Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Agree to New Contract Through 2029 Valued at $7M per Year
Jan 14, 2022
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
The University of Iowa has rewarded head football coach Kirk Ferentz with a contract extension through the 2029 season.
The school announced Ferentz's extension on Friday, with a statement from athletic director Gary Barta:
Kirk’s consistent leadership and success over 23 years has been amazing and appreciated as he has led our football program in a first-class manner. His success over the past 23 years speaks for itself. He is an asset to the University of Iowa and our athletics department as a whole. The foundation of his program is strong, and the future looks bright.
Per The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach, Ferentz's $7 million annual salary is broken down into a $500,000 base salary with $5.5 million in supplemental compensation plus a $1 million longevity bonus.
The extension comes as Iowa's football program remains embroiled in a legal situation amid allegations of racial discrimination. A total of 13 former Hawkeyes players, all of whom are Black, filed a federal lawsuit against the program in Nov. 2020 claiming they were victims of "targeted discriminatory behavior" from members of the coaching staff that Ferentz enabled.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose threw out some of the allegations during a ruling in May, but claims of intentional discrimination by offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, Kirk's son, and former strength coach Chris Doyle can proceed.
Doyle has since left the program. He reached a separation agreement in June 2020 that paid more than $1.1 million remaining on his contract.
Kirk Ferentz has been dismissed as a defendant in the case, but he is scheduled to be deposed this month.
This marks Ferentz's first contract extension since 2016 when he signed a six-year extension. His previous deal was set to expire after the 2025 season.
Per Kennington Lloyd Smith III of the Des Moines Register, Ferentz's salary for next season was originally going to be $5.1 million before any potential bonuses.
Ferentz is already the longest-tenured active head coach in FBS. The UConn graduate, who grew up in Pittsburgh, took over the Hawkeyes in December 1998, making him the last FBS coach to be hired before the turn of the century.
Joe Paterno holds the FBS record for longest head-coaching tenure at a single school in FBS history (46 seasons at Penn State).
Assuming Ferentz makes it to the end of his new deal, he will have been with the Hawkeyes for 31 seasons. The 66-year-old is already the program's all-time leader in games coached (288), wins (178), bowl games (18) and bowl wins (nine).
The Hawkeyes finished the 2021 season with a 10-4 record and won the Big Ten West Division for the second time. They spent five consecutive weeks in the Top Five of the Associated Press poll, including reaching No. 2 in mid-October.
Ferentz has led Iowa to 18 winning seasons and seven 10-win campaigns in his 23 years with the program.
Wan'dale Robinson Shines as Kentucky Edges Past Iowa to Win 2022 Citrus Bowl
Jan 1, 2022
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 01: Chris Rodriguez Jr. #24 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates with this teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Kentucky secured its fourth straight bowl victory Saturday with a 20-17 Citrus Bowl win over Iowa.
Down four in the final few minutes, Wan'Dale Robinson and Chris Rodriguez Jr. came through with great individual efforts to put the Wildcats on top:
Rodriguez scored two touchdowns while Robinson had 170 receiving yards to key the Wildcats offense at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Kentucky seemingly had complete control of the game early with a 13-3 halftime lead while allowing little defensively. Iowa couldn't produce much without star running back Tyler Goodson, who opted out of the game.
A second-half run gave the Hawkeyes the 17-13 lead, but it wouldn't last as Kentucky fought back for the dramatic win.
The Wildcats improved to 10-3, reaching double-digit wins for the second time in the last four years under Mark Stoops. The team won 10 games in a season just twice in school history before 2018.
Iowa (10-4) was also seeking its fourth straight bowl win but fell short after Spencer Petras threw three interceptions.
Notable Performances
Will Levis, QB, UK: 17-28, 223 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB, UK: 20 carries, 107 rushing yards, 2 total TDs
In addition to the opening touchdown, Kentucky had two more drives deep into Iowa territory before settling for field goals.
This success did not continue as Iowa ramped up the defensive pressure. The absence of left tackle Dare Rosenthal helped expose a Wildcats offensive line that struggled throughout the game.
Will Levis already sacked for third time. Not clear how many of those have been affected by OL shuffling with Dare Rosenthal out, but it can't have helped.
Kenneth Horsey and Jeremy Flax have split time at LT.
When Kentucky doesn't have success on 1st down.... Iowa's defense is attacking their offensive line.... 5 sacks so far on the day.... and they just heated Levis up on that 3rd down.
