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Penn State off to worst start in program history

Spenser Davis

By Spenser Davis

Published:

This isn’t the kind of history Penn State was hoping to make this season.

The Nittany Lions fell 41-21 to Iowa on Saturday afternoon, sealing their fate as the first 0-5 Penn State team in program history.

For context, this is Penn State’s 134th football season.

Coach James Franklin made a late adjustment down 31-7 in the third quarter by putting Sean Clifford at quarterback. It worked, briefly — Clifford threw touchdown passes on his first two attempts of the game.

But he also turned it over with less than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Then, he threw another one to defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon with just over two minutes to go.

Iowa’s win snapped Penn State’s streak of six straight victories over the Hawkeyes in this series. This was also Iowa’s first win at State College since 2009.

Penn State hadn’t gone even 0-4 since 2001. That team rallied to win five of its next six games.

This loss to Iowa also means Penn State will have a losing season for the first time since 2005. James Franklin is now 56-28 as Penn State’s head coach.

The Nittany Lions play at Michigan next week.

 

Spenser Davis

Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.