STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Nick Scott intercepted a pass to thwart Iowa at the Penn State 2 with 3:18 left and the No. 17 Nittany Lions held on to avoid a third straight home loss with a 30-24 victory Saturday over the No. 18 Hawkeyes.

Penn State (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) needed one last defensive stand to hold off Iowa (6-2, 3-2), which got to the Nittany Lions 44 with less than a minute left.

On fourth-and-10 with 7 seconds left, Penn State’s pass rush swarmed Nate Stanley, who flipped backward to offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs. The 300-pounder rumbled 15 yards before being dragged down with no time left.

It was a fitting end to an odd game with little sustained offense. Iowa scored on two safeties and a touchdown pass by punter Colten Rastetter to defensive tackle Sam Brincks on a faked field goal in the first half. Penn State played three series in the second quarter without starting quarterback Trace McSorley.

McSorley was sandwiched by two Hawkeyes defenders as he tried to scramble and stayed down, grabbing his right leg. The Beaver Stadium crowd fell silent as athletic trainers attended to the senior. He got up with assistance and had help to take a few steps before walking off on his own with a limp. The 6-foot, 202-pound McSorley has started 35 straight games for Penn State since the start of the 2016 season.

Tommy Stevens played the next two series at quarterback for Penn State, scoring on a 3-yard run that was set up by John Reid’s 41-yard interception return. Stevens led a short drive late in the first half to set up Jake Pinegar’s career-best 45-yard field goal to make it 17-all at the break. Pinegar bested that with a 49-yarder in the third quarter and made a 44-yard in the fourth after being 0 for 3 from 40 and beyond coming into the game.

McSorley began the second half and broke free for a 51-yard touchdown run to give Penn State its first lead, 24-17, with 12:10 left in the third quarter.

Penn State turnovers in the fourth quarter kept Iowa in the game, despite a poor day from Stanley, who was 18 for 49 for 205 yards and two interceptions.

Geno Stone intercepted McSorley’s pass and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-24 with 10 minutes left in the fourth.

Trailing 30-24, Iowa and Stanley converted two third-and-longs to get to first-and-goal at the 3 with 3:30 left. But Stanley’s next throw was a quick pass toward star tight end Noah Fant, who was not looking. Scott jumped up and made the interception.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa: The Hawkeyes have lost three straight years to Penn State and five straight overall in the series, but they are still very much in contention to win the Big Ten West.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions had lost their last two home games, to Ohio State and Michigan State, by blowing fourth-quarter leads. By hanging on, they dodged their first three-game home skid since 2015.

NEXT UP

Iowa: The Hawkeyes go to Purdue.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions travel to No. 5 Michigan.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — This used to be the time when Iowa State would start to fade — if it hadn’t already.

Coach Matt Campbell and the Cyclones finished their second straight October unbeaten, and they’re peaking heading into the sport’s most crucial month.

Texas Tech’s Alex Bowman was forced into a safety with 4:39 left, Hakeem Butler added a 48-yard TD catch from Brock Purdy just over two minutes later and Iowa State rallied to beat the Red Raiders 40-31 on Saturday.

Bowman’s two-point blunder was the break the Cyclones (4-3, 3-2 Big 12) needed to clinch their third straight win behind Purdy, their star freshman, after a 1-3 start.

“You work 10 months to get to November to be in it and to play meaningful games,” Campbell said. “We’ve worked really hard to shed that, you can’t do that here.”

With the game tied at 31, Bowman fumbled the snap, retrieved the ball and flung it away with his foot in the end zone as a hard-charging JaQuan Bailey approached. Bowman failed to get the ball back to the line of scrimmage though, putting Iowa State ahead 33-31.

“That’s not good enough. It’s on me,” Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “We’ve got to get better quick.”

Butler, who had four catches for 148 yards, then corralled a beautiful pass from an inconsistent Purdy to put a weird and wild game out of reach.

Purdy threw for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns and David Montgomery added 125 yards rushing on 33 carries.

Bowman had 323 yards passing for Texas Tech (5-3, 3-2), but he also had three picks. Iowa State linebacker Marcel Spears had two of those interceptions, and he brought one back for a touchdown.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa State: At times, the Cyclones looked more like the team that started 1-3 than the one on a winning streak. But Iowa State’s defense made a number of big plays, none bigger than its third safety in as many weeks. The Cyclones could be favored in four of their final five games — and the second spot in the Big 12 title game remains an unlikely but somehow realistic goal.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders blew a massive opportunity to take charge in the Big 12 standings with home games against Oklahoma and Texas. Tech wasted an early 10-0 lead, committed 10 penalties and rushed for just 30 yards. The Red Raiders have allowed a staggering 106 points in their last two trips to Ames.

UP NEXT

Iowa State plays as Kansas next Saturday.

Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma on Nov. 3.

The Atlantic girls finished 7th and the boys 15th at the State Cross Country meet on Saturday in Fort Dodge. Taylor McCreedy was a 6th place medal winner in the girls race.  Janette Schraft of Glenwood was the Champion.

Atlantic’s top finisher on the boys side was Evan Brummer in 38th. Quinton Orr of Humboldt was the champion.

In Class 1A girls Emma Lucas of Bedford took the title.  Peyton Pogge of Tri-Center was runner-up. Logan-Magnolia was the team champion with 66 points.

In 1A boys Josh Baudler of Nodaway Valley was the runner-up. Noah Nelsen of AC/GC came in 4th.

Check out the full results for each class by following the links below.

MEET RESULTS

BOYS

Class 4A

Class 3A

Class 2A

Class 1A

GIRLS

Class 4A

Class 3A

Class 2A

Class 1A

(Radio Iowa) — The weather could be a factor when 18th ranked Iowa visits 17th Penn State this (Saturday) afternoon, as rain is in the forecast for State College. The Hawkeyes relied on the run game on a windy day last week against Maryland and coach Kirk Ferentz may be forced to adjust his game plan again.

Iowa is 6-1 and will be out to snap a four game losing streak in the series.

Ferentz has been pleased with the way this Iowa team has progressed and that needs to continue against the Nittany Lions.

Ferentz says the challenge for the Iowa defense will be Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley’s ability to pass and run.

Homecoming is in Ames today (Saturday), as Iowa State hosts Texas Tech. The Red Raiders always feature an explosive offense and Cyclone coach Matt Campbell says this season is no different.

Campbell says Tech’s offense is much better up front.

Campbell says Tech is 5-2 because of an improved defense.