No. 7 Penn State ready for tough test with possibly defense leading the way against No. 24 Iowa

No. 24 Iowa (3-0, 0-0 Large Ten) at No. 7 Penn State (3-0, 1-0), 7:30 ET (CBS)

Line: Penn State by 14 1/2, in line with FanDuel Sportsbook.

Collection report: Penn State 17-14.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

The Hawkeyes try to go 4-0 for the third time since 2019 in a spot coach Kirk Ferentz has received earlier than. His groups have received the final two video games within the collection, together with a 41-21 win in 2020 in an empty Beaver Stadium throughout the pandemic. The environment shall be far more daunting this time because the Nittany Lions are taking part in of their second primetime sport and wish to make a press release in opposition to their first ranked foe. It’s a “White Out” for the Nittany Lions.

KEY MATCHUP

Penn State’s passing sport vs. Iowa’s zone protection. Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker likes to remove large performs and power opposing quarterbacks to make errors with a number of zone appears. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar hasn’t thrown an interception but. If his receivers can discover holes in Parker’s protection, Allar has the imaginative and prescient and arm energy to take benefit.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Iowa: DB Cooper DeJean. The Iowa junior does a bit little bit of all the things. He’s performed nook and security and set the college’s single-season report with three pick-sixes final season. Not solely is DeJean a ballhawk, he’s a succesful return man, too, with a median punt return of 13.2 yards during the last two seasons.

Penn State: WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Thus far, Lambert-Smith has been Penn State’s finest weapon on offense. He’s fourth amongst Large Ten receivers with 220 yards and three touchdowns on 13 catches. He was large open usually final week and will see much more possibilities if teammate Tre Wallace has to sit down out once more with an unspecified ailment.

FACTS & FIGURES

That is the Large Ten opener for Iowa. … The Hawkeyes are 13-11 all-time in league openers below coach Kirk Ferentz. That features a 4-2 mark in opposition to Penn State. … The collection is 11-11 since Penn State joined the Large Ten. … Linebacker Jay Higgins is averaging 10.6 tackles per sport. … The Nittany Lions have scored no less than 30 factors in 10-straight video games, the longest such streak within the nation. … Penn State is 9-0 when forcing no less than two turnovers within the final two seasons.

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AP school soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll