The injuries are of course an issue, but Iowa is if anything more banged-up than Penn State (there’s a rumor, denied by Kirk Ferentz, that all-Big Ten tackle Bryan Bulaga has been sidelined by an infected tattoo).
Ferentz has been weird this week. He keeps categorizing his team as a work-in-progress, almost as if it can’t really be expected to be up to something like this yet. He denied the Penn State media routine interviews with his players. His explanation: “It’s just a mood I’m in right now.” The Hawkeyes and their coach, if you believe in reading between quote lines, seem a bit… what’s the word… Disheveled? Ferhoonseled? Wound too tight?…
Penn State has more really good, experienced players- Daryll Clark, Jared Odrick, Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman…. But Lee’s hurt. Bowman’s coming off being hurt. Odrick, good as he is, doesn’t have a role from which he can easily headline.
So this is Clark’s night. As good as he’s been, as a player and leader, he’s never had that quarterback moment, in a close, tough game, where he has to do something to push his team over the top.
Penn State just isn’t good enough right now, especially up front offensively, to beat a good team decisively. It should be a physical, defensive tug of war. It’ll be close, and it’ll come down to the end, and Clark will have to make something happen. I’m guessing he will.
Penn State 17, Iowa 16.
Just FYI: Last year’s prediction in this game was Iowa 17, Penn State 16.