Iowa finished with seven sacks on the day, leading to stalled drives and wasted opportunities for the Kentucky offense.
The skill players still did their part, with Rodriguez topping 100 rushing yards for the fifth straight game and Robinson coming up with big catches all game long.
It was enough to come away with a win despite an up-and-down showing from the offense.
Second-Half Burst Not Enough for Iowa
There were low expectations for Iowa offensively, and the first half showed why.
The team was trying to overcome the loss of Goodson, whose 1,398 yards from scrimmage this season was more than double anyone else on the roster entering the day. There was also uncertainty at quarterback with the team waiting to announce the starter between Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla.
Petras got the start, but it didn't seem to matter as the offense couldn't move the ball and was held to just three points at halftime.
Kentucky up 13-3 on Iowa at halftime of the Citrus Bowl.
Just remembering that Iowa rose to No. 2 in the country at one point this season. This remains a comically bad offense.
With two turnovers and several more miscues, it was an ugly showing.
Things turned around in the second half as the offensive line cleared space on the ground for an effective rushing attack. The play-calling also got more creative for a pair of long touchdowns.
Iowa scores the TD that has felt like it was coming for some time.
20-yard run on a third-and-5 on an end-around. No UK player touched him on the way to the end zone.
Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams picked up the slack in the run game, combining for 140 rushing yards.
It still wasn't enough to pull away in the fourth quarter.
Iowa chose to punt on a 4th-and-1 at their own 45 with 3:38 left on the clock, allowing Kentucky to score the go-ahead touchdown. When the Hawkeyes got one more chance to score, Petras threw his third interception of the game:
The Iowa native is 45th nationally and fifth at his position in 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the best player from his home state.
247Sports' Chris Singletary had high praise for Nwankpa, comparing him to two-time All-ACC and 2018 All-Pro safety Derwin James:
The burst and closing speed that he has makes for a player that displays great range whether it’s getting off the hash in 2 deep or in the deep third to make plays on the ball or receiver. The ability to read, react and close on plays are something that makes him a game-changer. His tackling and physicalness is top-notch, he coils and strikes the ball-carrier along with doing a good job wrapping. Makes plays on all three levels, does a good job when blitzing being physical and running through blockers or attacking their edge while making plays on the QB.
The transformation of the safety position has been happening for a number of years, and merely identifying a defender as a safety does little to describe his on-field duties. With James, for example, The Athletic's Daniel Popper wrote how he occupied five different roles within the Los Angeles Chargers defense.
At 6'2" and 190 pounds, Nwankpa has the frame to guard wide receivers or tight ends in pass coverage or move closer to the line of scrimmage to defend against the run.
Dowling puts together a great drive, led by RB Kham Middleton, and gets to the SEP13. On 3rd-and-7, English goes to the end zone, but Xavier Nwankpa is there for the interception. Big time. Still 7-0, SEP, 6:25 left.
Brad Zelenovich, Nwankpa's coach at Southeast Polk High School, recounted to 247Sports' Kevin Sinclair how the rangy defensive back was ready to join the varsity squad as a freshman.
"It's hard to physically be ready to play at that level as a 14-year-old kid," Zelenovich said. "... We brought him up probably Week 3 or Week 4 of his freshman year, and he's never left."
James was Florida State's second-leading tackler (94 tackles) and had 4.5 sacks as a true freshman. The Hawkeyes would obviously be thrilled if Nwankpa can make that kind of impact right away, but that's a high standard to meet.
More likely, Nwankpa will have a more gradual transition into Iowa's defense. His versatility could be valuable in allowing him to be used situationally early on.
With a year or two under his belt, he has all of the tools to become the kind of defensive star who requires a near-constant level of attention from opposing teams.
Nwankpa's hometown (Altoona) is only a few hours away from Iowa City, so the Hawkeyes were always a logical landing spot.
Beyond the emotional pull, the program has been a consistent winner under head coach Kirk Ferentz and typically builds its success on a stingy defense. Suiting up for Iowa should be a great way for Nwankpa to develop his game and showcase his skills.
No. 2 Michigan Cruises to 42-3 Win over No. 13 Iowa to Earn 2021 Big Ten Championship
Dec 5, 2021
Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) scores on a 67-yard touchdown run during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
The No. 2 Michigan football team is headed to the College Football Playoff.
The Wolverines defeated No. 13 Iowa 42-3 in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday from Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. With the win, the Wolverines all but assured themselves of a CFP spot.
