UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Well, we wondered how the Penn State football team would handle its first real test after playing three patsies to open the season.

Well, Nittany Nation got its answer Saturday night and it was about as deflating as the driving rain that blanketed Centre County for the entire clash against Iowa at Beaver Stadium.
The No. 5 Nittany Lions failed.
For the seventh time this decade, Penn State lost to the Hawkeyes, this time 21-10. Like the 24-23 loss at Iowa City last year, this one likely ends all grand dreams of playing for a national championship.
And maybe this one stings even more because unlike last season’s loss, in which Penn State dominated the Hawkeyes for most of the game, this one exposed nearly every flaw that was easy to camouflage in the routs of Akron, Syracuse and Temple.
Aside from a 79-yard bolt of lightning from Daryll Clark to Chaz Powell on the Nittany Lions’ opening play from scrimmage and a long 20-play drive that resulted in a field goal, the Nittany Lions’ Spread HD offense was laid wide open by the Iowa defense.
When the Nittany Lions struggled moving the ball on the ground against Akron and Syracuse, coach Joe Paterno attributed it to the schemes those teams were using. The fears were somewhat allayed when Evan Royster rushed for 134 yards against the Owls.
But the Hawkeyes’ defensive front dominated the Nittany Lions’ offensive line Saturday night. Penn State gained 109 yards on 33 carries, a paltry 3.3 yards per attempt.
In addition, the Hawkeyes (4-0) kept pressure on Clark, especially after the 20-play march in the first quarter. With decent time to throw, Clark completed his first six passes of the game.
After that, he was 6-for-26 with three interceptions. He was sacked twice and rarely threw a ball without having someone in his face. Iowa was able to get all of this pressure by predominantly rushing just its defensive line and dropping seven into coverage to cut down Clark’s windows of opportunity.
After the first quarter, Clark had happy feet in the pocket all evening.
“At times, the pass protection got a little shaky and that got him out of rhythm,” Paterno said of Clark.
The entire offensive line played poorly, but the right side was especially weak. Right tackle De’Ontae Pannell was replaced early by Nerraw McCormick, who had played mostly in mop-up time before Saturday. Both were beaten several times.
The Nittany Lions’ special teams also continued to struggle, most notably as a blocking mistake allowed Adrian Clayborn to roar through to block Jeremy Boone’s punt and carry it 54 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
But it was more than that. The kickoff coverage team couldn’t keep the Hawkeyes inside their 30, never really helping in the battle of field position.
Defensively, Penn State certainly played well enough to win, especially considering the offense had four turnovers and a blocked punt.
But the Hawkeyes were able to move the ball at times on the ground, gaining 163 yards on 37 carries, a 4.4 average. Those numbers were surprising since Penn State’s defensive line had looked impenetrable in the three wins.
Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi appears to have struggled, completing 12-of-26 passes and having two picked off. Stanzi did have about a half-dozen passes dropped by open receivers.
Penn State sacked Stanzi twice, but only got consistent pressure when blitzing linebackers Josh Hull or Navorro Bowman.
Maybe injured linebacker Sean Lee could have made a difference, but given the way the line was carved up, maybe not.
While many reporters looked for someone to point a finger at after the game, Paterno spread the wealth.
“It was a team loss,” Paterno said. “... We just got licked.”
Licked again by an Iowa team that arguably isn’t as talented as Penn State. Licked again by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who is 7-1 against the Nittany Lions this decade, with four of those triumphs coming in the Lions’ den. With a loud white-out crowd, this one may have been the most impressive, yet, for the Hawkeyes, now 4-0.
The loss, coupled with their weak non-conference schedule, should end the Nittany Lions’ dreams of playing for a national title. It will certainly send their stock plummeting in the rankings.
Still, the players aren’t willing to give up the dream, but it was a solemn postgame Saturday.
“It stings a lot,” safety Drew Astorino said. “Our goal was a national championship. It still can be accomplished. We just have to finish out the season. Yeah, it stings a lot, but we have big games every single week.”
And if Saturday was any indication, they’ll have a lot to do to ace the next big test.