them (except for Indiana), Penn State has every opportunity to play for a Big Ten championship it did prior to the loss to Iowa. And that means a shot at a spot in the College Football Playoff still exists as well, even if it feels more distant now than you’d like.
Running the table will lead Penn State to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game, which would likely set the stage for a rematch with the Hawkeyes. But of course, that will be a difficult task given the remaining schedule.
So with an uncertain quarterback situation and in need of a slight regrouping, James Franklin has a lot on his plate for the bye week. The work done during the bye week will ultimately influence what happens the next time we see this team take the field. Getting a rebound opportunity at home against Illinois could be just what the doctor ordered for this team.
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