Mehser
October 24th, 2004, 12:14:26 AM
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> had so much confidence in its defense, the Hawkeyes gave Penn State two points. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
The Hawkeyes (No. 25 AP) held <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>'s offense scoreless, making Kyle Schlicher's two first-half field goals stand up for a 6-4 victory on Saturday.
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<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> handed the Nittany Lions their final points, conceding a safety instead of punting from its own end zone late in the fourth quarter. The strategy worked perfectly when the Hawkeyes intercepted <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> for the fourth time.
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"It was a pretty obvious decision," <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Typically, if you punt off your own 1-yard line, it's almost a guaranteed three for the other team. And this type of game, I sure as heck didn't want to give them three easy ones. Just take the safety and ride our defense."
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The Hawkeyes (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) went up 3-2 when Schlicher kicked a 27-yarder late in the first quarter to cap a 15-play drive. Sean Considine intercepted a pass by Zack Mills in the second quarter and returned it 53 yards to set up Schlicher's second field goal, also a 27-yarder, that made it 6-2 going into halftime.
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"I knew that two field goals wasn't going to be enough," Schlicher said. "I was actually surprised that it was."
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<st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> had just three first downs in the second half, all of them late in the fourth quarter, and one was the result of a <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> penalty.
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But despite the Hawkeyes' offensive shortcomings, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>'s offense was even worse. Twice in the second half, the Nittany Lions (2-5, 0-4) had a first down inside the <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> 10, but failed to score -- Robbie Gould missed 25-yard field goal wide left in the third quarter, and Antwan Allen intercepted a pass by Michael Robinson pass on the 1 in the fourth.
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"I don't know whether we could play much poorer than we did today," <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> coach Joe Paterno said. "I mean, I think <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State>'s a pretty good defensive football team, but we just didn't play very well at all offensively." <o:p></o:p>
More..............
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242970213
The Hawkeyes (No. 25 AP) held <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>'s offense scoreless, making Kyle Schlicher's two first-half field goals stand up for a 6-4 victory on Saturday.
<o:p></o:p>
<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> handed the Nittany Lions their final points, conceding a safety instead of punting from its own end zone late in the fourth quarter. The strategy worked perfectly when the Hawkeyes intercepted <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> for the fourth time.
<o:p></o:p>
"It was a pretty obvious decision," <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Typically, if you punt off your own 1-yard line, it's almost a guaranteed three for the other team. And this type of game, I sure as heck didn't want to give them three easy ones. Just take the safety and ride our defense."
<o:p></o:p>
The Hawkeyes (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) went up 3-2 when Schlicher kicked a 27-yarder late in the first quarter to cap a 15-play drive. Sean Considine intercepted a pass by Zack Mills in the second quarter and returned it 53 yards to set up Schlicher's second field goal, also a 27-yarder, that made it 6-2 going into halftime.
<o:p></o:p>
"I knew that two field goals wasn't going to be enough," Schlicher said. "I was actually surprised that it was."
<o:p></o:p>
<st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> had just three first downs in the second half, all of them late in the fourth quarter, and one was the result of a <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> penalty.
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But despite the Hawkeyes' offensive shortcomings, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>'s offense was even worse. Twice in the second half, the Nittany Lions (2-5, 0-4) had a first down inside the <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State> 10, but failed to score -- Robbie Gould missed 25-yard field goal wide left in the third quarter, and Antwan Allen intercepted a pass by Michael Robinson pass on the 1 in the fourth.
<o:p></o:p>
"I don't know whether we could play much poorer than we did today," <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> coach Joe Paterno said. "I mean, I think <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:State>'s a pretty good defensive football team, but we just didn't play very well at all offensively." <o:p></o:p>
More..............
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242970213