Penn St. Nittany Lions (3-3; 0-3 Big Ten) vs Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2; 2-1 Big Ten)
7:00 p.m. ET, October 11—Peacock
Kinnick Stadium (Capacity: 69,250 / Iowa City, IA)
| Penn State | Value (Nat’l Rank) | Value (Nat’l Rank) | Iowa | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing Offense (ypg) | 169.0 (52) | 79.0 (5) | Rushing Defense (ypg) |  |
| Passing Offense (ypg) | 200.8 (94) | 167.7 (22) | Passing Defense (ypg) | |
| Pass Efficiency | 138.78 (65) | 112.39 (22) | Pass Efficiency Defense | |
| Total Offense (ypg) | 369.8 (78) | 246.7 (7) | Total Defense (ypg) | |
| Scoring Offense (ppg) | 35.7 (T – 32) | 13.0 (7) | Scoring Defense (ppg) | Push |
| Rushing Defense (ypg) | 144.3 (70) | 184.0 (42) | Rushing Offense (ypg) | |
| Passing Defense (ypg) | 157.8 (15) | 142.0 (128) | Passing Offense (ypg) |  |
| Pass Efficiency Defense | 119.38 (41) | 114.32 (123) | Pass Efficiency | |
| Total Defense (ypg) | 302.2 (22) | 326.0 (112) | Total Offense (ypg) | |
| Scoring Defense (ppg) | 18.5 (T – 27) | 30.7 (T – 53) | Scoring Offense (ppg) | |
| Punt Return Defense (ypr) | 5.2 (42) | 27.67 (2) | Punt Return Yds | |
| Punt Return Yds | 6.54 (97) | 13.33 (110) | Punt Return Defense (ypr) | Push |
| Net Punting Yds | 42.21 (25) | 37.42 (106) | Net Punting Yds | |
| Kickoff Return Yds | 25.25 (24) | 13.5 (9) | Kickoff Return Defense | Push |
| Kickoff Return Defense | 19.67 (T – 68) | 28.0 (10) | Kickoff Return Yds | |
| Turnover Margin | +.5 (T – 41) | +0.17 (T – 56) | Turnover Margin | Push |
| Passes Had Intercepted | 3 (T – 26) | 4 (T – 61) | Passes Intercepted | |
| Passes Intercepted | 4 (T – 61) | 4 (T – 49) | Passes Had Intercepted | Push |
| Penalty Yds/Game | 34.0 (9) | 21.33 (1) | Penalty Yds/Game | Push |
| Sacks | 2.33 (T – 46) | 1.5 (T – 47) | Sacks Allowed | Push |
| Sacks Allowed | 1.0 (T – 16) | 2.0 (T – 72) | Sacks | |
| Tackles for Loss (tpg) | 6.8 (T – 22) | 4.33 (T – 28) | Tackles for Loss Allowed (tpg) | Push |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed (tpg) | 3.5 (10) | 5.0 (T – 88) | Tackles for Loss (tpg) | |
| Redzone Offense (%) | 88.9% (T – 53) | 75.0% (21) | Redzone Defense (%) | |
| Redzone Defense (%) | 80.0% (T – 37) | 92.6% (T – 31) | Redzone Offense (%) | Push |
| Redzone TD % | 66.67% | 66.67% | Redzone TD % Defense | Push |
| Redzone TD % Defense | 55.0% | 66.67% | Redzone TD % | Push |
| 3rd Down Conv. % | 42.3% (52) | 35.1% (T – 49) | 3rd Down Defense % | Push |
| 3rd Down Defense % | 40.2% (T – 84) | 47.6% (26) | 3rd Down Conv. % | |
| 4th Down Conv. % | 62.5% (T – 48) | 11.1% (1) | 4th Down Defense % | |
| 4th Down Defense % | 61.1% (T – 97) | 66.7% (T – 29) | 4th Down Conv. % | |
| 1st Downs | 122 (T – 77) | 81 (7) | 1st Downs Allowed | |
| 1st Downs Allowed | 103 (T – 27) | 115 (T – 97) | 1st Downs | |
| Time of Possession | 26 (127) | 32 (24) | Time of Possession | |
| Strength of Schedule | 91 | 51 | Strength of Schedule | |
| Difference | > 25 | in | National Rank | |
| Difference | > 50 | in | National Rank | |
| Difference | > 75 | in | National Rank | |
| Difference | > 100 | in | National Rank | |
Note:
All of the above rankings are taken directly from the NCAA except for strength of schedule, which is taken from Power Rankings.
The Redzone TD% and Redzone TD% Defense are calculated by me and not
ranked by the NCAA. Determining who has the advantage in these categories is strictly my arbitrary judgment.
Quick thoughts:
Every year, these stats tend to get a little bit worse as the year goes on and the competition gets stiffer. This year, they’ve gotten worse amidst decidedly not stiff competition these last two weeks. These numbers are, quite simply, rough, and I’m sure no one who pays any attention at all to college football is surprised.
I guess we’ll see if the team continues to implode now that we’re under interim management, or if they’ll be able to right the ship at all. This week, at Iowa under the lights, doesn’t make things any easier. The one shocking thing about these numbers is, to me, the fact that Penn State has significantly better punting this year than the Hawkeyes (and that the new platform autocorrected the word “punting” to be capitalized) – that feels ominous to me.
More behind some of these stats:
- Both Penn State and Iowa have been in the red zone 27 times through 6 games on offense; the Nittany Lions have scored 24 of those times, and the Hawkeyes have scored 25 times.
- Of those 24 times, both teams have scored 18 touchdowns (PSU has 6 field goals to UI’s 7)
- On defense, Penn State has allowed 20 red zone trips, and scores on 16 of them; Iowa has allowed just 12 red zone trips, and 9 scores
- The Nittany Lion defense has allowed 11 touchdowns in the red zone (and 5 field goals), while the Hawkeye defense has allowed 8 touchdowns to just 1 field goal
- On fourth downs, PSU has attempted conversions 16 times and converted on 10 of those tries; UI has gone for it on fourth down just 9 times, and converted 6 tries
- On defense, the Nittany Lions have allowed 11 conversions on the 18 fourth down attempts they’ve faced, while the Hawkeyes have only allowed 1 conversion on the 9 fourth down attempts they’ve seen (by far the best rate in the country)
- Penn State has returned 13 punts and allowed only 5 punt returns on 26 punts; Iowa has returned 12 punts and allowed just three punt return attempts on 19 punts
- PSU has returned 8 kickoffs, while UI has returned 10
- the Nittany Lions have had 25 touchbacks and allowed 9 kickoff returns, while the Hawkeyes have had 24 touchbacks and allowed 6 kickoff returns
What say you all?
