Coming into the season, not a lot of people envisioned Penn State football’s Oct. 18 clash against Iowa kicking off on Peacock.
After all, this Penn State team was expected by most to contend for, is not win a national championship.
The Oct. 18 clash is also a mini-rivalry game, with Penn State and Iowa having a history that dates back more than 30 years, in Kinnick Stadium, one of the country’s more hostile environments.
So one would have guessed that this matchup would have been on Network television. Instead, it’s on Peacock, and these are the things that happen when you lose to UCLA and fall from No. 7 to out of the AP rankings entirely.
Now, it’s possible that this game could have ended up on Peacock regardless of Penn State’s last two losses to Oregon and UCLA. After all, Penn State was in the top 10 last season when its White Out game against Washington was scheduled for Peacock.
With that said, plenty of Penn State fans will take this as a sign that this season is going to hell.
It will be an even worse sign if Penn State loses at Iowa, which this certainly a possibility, especially considering what just happened in Pasadena.
Iowa is 3-2, just like Penn State, and unlike Penn State, actually has a Power 4 win, getting one at Rutgers Sept. 19.
Kinnick has also been a house of horrors for Penn State in the past, including 2008, when Penn State was No. 3 in the country and Iowa pulled an upset, ending Penn State’s national title hopes.
Iowa has a chance to do something similar, but in a different way. With two losses, Penn State must win out to make it to the College Football Playoff.
If Penn State beats Northwestern, Iowa will be in position to dance on Penn State’s grave.
