IOWA CITY, Iowa. — Penn State Football (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) fell to Iowa (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) on the road by way of a 25-24 result on Saturday night.
Senior running back Kaytron Allen led the run game, totaling 145 yards marking his 10th career 100-plus-yard rushing outing. He also added two touchdowns to extend his streak of scoring at least one rushing touchdown in every contest of the 2025 campaign. In his first collegiate start, redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer compiled 93 yards through the air on 15-of-28 passing.
Redshirt senior Zakee Wheatley led the way on the defensive end, totaling 10 tackles and one interception. The safety has had a hand in 11 takeaways throughout his career, tallying his sixth career interception. Junior Elliot Washington II added his first career blocked field goal return for a touchdown, following a blocked field goal attempt from Xavier Gilliam. The cornerback returned the ball to the endzone for 35 yards.
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Barker added a 32-yard field goal.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Penn State defense made a statement on Iowa’s opening offensive drive. After only a three-yard gain on first down, Wheatley snagged the ball in the air to allow the offense to take over at the visiting 35-yard line.
The Nittany Lions’ relentless offense added seven points to the board following three fourth down attempts throughout the drive. Allen capped off the sequence with a touchdown, marking his seventh consecutive game producing a rushing touchdown.
PSU held the Hawkeyes to a field goal on the ensuing drive, as the Nittany Lions led, 7-3, with 4:24 in the first quarter.
Iowa’s defense forcing a punt, and the Hawkeyes’ punt returner set the offense at the Penn State 35-yard line following a 25-yard return. Despite the good field position, the Nittany Lions defense held off the offense, forcing a 46-yard field goal attempt that went wide right of the uprights as the first quarter came to a close
Both teams were unable to convert on their next offensive possessions, resulting in a series of punts to begin the second stanza. Penn State then had back-to-back drives resulting in interceptions.
The Hawkeyes managed to add their first touchdown of the day after the second turnover, The Nittany Lions did not make use of their next possession, allowing Iowa to have another scoring attempt with under a minute to play in the first half.
The home team gained 23 yards before coming up two yards short on third down at the Penn State 48-yard line. The kicking unit attempted a 66-yard field goal. Gilliam blocked the kick, allowing Washington to scoop the ball and return it 35 yards to the endzone as time expired in the first half. Penn State held a 14-10 advantage after the first 30 minutes of action.
The Nittany Lions built on their lead on their first drive of the second half, using 10 plays to advance the ball 75 yards. Allen yet again completed the possession with an eight-yard rush to the endzone to boost Penn State to a 21-10 edge. The Hawkeyes responded with six points of their own to narrow the margin to 21-16 with 4:19 on the third quarter timer following a failed two-point conversion.
The Iowa defense came up with a stop on fourth down at a critical point in the game with under a minute to play in the third stanza, stopping a PSU rush on fourth-and-one. The Hawkeyes took over on the Penn State 40-yard line. The Iowa offense only managed a field goal, kicked from 31-yards out, to inch within three points at the 13:20 mark in the final period.
Penn State moved the ball as far as the Iowa 10-yard line before Barker was called upon to attempt a 32-yard kick from the 14-yard line following a sack on third down. The Nittany Lions extended to a 24-19 lead with just under five minutes to play in the game.
The Hawkeyes made quick time to add their next sequence of points in response. Just two plays, including a 67-yard quarterback rush, comprised the scoring drive for Iowa, allowing the home team to pull ahead by one point.
An incompletion on fourth down resulted in a turnover on downs for the Penn State offense with just over a minute to play. The Hawkeyes advanced the ball to the PSU 31-yard line before going into victory formation, resulting in a 25-24 Iowa victory.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2025 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.