What a difference a year makes
Penn State travels to Iowa this weekend in what could prove to be a heckuva matchup, and it only seems fitting to look back and marvel at how far the program has come since last season.
Heading into Saturday’s showdown between the third and fourth-ranked teams in the nation, the Nittany Lions stand at 5-0 (2-0 Big Ten). One of those conference wins was a nailbiter with Wisconsin, and State also handled FCS powerhouse Villanova, but let's not forget the thriller with Auburn and comfortable wins against Ball State and Indiana.
To put it into perspective, heading into its matchup against Iowa in last year's crazy, COVID impacted season, Penn State was 0-4. State dropped that game too, getting off to the worst start in the program’s history before winning out to finish 4-5.
Obviously, much can be made of COVID’s influence — the truncated schedule, the lack of fans — Penn State faced its share of adversity.
Micah Parsons opted out of the 2020 season. Journey Brown was forced to quit playing due to a medical condition, and Noah Cain was lost early to a leg injury.
Much was expected of Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Kirk Ciarrocca, but he never seemed to click with highly-rated Sean Clifford, and indeed, Clifford found himself benched in favor of Will Levis at one point.
Since then, Ciarrocca was replaced by Mike Yurcich and Levis transferred to Kentucky. Parsons turned pro, as did highly-touted tight end Pat Freiermuth. But, with Cain back, and Clifford’s relationship with receiver Jahan Dotson continuing to gel, Penn State has not been looking back. Yurcich has built an offense that suits Clifford, and Brent Pry’s defense has been firing on all cylinders, as well.
While many see SEC dominance come playoff time once again, is it possible that this is the year the Big Ten and Penn State upset the apple cart?
Obviously, there is a long way to go before we get to find out. Even if State gets by Iowa, it has to get Ohio State and Michigan (not to mention the Nittany Lions are always capable of playing down to opponents or coming up short at a key moment). It is entirely possible (probable?) the Big Ten beats itself up and out of contention for a place in the championship.
Still, after the craziness of last season, it is hard not to get a little excited about the possibilities for Penn State as it heads to Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The oddsmakers make undefeated Iowa a slim favorite, but it is not hard to see State coming out of this on the good side of the scoreboard.
It might just be time for some cautious optimism. What a difference a year makes.