I started running, trying to get away from it. I was sweating, screaming, pumping my fists. I was doing anything I could to get away from it, but, finally, I came face to face with it: Penn State losing to Iowa. I woke up from the nightmare, but the problem was, I was facing reality. Penn State DID lose to Iowa.

Yes, Penn State lost a road battle to the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday afternoon, 24-23.

This was truly one of those contests where the better team won. Penn State was outplayed from the beginning and was given numerous opportunities, but didn't take advantage of them. It was the worst the Lions played all year.

There were three elements that contributed to this loss: the offensive line (Darryl Clark can also be included), the defensive secondary, and the play calling. First off, the offensive line provided little to no coverage for the players. Don't blame Darryl Clark or Evan Royster for not getting things started, blame the offensive line for not protecting those guys. Clark was constantly rushed and was unable to make solid passes. However, you can also blame Clark for not taking advantage of the blocks when he did get them. He played like a high school senior, firing the ball over people's heads, throwing into coverage, and taking too long to throw.

The bulk of this loss falls on the secondary. Their coverage was ineffective and they were unable to stop the quarterback whenever he threw the ball. Iowa converted so many third downs through the air, my head started to spin. This coverage definitely needs to be adjusted for Michigan State, who love to throw the ball.

The other major part of this loss was the play calling. The calls were lousy and just plain stupid. The use of the run was good and relatively effective against the Iowa defense, but the pass calls were basically wasted. Better plays could have been called. This is typical Penn State, who tense up on the road and start to play conservatively. Another element of this is stubbornness on the coaches part. Darryl Clark obviously wasn't working for this offense, so they should have tried Pat Devlin. May I remind the coaching staff what happened two weeks ago at Ohio State? Devlin lead a drive down field and scored the only touchdown of the game! They should have at least put him in for a couple of plays.

The Lions lost their own game. They played sloppy, unintelligent football. I believe that these players thought that they couldn't lose and this disappointing display was the product of over confidence. Hopefully this will be a wake up call for the Lions, who destroyed their perfect season with this loss. Iowa came out ready to play and based on the Lions performance, the Hawkeyes deserved to win.

THE GOOD: Deon Butler broke Penn State's all-time receiving record

THE BAD: The defensive secondary

THE UGLY: 9-1

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Deon Butler

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tyrell Sales

UP NEXT: The Lions return home to take on the Indiana Hoosiers