James Franklin highlights historic win over Iowa

The weather left a little to be desired for a late September evening, but that was about the only thing that didn’t work in the favor of Penn State football last night. The Nittany Lions looked absolutely dominant, controlling the contest from start to finish in a 31-0 rout of No. 24 Iowa in front of a White Out crowd. If you walked away last night feeling like the game was one of the most dominant wins of the James Franklin era in Happy Valley, you may be right. After the victory, Franklin highlighted some key stats that made it a historic night for the Penn State football program.

James Franklin highlights historic win for Penn State football

Iowa was able to move the ball on the opening series of the game, but that’s about all the Hawkeyes could muster on what was a dominant evening for Penn State football. Last night could have easily turned into a sloppy slugfest. But the Nittany Lions rose to the occasion to have their most complete game of the season in front of a primetime White Out crowd.

Penn State’s first win over a ranked opponent this season was not just massive for the Big Ten title hunt and College Football Playoff picture. The victory was one of the most dominant games in school history. Following the game, James Franklin explained why Saturday was a historic night for Penn State football.

“…We only allowed 76 yards in the entire game. That’s the 10th fewest in school history,” Franklin said during postgame media availability. “Iowa only had four first downs in the entire game, [that was the] fourth fewest allowed in Penn State history as well. [The] offense had four scoring drives of 10-plus plays, which also went hand-in-hand with a possession time of 45 minutes and 27 seconds, which I’ve never seen before. We’ve scored 30 or more points 11 times in a row now — that leads the nation. Nittany Lions have also scored in 28 straight quarters; that’s the longest streak in the country. So, just a ton of stuff to be proud of.”

White Out crowd also makes history against Iowa

While James Franklin has to feel good about the dominant win and where his team stands heading into the thick of Big Ten play, Penn State football fans also have something to be proud of.

Last night’s White Out game attendance was announced as 110,830, the second largest in Beaver Stadium history. The attendance just barely missed the record of 110, 889, which was set against Ohio State in 2018.

“I want to thank the fans,” Franklin said after the game. “We had a great crowd; 110,800 — second-largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history. That was awesome.”

The BEST Environment in College Football! THANK YOU Nittany Nation! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/j4TlCJd5NU

— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) September 24, 2023

“We’ve got the best fans in the country,” Penn State star WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith later added. “We appreciate them coming out each and every week. You know, being dedicated; it was raining out there, and it was still stands packed. It was a great environment, which was a big reason why I came to Penn State — to play in games like this in front of crowds like that.”

Penn State football hits the road again Saturday to take on Northwestern in Evanston.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!