Penn State Tumbles, Big Ten Race Is Still Jumbled

Maybe Penn State Coach Joe Paterno needs a new halftime speech.

His 10th-ranked team was sluggish in the second half--again--and against Iowa’s stingy second-half defense, it cost the Nittany Lions dearly. The Hawkeyes (5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten) shut out and shut down Penn State (6-2, 2-2) after halftime for a 21-20 upset in rainy conditions Saturday.

Iowa, which has given up only three fourth-quarter points all season, gave up four first downs and 76 total yards in the second half. This season, Penn State has scored only 58 of its 219 points in the second half.

Paterno, whose team led, 20-14, at halftime, said he couldn’t explain the late-game breakdowns.

“That’s about the third time that’s happened to us,” Paterno said. “I thought our defense played a great 60 minutes, but obviously our offense did not have it in the second half for whatever reason.”

Matt Hughes and Damien Robinson each had 14 tackles for Iowa, which beat Penn State for the first time since 1983.

Offensively, the Hawkeyes were led by Tavian Banks, who was starting for injured Sedric Shaw. Banks ran 26 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns--including the game-winner with 12:39 to play.

Tim Dwight returned a first-quarter punt 83 yards for a touchdown and he set up Banks’ five-yard scoring run in the second quarter with a 65-yard reception.

“What a happy group of young men,” said Iowa Coach Hayden Fry, whose squad did the hokey pokey in the locker room in celebration. “We showed lots of heart, a lot of character and our defense in the second half was just super.”

Robinson said the punt return sparked the team.

“That started off the whole thing,” he said. “I haven’t hokey-pokeyed like that in a long time. We can’t celebrate too long because next week it’s Ohio State.”