Classic Big Ten Football: Iowa at Penn State, 2004

Every week, the Big Ten Blog will break down one classic game from the Big Ten's long, storied history. Today, we're looking at one of the weirdest games in Big Ten history, and one of the most disrespectful safeties ever taken.

There aren't many games where afterwards, fans on both sides of the field can agree that football had been sent back decades by what just transpired. Iowa at Penn State in 2004—a game that both sides sadly refer to as just "6-4"—is one such game.

As per usual, we'll embed the video "highlights." But don't watch them. Seriously, don't. You'll age 10 years in 15 minutes. Your hair will turn blindingly white, and unless you are Roger Sterling, it will be a horrible look. So don't.

Also, since Iowa won, the highlights are generally pro-Iowa; all of the important plays for each team are there, but interspersed are the rare Iowa first downs, and none of the even rarer PSU first downs.

Anyway, here. But don't watch it.

You watched, didn't you? I can hear the wails from here.

At any rate, it should have been enough of an omen when the first punt of the game, just two minutes in, resulted in the snap flying about five yards over punter David Bradley's head, at which point Bradley kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone.

Sorry for the spoiler alert, but that would not be the only instance in which Iowa took a penalty in the end zone when it was just taking the safety anyway.

A slap fight for the ages ensued, as Penn State quarterbacks Zach Mills and Michael Robinson threw for a combined 96 yards and four horrific interceptions on 28 passes. As a whole, Penn State mustered only 172 yards of offense on the day. Iowa fared little better with 228 yards.

This wasn't a Snow Bowl type of situation, either. The weather was great for football, a chilly but dry late-October early afternoon in Happy Valley. It was just really, really bad football. That Iowa had effectively no healthy tailbacks was just the horror-topping on the make-it-stop cakes.

The nadir of the game, however, came midway through the fourth quarter. Iowa's offense, shockingly, was stalled out and going backwards, and a Penn State sack at the goal line put Iowa in a 4th-and-forever position.

The seemingly insurmountable 6-2 lead Iowa had at the time was suddenly in peril.

Kirk Ferentz, not wanting a repeat of the snap snafu or the blocked punt that Penn State had managed earlier (which resulted in a missed Robbie Gould chip-shot field goal, which was so appropriate for this game), decided instead to take the intentional safety* and trade two points for 20 yards of space on the free kick.

Now, mind you, this wasn't an "I doubt you can get into field-goal range in 30 seconds" type of move. There were eight minutes left in the game. Ferentz essentially bet the game on the fact that Penn State wouldn't be able to get a field goal if the Nittany Lions got the ball around their own 30-yard line.

And sure enough, on the very first play from scrimmage, Michael Robinson fired a laser downfield into the arms of Iowa CB Antwan Allen. Interception, and Penn State never recovered. OK, that's the true nadir. 

Little could anyone have known at the time, but Iowa wouldn't lose another game that year, finishing at 10-2 after a miraculous victory over Nick Saban and LSU in the Capital One Bowl. Penn State, meanwhile, dropped to 2-5 on the year and would finish at 4-7.

People were ready for Joe Paterno to be gone at that point. His future was very much in doubt, and he probably only had about one more year of goodwill from the fans before the calls for a change would become overwhelming. And then, of course, he led his team to an 11-1 season with a victory in the Orange Bowl the very next year.

Anyway, what a horrible game. Aren't you glad we looked back at it?

*Kirk Ferentz is no stranger to using the intentional safety, by the way. One of the greatest/worst moments in gambling history came during Iowa State vs. Iowa in 2008, when a late punt return by Andy Brodell gave Iowa a 17-3 lead, which was enough to cover the 14-point spread and get the game to a push.

Except Iowa had the ball back deep in its own territory in the waning seconds, and on fourth down, Ferentz opted to take a seemingly meaningless safety at the end of the game. An audible groan came up from the Iowa stands as Ferentz gave Iowa State the two points and the cover. This is why you shouldn't gamble, kids.