Penn State Vs. Maryland: What You Need to Know About ‘Fake Rivalry’

I love it. This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Maryland captains’ game.refused to shake hands With Penn State’s captains, this seemed like a fitting little start to a new Big Ten rivalry. It never happened. The Nittany Lions are 8-2 in the series since Maryland joined the Big Ten. Most of these wins were by crushing.

Penn State won three games from 2017-19 by a combined score of 163-6. After Maryland ended its five-game losing streak in 2020, the Nittany Lions resumed their winning streak. They won the last three by a combined score of 112-29. The sequence of events left Locksley’s uncle in tears.

“This is not a competitive game” Locksley said in 2022. “I told our team that there is no such thing. This is not a rivalry game. Frankly, we need to compete a little better to reach this level. But right now they are a regional team that comes to our area to recruit. There are a lot of natural relationships due to the location of both universities, but this is except Penn State and Maryland.”

Penn State defeated Maryland 30-0 at Beaver Stadium that year. This year, Maryland ranks 17th in the Big Ten in scoring defense, 10th in scoring offense and will likely start a backup point guard. The recipe is there for Penn State to win its 11th regular season game for the first time since 2008 and prepare Beaver Stadium for a home playoff game in December.

Penn State Players to Watch

Trey Wallace: Penn State’s receivers need a boost of energy heading into the playoffs. Franklin will push the offense into bonus point territory against the Big Ten’s 17th-ranked pass defense. Wallace started the regular season with a big game. Can make a reservation with someone else.

Kaytron Allen: The Minnesota running back disappeared last week. He couldn’t carry the first half and finished with 10 yards on seven carries. Allen rushed for just 30 yards in Penn State’s last two games. It needs a turbo boost too.

A.J. Harris: Maryland’s primary threat is receiver Tai Felton. Penn State wants to limit its ability to give the Terps hope. Penn State’s best cornerback is the tonic here.

Maryland Players to Watch

Tai Felton: As noted, Felton is the only player who can make Maryland threatening. He leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the FBS with 92 catches for 1,097 yards. Felton is the conference’s most dominant receiver, needing 144 yards to break Maryland’s single-season receiving record.

MJ Morris: The quarterback, who previously started two games at NC State, will likely make his first start at Maryland, replacing injured quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. Morris has played in six games, completing 22 of 37 passes and could get a closer look at Penn. The state’s transition rush.

Kaden Prather: Maryland’s offense has two talented receivers; Prather catches 55 passes for 599 yards. However, without Edwards, the passing game will be severely disrupted.

Penn State Vs. Maryland Forecasts

Mark Wogenrich: This is a statement game for Penn State, despite being a three-touchdown favorite. The Nittany Lions sit on the edge of history; If they win, they will most likely play their first home play-off match. Penn State has shown enough poise and polish this season to show it is ready to complete the mission and begin a new one. Defensively, the Nittany Lions could be ready for their best game of the season. Penn State 31, Maryland 7

Daniel Mader: Probably the only way this matchup stays close is if Penn State is clearly distracted by recent playoff talk and Senior Day celebrations, which isn’t going to happen. The Nittany Lions’ defensive pressure will overwhelm a Maryland team that allows 1.82 sacks per game, and James Franklin’s offense will have little trouble finding the end zone against the 79th-ranked FBS team in total defense. Terrapins wide receivers Tai Felton and Kaden Prather could pose some challenges for Penn State’s secondary, but Maryland still needs to have a tremendous defensive performance to stay competitive in this game. I think the Nittany Lions finish the 2024 regular season on a high note. Penn State 45, Maryland 10

Sam Woloson: A win against Maryland would likely secure Penn State a home playoff game, and I don’t expect the Nittany Lions to pass up that opportunity. The Terrapin offense needs the playmakers to come up early, but I expect the turnovers to cause a snowball effect in the second half of this game. While the Nittany Lions have a comfortable and productive day on offense, look for the Penn State passing attack to force Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards into making a mistake. Penn State 45, Maryland 17