Imperfect Penn State falls to lowa
BY LUKE MEREDITH
AP SPORTS WRfTER
lOWA CITY, lowa (AP) _ Penn
State can't blame the BCS for
this.
The Nittany Lions perfect
season and hopes for giving
coach Joe Paterno another
national title were dashed by
lowa's backup kicker.
Daniel Murray, who hadn't
made a field goal since the season
opener, hit a 31-yarder with a
second left and the Hawkeyes
rallied to stun the third-ranked
Nittany Lions 24-23.
All that talk about an unbeaten
Penn State possibly being left
out of the BCS national title
game turned out to be premature.
A third championship for the
81-year-old Patemo, who's had
four unbeaten teams not win
titles, is a long shot now.
Shonn Greene rushed for 117
yards and two touchdowns,
and Ricky Stanzi bounced back
from an interception and a
fumble to lead the Hawkeyes (6-
4, 3-3 Big Ten) on their game
winning drive, which came after
Daryll Clark threw just his third
interception of the season.
Murray had lost the regular
field-goal duties to freshman
Photo by STEVE MANUEL/ Gopsusports.cstv.com
Stephfon Green (21) looks to find a hole in the lowa defense.
Trent Mossbrucker and was
relegated to kickoffs. But with
the winds swirling and strong,
coach Kirk Ferentz opted for
experience and Murray's strong
leg.
He drilled it down the middle,
sending lowa's freezing fans
spilling onto the field.
"I've always dreamed about
it," said Murray, who grew up
in lowa City. "I kept hoping and
hoping I'd get my chance."
The Nittany Lions were third
behind Alabama and Texas Tech
in the last Bowl Championship
Series standings, jumped by
the Red Raiders after they beat
then-No. 1 Texas.
Penn State won't have to worry
about being stuck behind the
Tide and Raiders anymore. The
Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl
berth are the Nittany Lions'
goals now.
"We need to keep our heads
up. We can still have a heck of
a year," said Patemo, who again
coached from the press box and
got around with a cane because
of a sore leg and hip.
lowa was down 23-14 heading
into the fourth quarter. But
Greene scored his second TD,
from 6 yards out, to make it 23-
21 with 9:20 left.
On the next possession, Penn
State looked as if it got a break,
when lowa was called for a
roughing the punter penalty that
had the Hawkeyes seething. The
Nittany Lions kept the ball and
continued its time-consuming
march.
But Clark made an errant throw
down the middle that was picked
off by Tyler Sash, who returned
to lowa's 29 with 3:46 left. lowa
then caught another break when
Penn State was flagged for pass
interference on third down,
getting the Hawkeyes near
midfield with a first down.
Stanzi, who was 15-of-25
passing for 171 yards, hit Derrell
Johnson-Koulianos at the Penn
State 15 with 18 seconds left to
set up Murray's kick.
"I want to apologize to the
whole Penn State nation for my
game play today," Clark said. "I
just keep having that turnover
recurring in my head over and
over. I can't get it out of my
mind."
This was the biggest win for
lowa in years, its first against a
top-five team since 1990. The
Hawkeyes suffered through
Please see lOWA
on page 19
No. 7 Penn State pulls
away for win over Indiana
Daryll Clark throws a pass.
By GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sport's WRnat
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) _
A sluggish start on a dreary day
clouded up No. 7 Penn State's
dreams of the Rose Bowl for a
half.
Nothing that Daryll Clark or a
stifling defense couldn't shake
off, though.
Derrick Williams ran for one score
and caught a touchdown pass,
Clark threw for 240 yards and two
scores in an uneven outing, and
the defense held Indiana to six
first downs in the Nittany Lions'
34-7 victory Saturday.
Beat No. 15 Michigan State next
week at home and the Nittany
Lions (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) can
lock up a trip to Pasadena a
nice consolation prize after seeing
their hopes for a national title take
a serious blow with the loss Nov.
8 at lowa.
"I told the whole football team
... just go out there and have some
fun, relax," coach Joe Paterno
said.
As if next week wasn't important
enough, the 81-year Paterno
revealed after the game that he
may need hip replacement surgery
after the regular season. JoePa
spent the afternoon in the press
box again because a sore hip and
right leg make it to difficult for
him to pace the sideline.
"I wish we could talk about my
football team instead of my leg,"
said Paterno, who notched his
382nd career win.
The six Indiana first downs were
the fewest ever allowed by Penn
State against a Big Ten opponent.
The Hoosiers managed just 180
yards on the afternoon, and could
muster just 36 yards and one first
down after halftime.
Heavy underdogs coming into
Beaver Stadium, Indiana (3-8,
1-6 Big Ten) trailed just 10-7 at
halftime in large part because
of miscues by Penn State. One
drive ended after Clark fumbled
at the Indiana 1, while Kevin
Kelly missed a 40-yard field goal
attempt to foil another effort.
Momentum swung after halftime
to the home team.
Tailback Evan Royster bounced
off three Indiana tacklers like a
pinball on a 19-yard touchdown
run to put Penn State up 17-7.
Royster finished with 63 yards on
12 carries.
The defense then pinned Indiana
deep on the next drive with a three
and-out. Kelly kicked a 36-yard
field goal to extend the lead to 13
Please see INDIANA
on page 19