Penn State football (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) fell to Iowa (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) 25-24 at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night.

Ethan Grunkemeyer and Terry Smith fought out a gritty, passionate game despite being thrust into new roles less than a week ago. Elliot Washington II’s blocked field goal touchdown return instilled belief in the Nittany Lions going into halftime, but the Hawkeyes stole the game down the stretch with a clutch fourth-down stop on a Grunkemeyer pass to Trebor Peña. Penn State dropped its fourth consecutive game and first without James Franklin at the helm since 2013.

How It Happened

Penn State’s defense immediately pounced on the Hawkeyes on their third play from scrimmage with a Zakee Wheatley one-handed interception. Ethan Grunkemeyer took the field at Iowa’s 35-yard line for his first drive as Penn State’s starting quarterback.

After Kaytron Allen rushed for no gain, Grunkemeyer hit Luke Reynolds for five yards to set up 3rd-and-5. Penn State tried with Allen once more, but the Hawkeyes stuffed him. The Nittany Lions kept their foot on the gas and elected to go for it on 4th-and-4. Grunkemeyer escaped pressure from a collapsed pocket and scrambled nine yards to move the chains.

Allen got the ball again and ran over a Hawkeye while getting seven yards. Grunkemeyer stepped out of the game for a breather. Jaxon Smolik picked up three on the ground.

Grunkemeyer took a shot at the end zone to Kyron Hudson on 1st-and-goal, but the attempt fell incomplete. Smolik checked in once more and tossed it to Peña down the right side, who pushed the ball up to the 1-yard line. Grunkemeyer faked a toss to Allen and targeted Andrew Rappleyea in the flat, but Iowa’s Max Llewellyn tipped the pass at the line. Allen failed to punch it in on fourth down, but an offsides penalty gave Penn State new life. He reached out for six on the next play.

Another week, another Fatman score pic.twitter.com/8gt8ciHVWZ

— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 18, 2025

Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski connected with wideout Kaden Wetjen for a 12-yard pickup on the first play of the Hawkeyes’ next drive. They quickly entered Penn State territory with four consecutive bursts from running back Kamari Moulton.

Wheatley rushed Gronowski on 1st-and-10 from the 25-yard line, almost taking him down before Gronowski threw the ball away. Gronowski overthrew an end zone shot to Vander Zee with A.J. Harris in coverage on 3rd-and-6 as Iowa settled for three points. Penn State defensive tackle went down with an injury and entered the medical tent following the play.

Cam Wallace muffed the kickoff return for Penn State, pitting the Nittany Lions at their own 10-yard line. Smolik started the drive under center, handing it off to Allen for an 8-yard gain on first down. Grunkemeyer checked back in on the next play.

Grunkemeyer and Smolik exchanged scrambles to no avail as the Iowa defense registered its first three-and-out of the night.

Wetjen returned Gabe Nwosu’s punt 42 yards to Penn State’s 35-yard line.

Gronowski overthrew a wide-open Sam Phillips sweeping across the field on first down after a false start penalty. He connected with Vander Zee on a contested catch with Harris all over him, but the Hawkeyes couldn’t get the first down. Drew Stevens trotted onto the field again, but he pushed it wide right as Penn State preserved its 7-3 lead. The Nittany Lions took over from their own 28-yard line.

Nick Singleton checked in for a two-yard rush to end the first quarter.

Grunkemeyer and Peña miscommunicated on second down. He threw the ball away on third down after getting antsy in the pocket, resulting in an intentional grounding call. Iowa fielded Nwosu’s punt at its own 34-yard line.

Yvan Kemajou wrapped up Wetjen for a 3-yard loss on the opening play of Iowa’s subsequent drive. The Hawkeyes tried a running back screen on third down, but Dejuan Lane crashed the party and tackled Xavier Williams well behind the sticks. Rhys Dakin booted the ball 54 yards. Devonte Ross fair caught it at Penn State’s own 10-yard line.

Grunkemeyer picked up a first down on 3rd-and-2 with a quick toss to Ross at the sideline. He continued with a 12-yard rifle to Peña. Freshman wide receiver Koby Howard registered his first catch of the season for a 14-yard gain to the 50-yard line.

On 3rd-and-3, Grunkemeyer faked a handoff to Singleton and pitched it to Allen up the middle for a 7-yard gain and a fresh set of downs at the Hawkeyes’ 36-yard line.

Grunkemeyer tried to squeeze the ball into Hudson down the sideline, but Iowa covered him well and forced the ball out of bounds. Penn State lost two yards on 2nd-and-10 with a screen to Allen. He sailed the ball way over Ross’ head on another miscommunicated route, which Iowa defensive back Deshaun Lee somehow picked off at the Hawkeyes’ own 4-yard line after review.

Williams got Iowa out of the deep end with a 10-yard pickup on a short pass. On 3rd-and-4, Gronowski scrambled out of the pocket and almost picked up the first down near midfield. He started the slide too early, forcing Iowa into a 4th-and-1 going into the two-minute warning. The Hawkeyes decided to punt.

Penn State immediately found itself in a 3rd-and-6 situation. Grunkemeyer targeted Reynolds over the middle, but it hit his helmet and flew into the air. Xavier Nwankpa picked the ball off and returned it to Penn State’s 1-yard line.

Gronowski snuck it in for the score as Iowa reclaimed the lead 10-7 with 1:14 remaining in the first half.

Iowa forced another three-and-out as Penn State’s offense stalled. Iowa’s pressure on Grunkemeyer was getting home.

Gronowski drew a late hit from Dom DeLuca for an extra 15 yards as Iowa tried to drive for a field goal attempt at the end of the half. Elliot Washington II almost picked Gronowski off on the near sideline as Stevens trotted on for a 66-yard field goal attempt. Penn State called a timeout to ice the kicker, but Stevens still snuck a practice shot in.