As usual, a strong running game and overwhelming defense led Michigan to victory.
The Wolverines rushed for 211 yards and four touchdowns, with Blake Corum's 67-yard scamper giving his team an early 6-0 edge.
Blake Corum with the speed but how about J.J. McCarthy as the lead blocker 🤯⚡️@UMichFootball takes the 7-0 lead over Iowa in the Big Ten Champ Game! pic.twitter.com/GDjzmhdeeL
However, it was a running back's pass that turned out to be the play of the game, as Donovan Edwards threw a beautiful ball for a 75-yard touchdown to Roman Wilson in the second quarter.
Iowa couldn't get much going on the ground or through the air, and Michigan ended up out-gaining the Hawkeyes 461-279. The Hawkeyes made a quarterback change midgame from Spencer Petras to Alex Padilla, but the Wolverines defense rendered that switch irrelevant.
Erick All later added a slick five-yard catch for Michigan's penultimate touchdown.
Iowa TE Sam LaPorta: 6 catches, 62 receiving yards
Hustle and Heart Lead Michigan to CFP
One play that didn't end up in the box score perfectly encapsulates the Wolverines' game as well as their season.
The record shows that Corum ran for a 67-yard touchdown to give Michigan a 6-0 first-quarter lead.
Blake Corum with the speed but how about J.J. McCarthy as the lead blocker 🤯⚡️@UMichFootball takes the 7-0 lead over Iowa in the Big Ten Champ Game! pic.twitter.com/GDjzmhdeeL
It was an incredible effort for a running back playing through a high-ankle sprain and limited with his snaps because of it.
However, that run wasn't even the best moment of the play. Rather, it was quarterback J.J. McCarthy flying down the sidelines to help provide blocking assistance for his teammate en route to the score.
His effort did not go unnoticed:
J.J. McCarthy damn near beat Blake Corum to the end zone there.
That encapsulates the ethos of this team. The Wolverines fight hard and for each other. They are fast. They are tough. They are selfless. They are a team—one that is going to be a serious problem for its CFP opponent.
Not only that, but Michigan is a team littered with incredible individual talents. Aidan Hutchinson might be the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick next spring, and fellow edge-rusher David Ojabo might join him in the first round.
The offensive line is a force to be reckoned with, so much so that football legend John Madden reached out to head coach Jim Harbaugh to tell him as much after the win over Ohio State:
Jim Harbaugh says he got a text from John Madden after the Ohio State game.
"This is as good of an offensive line performance as he's seen," Harbaugh said of the text.
"I texted that to Sherrone and told him to keep that on his phone forever."
They have a formidable one-two punch in the running game with Haskins and Corum, and everything works in sync to form one hell of a team.
Alabama may be the clear championship favorite after dismantling No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, but Michigan is a special team that won't go away easily.
Iowa's Once-Promising Season Ends With Thud, But Hawkeyes Should Keep Chins Up
A once-promising season with College Football Playoff hopes following a 6-0 start crashed and burned down the stretch, capped by Saturday's ugly 39-point defeat.
One can look at Iowa's 13-game season from two perspectives.
On the pessimistic side, the Hawkeyes went just 4-3 in their final seven games. Their three losses were by a combined 76 points to Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin. Iowa scored just 17 points in those games.
Iowa's offense simply wasn't explosive enough this year. The Hawkeyes have a stout running game led by Tyler Goodson, but they didn't have the big-play threats needed to go blow-for-blow with teams that found offensive success against them.
The defense notably wilted at inopportune times as well. It all reached its nadir on Saturday, as Iowa allowed scoring plays of 67 and 75 yards in the first quarter en route to giving up 461 yards on the game.
On the optimistic side, Iowa had a 10-win season and made the conference championship game. Sure, the Big Ten West was a weak division this year, so much so that Iowa almost won its group by default. However, plenty of Big Ten teams would love to have 10-plus wins and make the conference title game, and the Hawkeyes did just that.
Credit Iowa for not folding after a two-game losing skid dropped the Hawkeyes out of the CFP picture entirely. Following the Purdue and Wisconsin defeats, Iowa responded with four straight wins. Granted, none of them came too easily, as three came by one-possession scores.
Regardless, Iowa showed fight down the stretch to make the conference championship game, and the Hawkeyes can hold their heads high knowing they gave it their all when other teams could have fallen apart entirely in that spot.
