Iowa vs. Penn State: TV Schedule, Live Streaming, Radio, Game Time and More

The Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1, 0-0) travel to Happy Valley to get their Big Ten schedule started against the Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1, 1-0). The Hawkeyes last played on Sept. 24 when they knocked off Louisiana-Monroe, whereas the Nittany Lions picked up a road win over Indiana last weekend.

Where: Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa.

When: Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3:30 p.m. EDT

Watch: ABC or ESPN (depending on market)

Listen: WHO 1040 AM (Iowa) or WNTP 990 AM (Penn State)

Betting Line: Iowa +4

Who Might Not Play For Iowa: OL Nolan MacMillan

Even though MacMillan has been able to practice on a limited basis over the past week, he hasn't been able to get up to game speed due to a hernia ailment. He's questionable for Saturday's game and getting him back on the field would be a nice boost for the Hawkeyes offensive attack.

Who Might Not Play for Penn State: RB Brandon Beachum

Most college football programs now rely on a running back by committee approach in their backfields and Penn State was no different while Beachum was healthy. He's missed the team's last two games with a nagging ankle injury and is questionable to be ready to serve as Silas Redd's backup this week.

Key Storyline: Can Penn State keep pace in the Leaders Division?

Like the Nittany Lions, Wisconsin and Illinois are both 1-0 in conference play and have games they should win against Big Ten foes in their next games. If Penn State wants to keep up with the Badgers and Fighting Illini, it will need to hold serve at home this weekend.

Matt McGloin has outplayed Rob Bolden and should see the majority of the snaps against the Hawkeyes. McGloin has thrown four touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 58 percent of his passes through five games.

Top 25 Poll Implications

Judging by the “others receiving votes” section of the Week 6 AP Top 25 poll, Iowa is not even on the voters' minds right now. However, a win over the Nittany Lions would allow them to gain some more respect on the national level.

While they would need a couple ranked schools to lose, a win could push Penn State back into the rankings after spending two weeks there to start the season. And in reality, that is exactly how it should be as the Nittany Lions are a fringe top-25 squad this season.

What They're Saying

Randy Peterson of HawkCentral.com breaks down some of the biggest headlines around the team heading into a big game against Penn State on Saturday.

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Is Vandenberg for real? So far, so good. He’s thrown for 1,095 yards in four games, including 399 when Pittsburgh forced Iowa’s offense into action. Eleven receivers have caught passes, including a combined 58 by a threesome of McNutt, Keenan Davis and Kevonte Martin-Manley. “We all felt fairly confident that James was going to play good at quarterback,” Ferentz said.

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Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer previews this weekend's game between two hopeful contenders in the Big Ten. He passes along some quotes from head coach Joe Paterno who is trying to make the past remain exactly that.

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Penn State coach Joe Paterno said he was making sure his team stays focused on what it has to do for Saturday's game at Beaver Stadium.

"Even though [the players] may have some thoughts about Iowa 'beating us that many times, we've got to beat them and show them we're pretty good,' I don't know," he said. "I've never approached it that way."

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Iowa Player to Watch: RB Marcus Coker

Coker is averaging more than 100 total yards per game and has scored four touchdowns in as many games. He's going to need to run effectively and help control the clock if Iowa hopes to emerge from Happy Valley with a victory.

No other player (aside from QB James Vandenberg) has received double-digit carries this season and Coker will probably remain the workhorse going forward after splitting playing time with Adam Robinson last season.

Penn State Player to Watch: WR Derek Moye

Moye is the only Nittany Lions receiver who is averaging more than 40 yards per game in 2011. He's also caught three of the five touchdown passes thrown by Penn State quarterbacks. You can be sure the Iowa secondary will be shifted his way all afternoon.

It's probably going to be a low-scoring, hard-fought affair, so one big catch from Moye could make the difference. While he also led the team in receiving last season, the targets were a lot more spread out. This year he's the undisputed No. 1 and will need to play like in on Saturday.

Key Matchup: Matt McGloin vs. James Vandenberg

Both teams are going to attempt to control the game on the ground and wear down the opposing defense. The names you'll hear most often on Saturday will be Marcus Coker and Silas Redd. However, the game might come down to which quarterback can make the most plays on third down and in the fourth quarter.

All told, this should be a terrific contest that isn't decided until the final minutes.

Prediction: Penn State 24, Iowa 20