Penn State football loses starting QB Sean Clifford, falls 23-20 to Iowa
Update: Penn State head coach James Franklin did not offer any update on starting quarterback Sean Clifford’s status after the game.
Penn State football went into Iowa City and lost more than just a game when it fell to the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday evening on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium. The No. 4 Nittany Lions dropped the game to the Hawkeyes by a final of 23-20 and lost redshirt senior starting quarterback Sean Clifford in the first quarter.
The Nittany Lions began the game as poorly as possible on offense, with redshirt senior quarterback Sean Clifford throwing an interception and giving the Hawkeyes the ball on the eight-yard line.
The defense, as its done all year, stymied the Iowa offense and held it to three points on the drive. The Nittany Lions, despite Clifford throwing a second interception later in the first quarter, were able to get their offense going to the tune of 17 first half points. The team settled for a field goal on a drive in the red zone near the end of the first quarter and it was the last time Clifford would take the field in the game.
He went into the injury tent and then into the locker room in the second quarter, opening the door for backup quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson to take over. Roberson struggled out of the gates, with his offensive line committing false starts on three straight mistimed snaps.
His second drive of the game didn’t get much better, with an interception coming on its second play. However, the Penn State defense was able to hold the Iowa offense and was able to keep the score at 17-10 heading into halftime.
The Nittany Lions’ offense never returned to form in the game and needed its defense to halt the Hawkeyes when they had the ball.
They were unable to hang on after the Hawkeyes stormed back with 10 points in the fourth quarter to earn the 23-20 win over the Nittany Lions.
Player of the game
Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker: Brisker was all over the field Saturday evening after going down with a shoulder injury early in the game. The senior safety has been one of the best safeties in the country this season and did nothing to dispel that notion against the Hawkeyes. He made plays in the running game, attacking the ball carrier and getting downhill, to prevent Iowa from earning big gains.
He caught a tipped pass to get an interception early and played really well in coverage to stop the Hawkeyes from capitalizing on a turnover it had earned after the previous drive. Brisker is one of the best defensive players in college football and showed his impact once again Saturday.
Turning point
Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford leaves the game: The outcome of the game was put into question for Penn State as soon as Roberson took the field as Clifford walked into the locker room. The redshirt senior quarterback has been up and down this season, and even was in the game, but had still led the Nittany Lions to a 17-3 lead at that point.
Now, the questions are less about the game and more about Clifford’s status moving forward. That was the clear turning point of the game, with Penn State’s offense not looking the same, and it might be the turning point of the season for the Nittany Lions.
Stat of the game
3: That’s how many points Iowa had off three Penn State turnovers in the game. The Nittany Lions knew they wouldn’t be able to win if they continued to give the Hawkeyes the ball, but it didn’t affect the game as much as anticipated. The Hawkeyes only managed to get three points after Clifford’s first interception gave them the ball at the eight-yard line. The work the Penn State defense did to stop the Iowa offense set the tone the rest of the way.
The Hawkeyes were unable to capitalize on Penn State’s next two interceptions and gave the Nittany Lions’ new life in the game.
Up next
vs. Illinois: Penn State goes on bye next week but will return to Beaver Stadium Oct. 23 for its Homecoming matchup with Illinois. Illinois entered the weekend 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten, with its lone win in the conference coming over Nebraska in the team’s Week 0 season opener.
Penn State will be hosting its fifth home game of the season when the Illini come to town.
This story was originally published October 9, 2021 at 7:47 PM.
