Can Iowa knock off #2 Penn State at Kinnick today?

The University of Iowa have given Penn State Joe Pa some difficult games over the years. A lot of Iowa's success has been in Happy Valley, with head coaches Bob Commings, J Hayden Fry and present coach Kirk Ferentz all picking up big wins over in PA.

Iowa has won five of the last six games over Joe Pa and Penn State. Last year though, Penn State pulled out a 27-7 win over Iowa.

Iowa in on pace to beat opponents in the Big Ten they lost to last year, but lose to opponents they beat in '07

Penn State stands in the Hawkeyes way today.

A Penn State team that enters Iowa City and Kinnick Stadium off a bye week. A Nittany Lion team that could be playing in the BCS National Title Game, if they can get by Iowa and their next two oppoents.

Can Iowa (5-4, 2-3 Big Ten upset Penn State (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) in Iowa City today?

Prior to the last two Iowa wins in Kinnick Stadium over Penn State, the Hawkeyes hadn't won over Penn State at home, since 1930. This is an Iowa team that has been pretty good in match ups with Penn State. We saw a huge high scoring affair in 2002, with Iowa winning 42-35 in OT, while seeing an offensive depleted game, where Iowa beat PSU 6-4. Two Iowa wins have been in OT over Joe Pa.

Last week, Iowa ended a five game win streak over Illinois (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) with a 24-27 loss at Champaign on a last minute FG by the Illini. The Hawkeyes have lost four games in '08 by a total of 15 points, with a 5 point loss being the worse.

What Iowa team will we see today?

Iowa beat Wisconsin 38-16, but loss to Northwestern 22-17 (5 Iowa turnovers) at Kinnick Stadium earlier this season in the Big Ten. Can Iowa win all three phases of the game?

So, who knows what we will get with Iowa this week.

Does Penn State become Iowa's Illinois victory from last year?

The pundits at ESPN say Penn State will beat Iowa. Lee Corso says by a field goal... the Nittany Lions will still absent a statement game nationally. On the flip side, Kirk Herbstreet says Iowa will keep it close early, but from the sounds of it... Iowa will fall, like Michigan, in the second half.

So, can Iowa say, not so fast?

cidsports' Prediction:

Iowa 15

Penn State 13

Why not Iowa pulling off the close game in '08 for once? Why not Shonn Greene running for 109 yards, which is about 80% the yardage given up by Penn State (136.6) in Big Ten games this season.

Make Penn State quarterback Darryl Clark beat Iowa at quarterback... is he up the Juice? Illinois QB Juice Williams was up to the task last week, unlike Iowa's QB Ricky Stanzi.

On Iowa!

peace