That doesn't make Saturday's result any easier, and it's clear that Iowa is a clear cut below the Big Ten elite of Michigan and Ohio State. The Wolverines were simply too talented on both sides of the ball, and that ended up being the difference.
Still, the bigger picture paints a rosier picture for Iowa overall. Other teams languish year after year and struggle to win more than a handful of games. Iowa has the luxury of being in the mix and earned a reputation of being a giant killer.
That's something Iowa can always hang its hat on, even if painful losses like the one to Michigan help cloud the broader truth about the program.
What's Next?
While it won't be official until Sunday, Michigan will be in the four-team College Football Playoff field with Alabama, Georgia and Cincinnati. The only thing left to determine at this point is the seeding.
The Wolverines' win also means that Ohio State will play Utah in the Rose Bowl.
Iowa was headed to the Rose Bowl with a win, but the Hawkeyes will head to another to-be-determined bowl following the loss.
Report: Kirk Ferentz Told Iowa Players He Plans to Stay 'Multiple Years' Past 2022
Dec 4, 2021
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes watches action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Memorial Stadium on November 26, 2021 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz reportedly told his players in a team meeting Friday night that he plans to return for the 2022 season and beyond, per Scott Dochterman of The Athletic.
Ferentz is on a contract that runs through the 2025 campaign.
The news comes amid several significant head coaching searches in college football. Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC, and Brian Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU.
There were also "whispers" that the 2021 season would be Ferentz's final one in Iowa, per 247Sports. However, he made it clear two weeks ago that he hoped to remain head coach of the Hawkeyes for a long time.
“I was hoping to be [here] for a while,” Ferentz said, per 247Sports. “That's been my plan for about 23 years now. Just trying to make it to the next step, that's kind of what I've been thinking about. I think I made it to this step.”
Ferentz led Iowa to a 10-2 record this season. The Hawkeyes clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship game versus Michigan and the team was ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll this year.
The 66-year-old has been head coach at Iowa since 1999, joining the team after a stint with the Baltimore Ravens. In his 23 seasons at the helm, he is 178-108 and 9-8 in bowl games.
Ferentz has also led Iowa to two Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004 and an appearance in the 2015 Big Ten title game.
Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell (16) celebrates with teammate wide receiver David Bell (3) after scoring on a 6-yard touchdown run during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
One week after their emotional win over Penn State, the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 24-7 loss to Purdue at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
There were certainly a number of questions for the Hawkeyes to answer coming out of last week. Penn State led the game 17-3 before quarterback Sean Clifford got hurt early in the second quarter.
It's a credit to Iowa that it was able to outscore its Big Ten rival 20-3 after Clifford left to seal a win. The victory moved the Hawkeyes up to No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, their highest ranking since 1985.
Based on Saturday's result, there are still a lot of questions head coach Kirk Ferentz has to figure out with this team.
Boilermakers quarterback Aidan O'Connell and wide receiver David Bell lit up Iowa's secondary.
O'Connell threw for a season-high 375 yards and twotouchdowns. The senior came into this game with more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four) in the first four games of the season.
Purdue is now 8 for 12 on third downs at Iowa. Aidan O'Connell has thrown for 360 yards against a Hawkeyes defense that has only allowed over 185 pass yards once in six games this season.
Bell continues to be Purdue's best offensive weapon, especially in games against Iowa. The Indianapolis native had 240 receiving yards on 11 receptions, his fourth 100-yard game of the season. He's torched the Hawkeyes secondary for three years running.
Noted Hawkeye killer David Bell's career stats against Iowa:
Only one receiver has had more than 81 yards this season against Iowa (Kent State’s Keshunn Abram who had 138 in a 30-7 loss). Today, Purdue’s fantastic WR David Bell’s put up 11 catches for 240 yards at the Boilers are really putting it on the Hawkeyes.
Iowa's strength through the first six games of the season had been on defense. That unit ranked third in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.02), seventh in yards allowed per game (274.0) and tied for seventh in touchdowns allowed (nine).
Purdue burned that group for 464 yards, 24 first downs (9-of-16 on third downs) and 8.8 yards per pass attempt.
Bell had almost as many receiving receiving as Iowa did in total offense (271). Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras had his worst game of the season with 195 yards and four interceptions. He only had two interceptions through the first six weeks.
Consistency has been an issue for the Boilermakers so far this season. They had lost two of their past three games, including a 20-13 home defeat to Minnesota last week. Sandwiched between those losses was a narrow 13-9 victory over an Illinois team that is just 2-5 this season.