It didn’t matter in the end. Gilliam blocked the field goal. Washington scooped it up and took it back to the house for an easy score as time expired in the half. Penn State reclaimed the lead 14-10.

That's one way to end the half pic.twitter.com/LA39SfjJhB

— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 19, 2025

Grunkemeyer opened the second half with a deep shot attempt up the middle to Ross, but Zach Lutmer read it well to force the incompletion. Allen ripped a 30-yard rush up the middle on the next play, matching his total amount of yards from the first half.

Grunkemeyer connected with Ross in stride on a pivot route on 3rd-and-7 for a first down. Smolik and Singleton exchanged negative rushes before Grunkemeyer launched a shot at the end zone for Ross. Ross drew a pass interference call for a free first down and a trip to the red zone.

Allen picked up eight yards on a toss to the left. He pounded the ball twice more and rushed into the end zone from eight yards out on 1st-and-goal. Ryan Barker’s extra point extended Penn State’s lead to 11.

Make that TWO touchdowns for Kaytron!pic.twitter.com/1FiHQefcVT

— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 19, 2025

Gronowski ripped a 42-yard rush on 3rd-and-3 to set Iowa up at Penn State’s 29-yard line. Moulton dragged DeLuca and King Mack on an 11-yard rush to send the Hawkeyes to 1st-and-goal.

Gronowski faked a handoff to Moulton on 3rd-and-goal from the 4-yard line and tricked the entire Penn State defense. He waltzed into the end zone. Iowa tried to go for two, but Gronowski overthrew a pass to Zach Ortwerth out of the back of the end zone. Penn State led 21-16 with 4:23 left in the third quarter.

Grunkemeyer connected with Peña on 3th-and-3, but the Hawkeyes stopped him before the first down marker. Penn State elected to go for it at its own 40-yard line. Reynolds took a direct snap on 4th-and-1, but Iowa stuffed it for the turnover-on-downs.

Moulton unleashed a 21-yard burst on Iowa’s subsequent first down to close out the third frame.

Audavion Collins blew up the Iowa backfield for a 5-yard loss on 2nd-and-7. Gronowski rifled one over the middle to Hayden Large, but it wasn’t enough to pick up the first down after Wheatley got a firm stop. Stevens kicked the ball through the uprights to bring Iowa within two points at 21-19 with 13:17 left in the contest.

Allen picked up where he left off with a 6-yard rush up the middle that he almost broke free from for a big gain. Grunkemeyer tossed him a wayward pass on second down, setting up 3rd-and-4 for the Nittany Lions. Grunkemeyer stepped up in the pocket and tucked it for a gain of five yards and a first down.

Penn State continued to feed Allen before Smolik ran a quarterback keeper. Nwankpa throttled Smolik and forced a fumble, but Hudson fell back on the ball immediately. Grunkemeyer fumbled the snap on the very next play, but he also snatched the ball right back up.

Grunkemeyer found Rappleyea on a drag route for a solid 12-yard chunk on 3rd-and-11. Allen continued to do work and battle through tackles for positive gains down the field. Grunkemeyer shoveled a pass to Reynolds for seven yards as Penn State entered the red zone.

Singleton picked up another first down before Grunkemeyer took a shot to Peña in the end zone. The ball hit Peña in the chest, but he couldn’t reel it in for the score. Iowa wrapped up Allen on 2nd-and-goal from the 10-yard line. The Hawkeyes sent the house and sacked Grunkemeyer for a 4-yard loss. Barker converted for three points. Penn State led 24-19 with just under five minutes left.

Gronowski wiggled free for a 67-yard rush on the first play of Iowa’s next drive. Wetjen punched it in from eight yards out as Iowa took a 1-point lead. The Hawkeyes’ two-point attempt was no good.

Penn State immediately fed Allen, who picked up a first down on two rushes. Grunkemeyer clicked with Khalil Dinkins in the flat for another fresh set of downs going into the two-minute warning.

Iowa forced Penn State into a 3rd-and-5 from its own 48-yard line. The Hawkeyes stuffed Singleton as Penn State only mustered one yard. It called its first timeout of the game.

Iowa sent the dogs on 4th-and-4. Grunkemeyer bought himself some time and heaved it up to Peña, but the pass fell incomplete. The Hawkeyes took over at Penn State’s 49-yard line with 1:14 remaining in the game.

Gronowski picked up the game-sealing first down on a fake handoff for a 14-yard rush.

Takeaways

• Kaytron Allen was a man on a mission tonight. He easily had his best game of the season so far with 145 rushing yards on 28 attempts and two scores. Allen passed Curt Warner and is now the third-highest Penn State career rushing yards leader. It was also his 10th career 100-yard rushing game.
• Penn State finally switched it up and allowed some of its younger receivers to see the field. Freshman Koby Howard snagged his first catch of the season in the second quarter. Redshirt freshman Tyseer Denmark also got some action despite not registering a catch.
• The special teams unit once again provided the spark play for the Nittany Lions. Xavier Gilliam got his paw on Iowa’s 66-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half, which Elliot Washington II easily scooped up and returned to the house as time expired. That play was exactly what Penn State needed to truly believe, and Terry Smith said it represented the gritty vision he has for the team.
• Penn State’s defense dropped the ball once again, allowing the opposing quarterback run all over it. Iowa signal caller Mark Gronowski led the team with nine rushes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

What’s Next?

Penn State heads into its second and final bye week of the season before traveling to Columbus to take on Ohio State on November 1 at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff time and broadcast information are to be determined.