Penn State loses interim’s debut, 0-4 in Big Ten

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Even after a change at the top, it was the same result for Penn State, which suffered its fourth straight loss Saturday.

After firing James Franklin earlier in the week, the Nittany Lions, playing their first game under interim coach Terry Smith, blew a fourth-quarter lead against Iowa to lose 25-24 and fall to 3-4 this season — and 0-4 in the Big Ten.

And a visit to No. 1 Ohio State is next on the schedule, after a bye week.

Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski rushed for a career-high 130 yards and two touchdowns, and Kaden Wetjen scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 8-yard run with 3:54 remaining in the game for the Hawkeyes (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten).

The Nittany Lions’ four-game losing streak is tied for the longest in AP poll history by a team that was ranked top 2 in the first poll of the season. The previous team to do it was 1961 Iowa, which was AP No. 1 in the preseason and started 4-0 before losing four in a row.

«I think we gave everything we had,» Smith said. «There was no one that didn’t give great effort. We just have to execute.»

Iowa trailed 24-19 with 4:56 to play Saturday after Penn State’s Ryan Barker kicked a 32-yard field goal, but Gronowski ran 67 yards on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, setting up Wetjen’s run one play later. Gronowski missed on the 2-point conversion pass, giving the Nittany Lions a chance to take the lead.

Iowa’s defense then stopped Penn State near midfield, blitzing quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer on fourth down at the Penn State 49 and forcing an incomplete pass.

Gronowski then clinched the win with a 14-yard run on third down that allowed the Hawkeyes to run out the clock.

Gronowski had a 1-yard touchdown run late in the first half, then added a 4-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that got the Hawkeyes to within 21-16.

Kaytron Allen rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns for Penn State.

The Nittany Lions led 14-10 at halftime after Iowa kicker Drew Stevens had his 66-yard field goal attempt with six seconds left blocked by Xavier Gilliam. Elliot Washington II picked up the loose ball and ran 35 yards for the touchdown.

Grunkemeyer struggled at times, throwing two interceptions, one to Xavier Nwankpa that he returned to the Penn State 1-yard line, setting up Gronowski’s first touchdown.

«I’m super proud of those guys and the way they played,» Smith said. «We just have to clean it up so that we can finish games.»

Penn State last lost four games in a row during the 2020 season, which it started 0-5. It is the fourth 0-4 start in the Big Ten for the Nittany Lions since joining the conference in 1993.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.