Saturday's win could be a huge momentum shift for head coach Jeff Brohm. The schedule eases up with games against Wisconsin and Nebraska before things pick up on Nov. 6 against Michigan State and Nov. 13 at Ohio State.
Iowa was supposed to be out of its most difficult stretch of the season. Penn State was the last ranked opponent remaining on its schedule, based on the current AP Top 25 poll.
Heading into next week's game at Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes suddenly look very vulnerable in the race for the top spot in the Big Ten West.
Iowa's Kirk Ferentz: Fans 'Smelled a Rat' amid Claims of PSU Players Faking Injuries
Oct 12, 2021
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz look son before his team takes the field during an NCAA college football game against Maryland, Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz understands why fans were booing Penn State players who went down with injuries in Saturday's game, indicating some were faking it.
"Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt," the coach told reporters Tuesday. "But I think probably [the booing] is a reaction to, there were a couple of guys that were down for the count and then were back a play or two later. Our fans aren't stupid. They're watching. They know what's going on."
Iowa's 23-20 win over Penn State featured several injuries, with quarterback Sean Clifford notably leaving the game in the second quarter without returning. The home fans at Kinnick Stadium still took issue with the stoppages, especially from those who returned quickly.
"Our fans thought they smelled a rat, I guess, I don't know, so they responded the way they responded," Ferentz said.
Penn State head coach James Franklin denied after the game that his team was faking injuries.
"They don't run a tempo offense. It was not part of our plan," he said. "... We had some guys get injured, and I just don't know if I necessarily agree. I don't think that's the right thing for college football, booing guys when they get hurt, however it looks."
Ferentz said the American Football Coaches Association hopes the NCAA will look into potential rule changes that would stop teams from faking injuries to help slow the momentum of offenses. The coach said two current staff members worked on teams that encouraged the practice and had code words for when to do it.
Some Iowa fans clearly believed Penn State was faking injuries on Saturday.
No. 3 Iowa Beats No. 4 Penn State 23-20 After Sean Clifford Leaves with Injury
Oct 9, 2021
Iowa wide receiver Charlie Jones (16) celebrates his touchdown with receiver Keagan Johnson (6) and tight end Sam LaPorta (84) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
Iowa now has the inside track in the Big Ten to the College Football Playoff following a massive 23-20 victory over No. 4 Penn State on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Spencer Petras hit a wide-open Nico Ragaini for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 6:26 left in the game to give Iowa its first lead since the opening frame.
With his team backed up on its own 8-yard line, James Franklin opted to go for it on fourth down. Ta'Quan Roberson threw his second interception with 2:13 remaining to effectively doom the Nittany Lions to a defeat.
Penn State was rolling along in the second quarter up 17-3. Then Sean Clifford exited with an undisclosed injury after going 15-of-25 for 146 yards and two interceptions. Despite playing less than a full half, he finished as the team's leading rusher (36 yards).
Clifford's injury turned the contest into a war of attrition as the two teams combined for 592 yards.
With the win, the No. 3 Hawkeyes are now one of three unbeaten teams left in the conference alongside No. 9 Michigan and No. 11 Michigan State.
Notable Performers
Ta'Quan Roberson, QB, Penn State: 7-of-21, 34 yards, two interceptions; 10 carries, 27 yards
KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Penn State: five receptions, 61 yards
Spencer Petras, QB, Iowa: 17-of-31, 195 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Nico Ragaini, WR, Iowa: four receptions, 73 yards, one touchdown
Iowa Survives
Iowa entered the game averaging the 12th-fewest yards (320) in FBS. The Hawkeyes were also 63rd in offensive drive efficiency and 48th in offensive points per drive, according to Football Outsiders.
An opportunistic defense can carry a team a long way, but Iowa's inability to move the ball consistently is going to be a problem sooner or later. Just not on Saturday.
The offense wasn't capitalizing on the excellent field position it often had thanks to the defense.
#Iowa's defense hasn't been as dominant this half, but it provided the offense with three interceptions, which the offense converted into three points.
Petras didn't have much luck targeting wide receivers on shorter throws after Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry and the Nittany Lions coaching staff drew up a game plan to remove that option.
Penn State just moved Petras off the point on that 3rd down with a 2 man rush. Drop 9 and they were able to cover shallow crosses and have LBs under intermediate with safeties on top.
