The Nittany Lions played some spirited football under interim head coach Terry Smith, but was it enough to earn a passing grade?

In his first game as Penn State’s interim coach, Terry Smith came here not certain if the Nittany Lions would win but certain they would give a maximum effort that was clearly absent during the last three games of James Franklin’s tenure.

IOWA CITY, Iowa | Penn State brought a new motto to Kinnick Stadium but repeated some of the same mistakes in a 25-24 loss to the Hawkeyes. The loss also marked a first for the Penn State football program.

C: Penn State nearly won on the road in Terry Smith’s first game as interim coach and Grunkemeyer’s first start. Andy Kotelnicki’s call on fourth-and-1 from the Lions’ 40 late in the third quarter was odd and was stopped. And it’s inexplicable that Jim Knowles’ defense allowed two big QB runs, which set up touchdowns.

How Penn State football lost its fourth straight game, this one to Iowa without James Franklin and Drew Allar.