There are five former head coaches on the College Football Playoff selection committee and five athletic directors, all of whom can appreciate how difficult it is to win a conference road game.
No. 4 Penn State is less likely to be penalized for winning a close game at unranked Iowa than it is to be rewarded for finding a way to win. That's what Week 4 was all about: survival.
"They made us earn it," Penn State coach James Franklin said after his team's 21-19 win that was decided on the final play as the clock expired.