‘We got control of this game’: Penn State defense dominates Iowa in historic performance
Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson couldn’t suppress a smile after a reporter’s question Saturday night: Did you feel you guys were in complete control?
Robinson didn’t hesitate. He didn’t run through the defensive stats — how the Nittany Lions allowed just 76 total yards — or explain how he wasn’t even born the last time Iowa was shut out, in 2000 to Illinois. He just nodded.
“Yeah,” Robinson said matter-of-factly, after Penn State’s 31-0 win over Iowa. “I felt like once that first drive came and everybody was whooping the man in front of them, I just felt like, oh yeah, we got control of this game.”
It was one of Penn State’s most dominant defensive performances — ever — against Big Ten competition, a game that served as a compilation of head-shaking numbers and jaw-dropping facts. Those 76 yards allowed were the fewest allowed in a Big Ten game in school history; Iowa took no snaps in the red zone; the Hawkeyes totaled minus-12 yards in the second and third quarters; and the Nittany Lions allowed just four first downs, the fewest in a Big Ten game in PSU history.
The list goes on. Some Penn State players acknowledged it might’ve been the best team defensive performance they’ve ever been a part of. High school included.
“Now that you guys said the stats — I didn’t know how many yards they had — so I definitely never had a more dominant game than that,” said safety Jaylen Reed, who had two tackles and a pass breakup. “I didn’t know they had under 100 yards of offense. It’s a great feeling.”
Sixteen different Nittany Lions recorded a tackle, and no one finished with more than three. It was a dominant defensive performance void of individual accolades, on account of the defense being on the field so little. Eight of Iowa’s 10 drives lasted three plays or fewer, and the Hawkeyes controlled the ball for just 14:33.
“Not just one guy made the plays, it was sprinkled around everybody,” defensive end Adisa Isaac said. “That shows the unit we have, the depth we have, the talent we have. We just got to keep building on it.”
Iowa’s offense didn’t exactly have a sparkling reputation heading into the unfriendly confines of Beaver Stadium during a White Out. But the domination made the hot seat for Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz even hotter, and Penn State’s own players said they could sense just how deflated the Iowa offense was.
After all, Iowa’s first two drives would prove to be their best and resulted in 54 total yards and zero points. Iowa starting quarterback Cade McNamara finished with a QB rating of 60.9 by going 5-of-14 for 42 yards, compared to Penn State backup Beau Pribula who had a QB rating nearly 18 points higher — by going 1-of-3 for 16 yards.
“You could feel them losing their edge a little bit,” added Robinson, who had a sack and two QB hurries. “When you’re whooping the man every single play in front of you and then you got to line up against him again, it’s hard to keep bringing the same mentality and the same pressure every single time.”
Penn State’s main goal early on was to shut down the run, which it accomplished by limiting Iowa to 20 yards on 17 carries. That put the Hawkeyes in passing situations, which Penn State took advantage of with a bullying pass-rush and tight coverage.
“Our defensive line is doing a great job,” coach James Franklin said. “We had three sacks and a bunch of pressures.”
Saturday night served as an important step forward for the Penn State defense. The Nittany Lions will face harder tests — they might see only two worse offenses the rest of the season (Northwestern, UMass) — but, on Saturday night, just about everything went right for the defense.
Isaac, a redshirt senior, couldn’t think off the top of his head just what his defense could’ve done better Saturday night. If it wasn’t a perfect effort, it was pretty darn close: Iowa’s 20 rushing yards were the fourth-fewest allowed by Penn State since 2014; Iowa’s single third-down conversion stood as the fewest allowed by PSU since holding Idaho to one in 2019; and Kirk Ferentz’s squad managed just 2.3 yards per play.
Isaac echoed a lot of his teammates’ thoughts Saturday night. If they can keep that performance going, the Nittany Lions could be in for a special season.
“It means a lot,” he said. “It means we’re going in the right direction. We just have to build on it.”