Because of that, life was almost more difficult for Iowa as it got closer and closer to the goal line. Midway through the fourth quarter, a 42-yard reception by Keagan Johnson set the Hawkeyes up with a 1st-and-goal from the Penn State 8-yard line. They had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Caleb Shudak after Petras was sacked on third down.
Still, the Hawkeyes were only one big play away from taking control of the game because of how well its defense and special teams performed. Ragaini's pivotal catch was exactly that moment.
Clifford Injury Grounds Penn State Offense
Roberson had a shaky introduction to the game.
The redshirt sophomore fumbled his first snap, and Penn State was flagged for three straight false starts as it went three-and-out on his first possession. The Nittany Lions' next drive ended in an interception by Riley Moss on second down.
It didn't help that Hawkeyes punter Tory Taylor pinned the Nittany Lions deep into their own territory. Driving the length of the field would've been difficult enough with Clifford under center. The task became even more hard with Roberson.
Penn State has started drives at the 1-, 2- and 3-yard line today. Better chance of the Pirates winning 100 games in '22 than the Nittany Lions going 99 here with the way this offense has looked since Ta'Quan Roberson took over.
But Penn State was the equivalent of a weary boxer desperate to run out the clock late in a fight. The Nittany Lions were only able to dodge the knockout blow for so long.
Roberson was a 4-star recruit and the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2019. The New Jersey native isn't without talent, and Saturday's circumstances were less than ideal for his first meaningful snaps.
But Penn State could be in real trouble if Clifford's injury is bad enough to knock him out for multiple games.
What's Next?
Iowa hosts Purdue on Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET, while Penn State has a week off before welcoming Illinois to Happy Valley on Oct. 23.
In a complete landslide, the B/R community has chosen the Top Five battle between the Penn State Nittany Lions and Iowa Hawkeyes as the Game of the Week. Wise decision, my friends...
No. 10 Iowa Beats Brock Purdy, No. 9 Iowa State 27-17 in Rivalry Matchup
Sep 12, 2021
Iowa defensive back Matt Hankins (8) makes an interception in front of Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (8) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
For the first time in history, Saturday's Iowa-Iowa State game pitted two teams ranked inside the top 10.
After Saturday, it may be a long time before the Cyclones find themselves back there.
The Iowa defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions of Brock Purdy, as the Hawkeyes cruised to a 27-17 win over their in-state rivals.
Spencer Petras played the role of able game manager and Tyler Goodson helped grind the clock down on the ground, but it was the Iowa defense that took the starring role. Matt Hankins picked off two passes from a struggling Purdy, who was benched in the fourth quarter, and Jack Campbell took a Breece Hall fumble to the house in the third quarter.
Iowa has now won six straight and holds a 46-22 overall record against Iowa State in their head-to-head matchups.
QB Spencer Petras: 11-21, 106 yards, 1 TD RB Tyler Goodson: 21 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD DB Matt Hankins: 2 INT
Iowa State Early Leader for Most Overrated Team of 2021 Preseason
Yikes.
The Cyclones entered 2021 with some of the highest expectations in program history and have turned in two straight stinkers. Last week's 16-10 win over Northern Illinois was an offensive abomination that sent Iowa State back two spots in the rankings, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Cyclones were outside the top 20 after this performance.
Purdy does not look anything like the efficient quarterback of his previous three seasons who got some Heisman buzz entering 2021. Hall, who looked like a superstar in last season's 1,572-yard, 21-touchdown breakout, has been ordinary for two straight weeks.
Matt Campbell, who won Big 12 Coach of the Year in three of the last four seasons, has had no answers or adjustments the first two weeks.
This has been a surprising fall from grace for a team that returned a ton of talent from last year's Fiesta Bowl winner.
The good news? Last season began with an ugly loss to Louisiana before Campbell and Co. righted the ship for an 8-1 Big 12 record.
Penn State vs. Iowa Has Game of the Year Potential
Sorry to anyone in Happy Valley or Iowa City who feels that headline is a jinx, because it's true.
Iowa does not have a major test before its Oct. 9 trip to Penn State. The Hawkeyes are home for Kent State and Colorado State before a road game against a Maryland team few expect to make an impact this season.
Penn State has a difficult test next week against Auburn, but then two highly winnable games against Villanova and Indiana the following two weeks. If the Nittany Lions are able to get by Auburn, the overwhelming odds are we'll be getting a battle between 5-0—and potentially Top Five—opponents.
With Ohio State falling to Oregon on Saturday, the top of the Big Ten is wide open for the Lions or Hawkeyes to run through.
