OCTOBER 19TH, 1996 - IOWA 21, (at #10) Penn State 20: The Nittany Lions joined the Big 10 in 1993, and had blitzkrieged the Hawkeyes by a combined 133–48 the first three years. The difference in talent initially seemed FAR greater than what we faced against even a Michigan or Ohio State. But on a rainy day in State College, Tim Dwight had an 83-yd. punt return that felt like it took a grand total of four seconds with his speed; Tavian Banks, who was starting that day in the place of injured Sedrick Shaw slashed for 123 yards rushing and the go-ahead TD, and a 25-yard halfback pass from Rob Thein to Demo Odems during that key drive combined to shock one REALLY GOOD football team (ended the season #7), in a game I thought was one of the best I’d seen up to that time.
Joe Paterno had high praise especially for Tim Dwight, calling him the fastest man his team had had to play against. The win helped ease the pain of a nasty upset on the road to Tulsa earlier that season. The very next week, Iowa lost to #2 Ohio State, though Tim Dwight again almost singlehandedly kept us in that game with his play.
Game highlights are here:
Joe Paterno had high praise especially for Tim Dwight, calling him the fastest man his team had had to play against. The win helped ease the pain of a nasty upset on the road to Tulsa earlier that season. The very next week, Iowa lost to #2 Ohio State, though Tim Dwight again almost singlehandedly kept us in that game with his play.
Game highlights are here:
