IOWA CITY, IA — Oh-and-three?

Doesn't have a pretty ring to it, but for the first time since 1983, that is the Penn State football team's record. The Nittany Lions fell again Saturday, this time 24-18 to the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.

While Penn State is still searching for its first win of 2001, Iowa is a team traveling in the opposite direction. The Hawkeyes are 3-0 this season and have won five of their last six, overall.

"Our confidence is very high right now," said Iowa tailback Ladell Betts, who carried the ball 33 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns. "I think that's half the game right there. If you go into a game knowing you can win instead of hoping you can win, that's half the battle."

Iowa jumped out to a 14-3 lead on the strength of two lengthy scoring drives, each capped off by a short touchdown run by Betts. Penn State closed the gap to 14-5 late in the second quarter by pressuring Hawkeyes punter David Bradley out of his own end zone, but the Lions could not take advantage of the turnover, as Bruce Branch fumbled away the ensuing free kick.

Iowa went on to score its third touchdown of the half, effectively putting the game out of reach.

"I think we played better," said Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. "I just didn't think we made a couple of plays that we've got to make."

The Lions made it a game in the second half, as quarterback Zack Mills, once again in for an injured Matt Senneca, led the offense on an 18-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that cut the deficit to 21-11.

With less than four minutes remaining, two Penn State tailbacks made a huge special teams play to give the Lions one last hope.

Omar Easy blocked a punt, and Larry Johnson scooped up the pigskin and toted it 15 yards into the end zone, bringing the Lions within a touchdown.

Robbie Gould's onside kick was recovered by Iowa tight end Dallas Clark, who had been a thorn in the Lions' side all afternoon. Betts and the Hawkeyes then ran out the clock while the homecoming crowd of 69,422 voiced its approval.

"They're Penn State, so it was good to take care of them and do the things we needed to do," said Clark, who also had seven catches for 116 yards on the afternoon. "Against a good team like that, you have to play 60 minutes of football, and that's what we did."

After another shoddy first half of offensive football, the Lions were able to move the ball with some success in the second half, though they finished with just 194 yards of total offense, compared to the Hawkeyes' 329. Penn State has just 148 yards rushing in its first three games combined.

Although there were marked signs of improvement on both sides of the ball, the Lions could only savor moral victory.

"This is the first game I thought we really fought hard," Mills said. "We came back, we didn't give up, unlike the first two (games). But again, we didn't get the 'W', so it's real frustrating."