Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa’s coach since 1999, but arguably the best win of his coaching career took place on Saturday night vs. Penn State.

Ferentz’s Hawkeyes pulled off a 23-20 victory over the Nittany Lions and could be as high as No. 2 in the next edition of the AP Poll. It’s no mystery why Ferentz is still an effective head coach even after all these years in Iowa City.

Star running back Tyler Goodson commented on Ferentz’s impact on Saturday night after the win.

“He does tend to get emotional and I love that about him,” Goodson said when asked about Ferentz. “It shows that he cares about not just winning, he cares about us. He cares about this team and the guys he brought to come play here. It’s a great feeling to see and know, and me knowing that I have a coach who cares about us, it makes me want to go to war for him”

Goodson carried the ball 25 times for 88 yards on Saturday against the Nittany Lions. But it was Iowa’s defense that made the biggest impact, picking off Penn State four times in the 23-20 win.

Iowa is now 6-0 and has a commanding lead on the rest of the Big Ten West. The Hawkeyes host Purdue in Week 7.