Penn State report card: Grading the Nittany Lions win over Iowa

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State pummeled Iowa 31-0 on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium. Both teams entered the game in the top 25. Only one leaves it both still in it and entrenched in the top 10. It’s the Nittany Lions, of course, after having their way with the visiting Hawkeyes to end a previous two-game losing streak against the Big Ten West foe.

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Our fourth report card of the year is here. The grades are in from Week 4.

Penn State grade on offense: A-

The stats tell the story. Penn State averaged only 4.1 yards per play. But, the Lions had nearly 400 yards of total offense. Quarterback Drew Allar threw four touchdowns, two of which went to tight end Tyler Warren. The Lions had more than 200 yards on the ground for the second time this year. Drops were not an issue. Neither were missed blocks. A sluggish first half forces us to drop this grade a bit. But, coordinator Mike Yurcich’s bunch was explosive in the second half and took it to a tiring and then exhausted Hawkeyes bunch. Here’s an incredible stat: Penn State had 235 yards and 21 points in the second half. Iowa had 13 and 0.

Nittany Lions grade on defense: A+

What more could you have asked for from Manny Diaz’s defense? The Lions forced six fumbles and recovered four. They had three sacks and five tackles for loss. Iowa averaged 2.3 yards per play and had a horrendous 76 yards of total offense. The Penn State front seven swarmed Iowa’s quarterbacks time and time again. And, there were no running lanes in the shut out. All that was missing is an interception. Otherwise, the home team’s defense checked every box imaginable in its most complete performance of the season.

Penn State grade on special teams: D

This was the lone wart in this game. Alex Felkins had a kick blocked, even though it doesn’t say so on the stat sheet because of a penalty. He also missed a 43-yarder, which made many forget about the 45-yarder he made earlier in the game. Riley Thompson was fine punting. But, Kaden Saunders had a rough go of it in the punt return game. He caught a ball inside the five during the first quarter and fumbled but recovered a punt in the second half. Penn State has plenty to clean up in this department.

Nittany Lions coaching grade: A

We put one mark down because of the blocked kick, which is a coaching issue, it would seem, after two straight weeks with one. But otherwise, James Franklin and his staff put on a coaching clinic. The penalty issue from a week ago was mostly cleaned up. The game plan was clearly designed to suffocate Iowa on defense and be safe on offense. It worked to perfection. This was as close to a perfect game as one can get, especially in conference play. The coaches and their players should be commended for it.

Overall Penn State grade: A

Penn State entered this game as a 14.5-point favorite. It was expected to win. But, it didn’t just leave Beaver Stadium victorious. It left it with a dominating triumph that puts the Big Ten and country on notice about how good this team can be and how serious a College Football Playoff contender it is.

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