ALTOONA, Pa. -- Welcome to our weekly roundup of predictions from members of the Penn State beat. These are some of the best sports journalists in the state, and most have covered the Nittany Lions for many years.
No. 4 Penn State plays at No. 3 Iowa in a 4 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes are favored by 2 points.
Many thanks to all members of the beat who are taking part in our weekly predictions.
We have 14 pickers this week, with 10 taking Penn State and only four going with Iowa. All but a few have it very close.
Frank Bodani, York Daily Record: Penn State 23-14. Sean Clifford plays it clean, but the real story is Jordan Stout and the defense. Iowa forced to do what it doesn't like -- drive a long field.
Donnie Collins, Scranton Times-Tribune: Penn State 20-16. Really went back and forth on this all week, then watched the Iowa-Colorado State game and came away thinking Penn State actually should win if it protects the ball well. If they turn it over a few times and can't force any, nothing good happens, though.
Cory Giger, DK Pittsburgh Sports: Iowa 26-23. Penn State's running game is still a major concern for me, and I just can't pick the Lions on the road against this good of a defense if they can't run the ball. I go into great detail here with 5 reasons why I'm picking the Hawkeyes.
Mike Gross, Lancaster Online: Penn State 23-13. I went into the week expecting to favor Iowa, but I didn't realize how bad their offense has been. Turnovers could flip it, of course.
Elton Hayes, CNHI Pennsylvania: Penn State 27-24. Nittany Lions find their ground game and limit Iowa's chances at turnovers.
Ben Jones, StateCollege.com: Penn State 24-10. Iowa isn't as good as advertised, Penn State has the better quarterback, best player on the field in Dotson, better OC and a defense that doesn't need turnovers to play well.
Andrew Kalista, Fox 43: Penn State 20-17. Last short field from a turnover wins.
Joe Juliano, Philadelphia Inquirer: Iowa 20-17. An old-style rock 'em-sock 'em contest that the Hawkeyes win with one more takeaway than the Nittany Lions.
Kevin McGuire, Nittany Lions Wire: Iowa 20-17. This is a gut instinct pick. I think Penn State is clearly the better team on offense, especially at QB. But this is just one of those tense games down to the wire, and Penn State finally cracks in a rough spot.
Jarrod Prugar, DK Pittsburgh Sports: Penn State 23-20. Clifford keeps Penn State in the game with his decision making and forces the Iowa offense to make plays with a longer field.
Neil Rudel, Altoona Mirror: Iowa 24-19. Hawkeyes were up 31-7 last year, and now they're at home.
Jon Sauber, Centre Daily Times: Penn State 17-13. Iowa's offense isn't good enough to get anything going against the Penn State defense.
Rich Scarcella, Reading Eagle: Penn State 20-18. Lions take care of the football. Look for tight ends to be active. Game will come down to final minutes as it has on Lions' last two trips to Iowa City.
Mark Wogenrich, Sports Illustrated: Penn State 26-23. First to the fourth field goal wins.
