Blue White Illustrated

KEY MATCHUPS P E N N   S T A T E   V S .   I O W A | B Y   M A T T   H E R B W H E N P E N N S T A T E H A S T H E B A L L PENN STATE RUNNING GAME 240.7 YPG, 5.9 YPC // IOWA RUN DEFENSE79.6 YPG, 2.7 YPC THE LOWDOWNPenn State had rushed for at least 200 yards in nine consecutive games before visiting Indiana last weekend. The Hoosiers brought that streak to an end, holding the Nittany Lions to 174 yards. But Penn State still ranks second in the Big Ten in rushing offense, and both RB Miles Sanders (110.3) and QB Trace McSorley (79.1) are among the league's top 10 ground-gainers, ranking third and eighth, respectively, in yards per game. Against Indiana, they were responsible for 34 of Penn State's 36 carries, as Sanders' backup, Ricky Slade, did not see action in the backfield. PSU is going to be severely tested in this game, as Iowa fields one of the best front sevens in the country. The Hawkeyes are tied for second in the Football Bowl Subdivision against the run and are coming off a game against Maryland in which they surrendered only 68 rushing yards. FS Jake Gervase and LB Kristian Welch are the Hawks' top tacklers with 40 stops apiece. Defensive ends Parker Hesse and A.J. Epenesa share the team lead with seven tackles for loss apiece. // KEY MATCHUP Penn State guards Connor McGovern and Steven Gonzalez and C Michal Menet will face a very solid Iowa defensive front. For the Lions to run the ball inside, they'll have to neutralize senior defensive tackles Sam Brincks and Matt Nelson. PSU topped 200 yards against Michigan State, which is tied with Iowa for second in the FBS in rushing defense, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Sanders break loose once or twice. // EDGE Even PENN STATE PASSING GAME 239.9 YPG, 14.4 YPC // IOWA PASS DEFENSE 178.6 YPG, 9.8 YPC THE LOWDOWNOne of the bigger storylines of Penn State's season so far has been the erratic play of its wide receiver corps. That trend continued at Indiana, as Brandon Polk dropped a couple of catchable passes, including one in the end zone. The Nittany Lions' second-leading receiver this season, Juwan Johnson, missed the second half of the In- diana game with an injury, and his availability this Saturday is uncertain. Freshmen Jahan Dotson and Cam Sulli- van-Brown combined for three catches vs. the Hoosiers and may see more action than in past weeks, even if Johnson is able to play. Dotson can play in two more games and still redshirt this season. Iowa is fielding the third-ranked pass defense in the Big Ten. The Lions will have to beware of junior SS Amani Hooker, who has a team-high five pass breakups and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions. Up front, DE Anthony Nelson and Epenesa have com- bined for 11 of Iowa's 22 sacks. There probably isn't a taller defensive front in the country, as Iowa's four starters aver- age 6-foot-6. McSorley said they're "basically like redwoods out there." He'll need to find some openings if Penn State is going to reverse its slide to seventh place in the Big Ten in per-game passing average. // KEY MATCHUP Penn State tackles Will Fries, Chasz Wright and Ryan Bates will have to keep Iowa's top pass rushers – Epenesa, Hesse and Anthony Nelson – from wreaking havoc in the backfield. // EDGE Iowa PENN STATE PASSING GAME VS. IOWA PASS DEFENSE IOWA RUNNING GAME 165.4 YPG, 4.0 YPC // PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE 165.1 YPG, 4.0 YPC THE LOWDOWNIowa hasn't had a 100-yard rusher in any game this season, and it ranks 10th in the Big Ten in rush- ing offense. But the Hawkeyes' ground game has been coming around in recent weeks, thanks in part to the return of RB Ivory Kelly-Martin from an ankle injury he suffered on opening day that caused him to miss three games. Kelly-Martin, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound sophomore, had 98 yards last week against Maryland, and Toren Young had 96 against Indiana a week earlier. Young leads the Hawkeyes with 403 yards. Given the state of their defensive line, this has to be one of the more worrisome matchups of the game for the Nittany Lions. On the heels of their trip to Indiana, in which they surrendered 224 yards on the ground, the Lions are 10th in the Big Ten and 74th in the FBS in rushing defense. One piece of good news for Penn State is that Iowa QB Nate Stanley isn't much of a threat to run the ball. Through seven games, he's totaled only 17 yards on 18 carries, with a long run of 13 yards. // KEY MATCHUP Iowa's interior linemen – guards Ross Reynolds and Dalton Ferguson and C Keegan Render – will be looking to neutralize Penn State defensive tackles Robert Windsor and Kevin Givens. Iowa's offense works best when it can run the ball between the tackles, so this matchup will be pivotal. // EDGE Iowa IOWA RUNNING GAME VS. PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE IOWA PASSING GAME VS. PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE W H E N I O W A H A S T H E B A L L PENN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. IOWA RUN DEFENSE O C T O B E R   2 4 ,   2 0 1 8 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 4 IOWA PASSING GAME 231.9 YPG, 13.2 YPC // PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE 209.7 YPG, 10.4 YPC THE LOWDOWNStanley, a 6-4, 242-pound junior, is an experienced veteran, having started the Hawkeyes' past 20 games. He's playing like a veteran, too, ranking fourth in the Big Ten in pass efficiency with a 61 percent completion rate, an average of 222.7 yards per game and a touchdown-interception ratio of 16-6. Stanley's numbers would be even better if the field conditions hadn't been so inhospitable last week during Maryland's visit to Kinnick Stadium. The game was played amid 40 mph wind gusts that forced both teams to abandon the downfield passing attack. As a result,

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