IOWA CITY, Iowa – Junior Nico Ragaini’s 44-yard touchdown reception with 6:26 remaining propelled the third-ranked University of Iowa football team to a 23-20 victory over No. 4 Penn State in front of a sold out, Black and Gold striped Kinnick Stadium.
In the most anticipated game in Iowa City in 36 years, the opportunistic Hawkeyes made a statement to move to 6-0 with three victories over nationally ranked foes. Iowa trailed 17-3 early in the second quarter and 17-10 at the half; Iowa outscored the Nittany Lions, 13-3, in the second half and 10-0 in the fourth quarter.
“The biggest games in Iowa history, the crowds rush the field,” said junior quarterback Spencer Petras. “It was awesome they were down there with us. It was a lot of fun.”
On the go-ahead score, Iowa took over in Nittany Lion territory with 6:35 to play. On the first play, Petras rolled out to his right and found Ragaini wide open along the Iowa sideline for the score to put the Hawkeyes on top.
“That was a heck of a route by Nico,” said Petras. “It was important they didn’t blitz. When he was wide open, I just had to make the throw.”
Iowa’s defense was nails, forcing Penn State into four interceptions in the game, but the biggest play was a second hit by linebacker Jack Campbell that showed up as a quarterback hurry in the box score. The hit knocked Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford out of the game.
Penn State had 221 yard and scored 17 points with Clifford under center in the first quarter and a half; the Nittany Lions had 66 yards the rest of the way. Iowa’s defense limited Penn State to 287 total yards.
Campbell finished with nine tackles (seven solo) and the aforementioned quarterback hurry, while Jack Koerner and Logan Lee had seven tackles apiece. Sophomore Jestin Jacobs, senior Matt Hankins, senior Riley Moss and Koerner each had interceptions, giving the Hawkeyes 10 in the last two games.
Offensively, Iowa gained 305 yards of total offense. Petras finished 17-of-31 for 195 yards and two touchdowns, including the 44-yarder to Ragaini that gave Iowa the lead. Ragaini had four catches for a team-high 73 yards in the game.
Junior Tyler Goodson finished with 88 yards on 25 attempts to lead a rushing attack that had 110 tough yards.
If Campbell was the game’s MVP for his bone-crushing hit, sophomore Tory Taylor shared the honor. The Hawkeye punter was crucial in the field position game, punting nine times for a 44.2 average with six of his nine kicks pinning the Nittany Lions inside the 20.
The Hawkeyes host Purdue on Saturday, Oct. 16 at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa’s Homecoming contest begins at 2:30 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised on ABC.
