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No. 7 Penn State beat No. 24 Iowa at its own game during a Week 4 matchup, with the Nittany Lions using a stiff defensive effort to shut out the Hawkeyes 31-0 for the annual "White Out" game. Though Iowa isn't known for its offensive prowess, the loss nevertheless marks the first shutout for the program since 2000. Complicating matters is offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. Iowa must average 25 points per game this fall for Ferentz to keep his job -- track the Hawkeyes' progress HERE -- and tonight's shutout puts the team well behind the pace after four weeks.
The two teams were notched in a defensive struggle for the better part of the first half before the Penn State scoring barrage began. Drew Allar hit Khalil Dinkins for a 9-yard strike in the second quarter as the Nittany Lions took a 7-3 lead into halftime. That set up a monster second half for the former five-star prospect. Allar erupted with two touchdown passes to Tyler Warren and KeAndre Lambert-Smith to make it a 31-0 before he was pulled in favor of Beau Pribula.
The Nittany Lions defense was ferocious from the moment toe met leather. Iowa's six-play, 24-yard drive to open the game was its longest of the day without ending in a turnover. Penn State held the Hawkeyes to three or fewer plays on the next eight drives and allowed only 79 yards on the night.
Here are the top takeaways from the blowout in Happy Valley
Allar is rock solid at QB
The 6-foot-5, 242-pound sophomore is one of the budding superstars in the sport, and his four-touchdown performance solidifies that. Allar's 166 yards passing didn't jump off the page, but his poise and control did. Allar has not thrown an interception during his college career: He was flawless in his 60 passes as Sean Clifford's backup last season and has 125 attempts without a pick this season.
Check out this dart to Dinkins in the second quarter:
Is Allar a difference-maker? Absolutely. He doesn't put up video game stats because he doesn't have to, but Allar is a star and should be in the Heisman Trophy conversation until he proves otherwise.
Time of possession domination
The rise of hurry-up offenses has relegated time of possession to more of a secondary statistic that doesn't always indicate offensive success. That wasn't the case here.
Penn State won the time of possession battle 45:27 to 14:33 and limited the Hawkeyes offense to just 33 plays in what was one of the most futile offensive efforts in recent Iowa history — which isn't exactly littered with explosive offensive performances.
Ferentz has had the spotlight all over him this season because of his contract situation. If the Hawkeyes don't reach 25 ppg as a team, Ferentz won't be brought back in 2024. After a game like this, though, Hawkeye fans probably want to send him on his way now.
Penn State is a CFP contender
All of the talk in the Big Ten centers around Michigan and Ohio State. After all, those are the two teams that are consistently in the College Football Playoff discussion in mid-to-late November. It's time to add Penn State into that mix. The offensive success is a big part of the equation, but the defense has been rock solid so far. The Nittany Lions entered the weekend tied for third in the nation in turnover margin at +7 and increased that number to +11 against the woeful Hawkeyes.
Penn State is built like the Michigan teams of the last few years and the Georgia teams that utterly dominated and outmanned opponents. That's not to say that the Nittany Lions are better or more talented than those squads. They have the same kind of identity, though, and they know that it works.
