Five reasons for concern for Penn State against Iowa

As the new era of Penn State football dawns on its fanbase, people may start to wonder where wins, if any, will come from. The first game of the Terry Smith/Ethan Grunkemeyerera being on the road at Kinnick Stadium against the Iowa Hawkeyes suggests that it may not be now. Despite all of the foibles of the Iowa offense, this could still be a competitive game due to Iowa's top-notch defense going against Grunkemeyer as a first time starter. Add in the fact that Kirk Ferentz is one of the winningest head coaches in college football and this will almost certainly be a tall order for Terry Smith and Co. Here are five reasons Penn State should be concerned going against the Hawkeyes.

Kirk Ferentz's overwhelming experience advantage

Terry Smith will be coaching in his first ever game for Penn State. Kirk Ferentz will be coaching his 335th. As the longest-tenured FBS coach, that experience advantage is massive. Add in the fact that he is 128-88 overall against Big Ten opponents makes Smith's task even more daunting. To top it all off, Ferentz broke the record for most wins ever by a Big Ten football coach this year at home against UMass. While people may chide him for being more of a conservative playcaller and playing unattractive football, he gets the job done effectively.

Elite offensive line

While the offense hasn't truly been clicking as much as Iowa fans would want, the offensive line are a bunch of road graders who may just be the best in the nation. Four of their linemen rank among the best in the nation, including center Logan Jones, who was named to the preseason All-Big Ten and All-American teams. Beau Stephens at left guard is number 1 in the nation according to PFF with an 89.3 overall rating. On the right side, Kade Pieper also is number 1 at the position. This does not bode well for a Penn State defense that has struggled with stopping drives in their tracks. Even if the Iowa offense is shaky, their O-line could be worth more than you think in terms of keeping them alive in this game.

Ground game starting to amp up

Yesterday, I discussed how Iowa's ground game had weakened compared to last year. However, over the past couple weeks of the season, they have started to ramp up their production. Kamari Moulton has emerged as the lead back, rushing for 96 and 75 yards respectively over Iowa's last two games. Combined with Xavier Williams, they have combined to rush for 252 yards over the past two weeks as well. If Iowa want to get anything going offensively, it must come on the ground, as Penn State have shown no signs of slowing anybody down in that department this past three weeks.

Special teams can steal a win for them

When both teams' best players come from the special teams unit, it doesn't make for a marquee matchup. Still, points are points no matter how you get them, and Iowa will be looking to find as many points as possible. Drew Stevens is one of college football's most reliable kickers, and his role in this game could be pivotal. He leads Iowa in scoring this season with 56 points, and has made 12-15 field goals. Most importantly, he is a perfect 3-3 on field goals of 50+ yards. In a game where points could be hard to come by, that could be the difference between winning and losing. Also keep an eye on kick returner Kaden Wetjen, who already has both a punt return and kickoff return touchdown to his name this year.

Defense can flummox Grunkemeyer

The most important aspect of this Iowa team is its defense and while there have been several key departures, it is still one of the nation's best. Ranked seventh nationally, they predicate their game plan on getting after the QB and getting off the field quickly. This comes from a D-line that has been responsible for 9 of Iowa's 12 sacks this season. Experienced veterans up front such as Ethan Hurkett and Max Llewellyn will set the tone early. On the back end, despite there being different faces, they continue to take the ball away, with three turonvers forced in Week 7 against Wisconsin. In order to succeed against this defense, Grunkemeyer will have to play quickly and keep them on their toes...or else it will be a rough afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Five reasons for concern for Penn State against Iowa