Win and get out of Kinnick

No more cheat codes for Penn State against Iowa.

Will it be a big win, or another cardiac episode under the lights of Kinnick Stadium? Predictions almost never come true when Penn State plays Iowa, so I'm just going with a nice comfy blowout. Everything on paper says Penn State should have little issue handling an anemic Iowa offense while having enough firepower to overcome a good Iowa defense. On paper.

Two years ago, on paper, Penn State was in a similar position, with the best two players in recent memory on offense. The Nittany Lions scored 15 points until the last play. And that's what will determine this week's game: Can Penn State score often and force Iowa to do the same? I think so.

If Penn State scores less than 28 points, I can't imagine this being a smooth ride. What I fear most is that PSU jumps out to a big lead like they did last week vs Purdue (which I actually came close on the score prediction!), then get shut down the rest of the way. Iowa lives for those moments. The Hawkeyes let you feel good about how things are going, then slowly, methodically carve your heart out with a spoon.

For all the talk about how Penn State hasn't played anybody yet, here's the chance to show what this team is capable of. Beating bad or mediocre teams by respectable margins is what a good team does, but it could end up just being a paper tiger when it plays a night game in Kinnick.

The pick: Penn State 29, Iowa 13