Counting down Iowa’s most-tantalizing 2021 football games: No. 5 Penn State

For Iowa’s most-tantalizing games 12 through 6, go to this page.

And now, No. 5:

Oct. 9: Penn State

They tell me revenge is sweet and from where they stand, I’m sure it is“ — Bob Dylan, “Dark Eyes”

Judy Collins is one of the best singers, ever.

Anyway, Penn State’s football team had defeated Iowa six consecutive times before they lined up last year in Beaver Stadium. The Hawkeyes had five quarterback sacks, rushed for 175 yards, held Penn State to 62 rushing yards, and owned the Nittany Lions, 41-21.

That had to feel really, really good for an Iowa program that doesn’t like to get bullied by anyone.

Living well is the best revenge, however. Penn State has the No. 1 recruiting class for 2022 according to some website that ranks such things. Also, the Nittanies begin this season with a four-game winning streak, having not lost since they were ripped asunder by the Hawkeyes.

Iowa, by the way, has a six-game win streak, the Big Ten’s longest current one. The longest current winning streak in the FBS is 14, by … take a moment before making a wild guess … think … consider everyone and everything …

Alabama.

Penn State has won its last three games at Kinnick Stadium. So home-field advantage in this series has been no advantage at all, really.

It’s been a really good series since Penn State joined the Big Ten, even with that six-game Penn State run that ended last fall. The Lions have 11 wins over the Hawkeyes since 1993, the Hawkeyes have 10 wins over the Lions.

In 2008 and 2009, Iowa got wins over Penn State teams that were ranked in the top five. The Saquon Barkley Game at Kinnick in 2017 was, I think, the best individual college performance I’ve ever seen in person, yet the Lions needed a last-second touchdown pass to win the game.

Penn State won 11 games in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Last year was a blip. This program is as solid as Pennsylvania bituminous coal.

So this year’s Penn State-Iowa game could be another good one. Both teams had early struggles with their quarterbacks, Sean Clifford and Spencer Petras. Both junior QBs finished last season far better than they started them.

Penn State will have played Wisconsin, Auburn and Indiana by the time it gets to Iowa in Game 6. Iowa will have played Indiana and Iowa State. We’ll know who both are by the time they collide, and both might be very good.

Nothing is guaranteed, of course.

The last time Iowa won the Big Ten football title was in 2004. It beat Penn State in State College that year, 6-4. Yes, 6-4.

Here’s my column from that game. It feels so long ago. Seventeen years ago isn’t that long ago, at least not in the sense of glaciers forming and melting or the life span of “The Simpsons.” In 2004, LeBron James was getting ready for his second NBA season. Tom Brady was in the middle of his fifth NFL season. The Chicago Cubs were still 12 years from winning their first World Series since 1908.

Just to see if you’ve read this far, here’s what I really want to say:

I wouldn’t mind it if football were another three months off. I like summer. Summer in Iowa doesn’t last long. I hear people from all sorts of places complain about their weather. Nowhere has ideal weather, other than perhaps Lihue.

But there are a lot of weeks and months in Iowa that aren’t fit for doing a lot outside. Suddenly, it’s football season and those months and weeks dwindle. By the time it’s Black Friday, the leaves are down and what lies ahead is bleak. Many people like winter here. I never have, never will.

So while I’m posting this football stuff, know that I’m not altogether feeling it. If you are, good for you. But I’d rather be sailing.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com