Game Report: Iowa Hawkeyes 25, Penn State Nittany Lions 24

IOWA CITY — A closer look at Iowa’s 25-24 football win over Penn State Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium.

Turning point

With 4:56 left in the game and his team trailing 24-19, Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski faked a handoff and ran up the middle himself.

It looked like he would gain three or four yards, maybe five or six. But cornerback Eliot Washington missed a dive at Gronowski’s legs, and safety Zakee Wheatley missed Gronowski as he dove through the air at him.

It was nothing but green for the QB until he finally was stopped by Audavion Collins at the Penn State 8, a gain of 67 yards. On the next play, Kaden Wetjen went end-around for a touchdown run and a 25-24 Iowa lead with 3:54 left.

The Hawkeyes’ defense stopped the Nittany Lions on downs near midfield with 1:14 left, and Iowa secured victory.

By the numbers

1 — For the first time this season, the Hawkeyes allowed a third-quarter score.

2 — It was the second time Iowa had a punt blocked in its last three games.

10 — Hawkeye quarterback Mark Gronowski got his ninth and 10th rushing touchdowns of the season.

10 — This was the first time an Iowa opponent returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in 10 years. Pittsburgh did it in 2015.

68 — Stevens broke Nate Kaeding’s Iowa record for career field goals with his 68th, in the third quarter.

130 — Gronowski rushed for a career-high 130 yards, the most by a Hawkeye this season and the most ever by an Iowa quarterback.

Notebook

* Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz has seen Drew Stevens make a lot of long field goals in practice. In games, Stevens’ career-long is 55 yards. He owns the program-record for field goals of 50-plus yards with 10.

But a 66-yard try isn’t a 50- or 55-yarder.

Ferentz had Drew Stevens attempt a 66-yarder with six seconds left in the first half and his team up 10-7. It did not go well. In fact, it went as badly as possible.

The kick was blocked by Penn State defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, and was picked up on the bounce by Washington, who returned 35 yards for a touchdown.

Penn State had called a timeout as Stevens made his first try from that spot, and it was well short. Ferentz chose Take 2 rather than taking a knee to burn off the final seconds. It was a flawed decision.

* Penn State had a 14-10 halftime lead despite just 98 yards of offense and two interceptions thrown by redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer in his first college start.

Grunkemeyer and Gronowski combined for a mere 96 passing yards in the half.

* Iowa is without an interception return for a touchdown halfway through the regular season, but oh, has it come close lately.

The Hawkeyes have a streak of 17 consecutive seasons with a pick-6, second among all such active streaks to Utah’s 22. The Utes have a pick-6 this year.

For the second-straight week, Iowa returned an interception to the opponent’s 1-yard line. Last week it was Aaron Graves at Wisconsin. Saturday, Hawkeye safety Xavier Nwankpa did the same.

Injury report

Iowa linebacker Jaden Harrell, the Hawkeyes’ second-leading tackler entering this contest, played in limited duty. He had a brace on his left knee.

Hawkeye wide receiver Drayton Howard was injured and left the game in the third quarter.

Next game

The Hawkeyes host Minnesota Saturday at Kinnick at a time to be determined late Saturday night or Sunday. It will be a day game no matter what. The Gophers improved to 3-1 in the Big Ten and 5-2 overall with a 24-6 win over No. 25 Nebraska Friday night in Minneapolis.