Even after a change at the top, it was the same result for Penn State. Playing their first game since James Franklin’s firing, the Nittany Lions looked inspired for three quarters under interim coach Terry Smith. That is, until the same issues resurfaced. A late defensive breakdown and another round of offensive stagnation turned a winnable game into a gut-wrenching 25–24 loss to Iowa at Beaver Stadium.

A familiar finish for the struggling Nittany Lions

It was Penn State’s fourth straight defeat, tying the longest losing streak ever by a team that opened the season ranked in the AP Top 2. The last program to suffer that fate was 1961 Iowa, an eerie parallel that now feels more fitting than ever.

Penn State led 24–19 with under five minutes to play after Ryan Barker’s 32-yard field goal, a kick that seemed to steady the team after a turbulent week. But the next two plays erased it all. Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski (who had already torched the Lions on the ground) broke loose for a 67-yard run on the first play of the ensuing drive. One snap later, receiver Kaden Wetjen powered in from eight yards out to give Iowa the lead for good.

Smith’s defense, already gashed for 245 rushing yards, had no response. Iowa blitzed quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer on Penn State’s final possession, forcing an incomplete pass on fourth down. Gronowski then iced it with a 14-yard scramble that let the Hawkeyes run out the clock.

Gronowski finished with a career-high 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His poise and mobility defined the night.

Allen’s effort wasted

For three quarters, Kaytron Allen did everything possible to drag the offense forward. The sophomore back bulldozed his way to 145 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, accounting for nearly all of Penn State’s ground production. His second score, an eight-yard run early in the third quarter, pushed the lead to 21–10 and seemed to mark a turning point.

But with the passing game sputtering, that cushion vanished. Freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer completed just 15 of 28 passes for 93 yards and two interceptions. One of those picks, to Iowa safety Xavier Nwankpa, was returned to the one-yard line and set up an easy Hawkeye touchdown. Another promising drive ended on a misread out route that stalled the offense again.

“I’m super proud of those guys and the way they played,” Smith said after the game. “We just have to clean it up so that we can finish games.”

The Lions are still searching for their identity

Smith’s debut carried emotional weight, but the on-field product looked eerily similar to the final weeks of the Franklin era: untimely turnovers, a faltering passing attack, and a defense unable to close out in crunch time. Despite outgaining Iowa through the air, Penn State was outmuscled at the line of scrimmage, averaging just 3.6 yards per play to Iowa’s 6.4.

The blocked field goal before halftime, returned by Elliot Washington II for a touchdown, was the lone spark that kept Penn State ahead early. But momentum, like the season, slipped away just as quickly.

“I think we gave everything we had,” Smith said. “There was no one that didn’t give great effort. We just have to execute.”

The word “execute” has become a tired refrain for Penn State. For all the change this week promised, the problems look deeply rooted: a young quarterback still learning, an offensive identity in limbo, and a defense that can’t withstand adversity when the game tightens.

For a program that began the year with playoff aspirations, Saturday’s collapse confirmed Lions’ fans worst fears: leadership may have changed, but the results remain the same.

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