The Terps head to Happy Valley for their final game of the season.
Maryland football officially lost the ability to become bowl eligible after falling to Iowa Saturday, 29-13. The Terps had previously made three-straight bowl games under head coach Michael Locksley.
While the season can largely be chalked up as a failure, the team can still end its 2024 campaign on a high note. Albeit an extremely unlikely outcome, Maryland has the opportunity to upset No. 4 Penn State and muddy College Football Playoff seeding when it travels to Happy Valley.
The Nittany Lions have enjoyed as good of a season as they have had in the last five years, losing only to No. 2 Ohio State by a touchdown, 20-13. But they have defeated just one ranked team thus far — No. 23 Illinois in September, 21-7. Nonetheless, the program has proven to be dominant this year, and that should pose a major challenge for the struggling Terps.
Saturday’s game will begin at 3:30 p.m. and air on Big Ten Network.
Penn State Nittany Lions (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten)
Head coach James Franklin has been the figurehead of Penn State football for nearly 11 full seasons and a collegiate head coach for 14 years. Under Franklin, Penn State has finished in the top 12 of the final College Football Playoff rankings in six of the last eight seasons. He has also guided the team to five New Year’s Six bowl games. He owns a 112-54 career record.
Players to know
Tyler Warren, senior tight end, No. 44 — Warren isn’t just Penn State’s premier talent, he might just be the best tight end in the entire country. This season, he already holds Penn State tight end single-season records with 67 receptions and 808 receiving yards. He sits first all-time among Nittany Lions tight ends with 22 total touchdowns. He’s proven to not only be a receiving threat, but also a rushing threat, racking up 157 yards on the ground in 2024.
Drew Allar, junior quarterback, No. 15 — Allar has enjoyed a productive season and was named a midseason Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist. He has posted 2,253 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ranks third in the Big Ten in passing efficiency and completion percentage (71.9).
Abdul Carter, junior defensive end, No. 11 — He’s not Micah Parsons yet, but both share the same number for the Nittany Lions, as well as the same size, shape and dominance. Carter is listed on Penn State’s website at 6-foot-3, 252 pounds, and packs a punch off the edge. He’s tied for fourth in the Big Ten in sacks (8) and leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (17.5). He also has three passes defended and two forced fumbles.
Jaylen Reed, senior safety, No. 1 — Reed is one of the best safeties in the Big Ten. This season, he has three interceptions, a touchdown, a forced fumble, five passes defended, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, showcasing his versatility.
Strength
Rushing attack. Penn State has two running backs that split touches almost evenly. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen both have five rushing touchdowns and 1,310 combined rushing yards. Penn State’s rushing attack is second in the Big Ten behind only Iowa.
Weakness
Passing defense. Like Oregon earlier this season, Penn State doesn’t have too many glaring holes. However, it is tied for 10th in the conference with only 37 passes defended. While there are certainly some strong members of the Nittany Lions’ secondary, perhaps it’s a better option to attack those players than the ones on the defensive line, like Carter.
Three things to watch
1. What will the fight level be? Maryland’s 2024 season is all but over, out of bowl contention. However, the Terps have a chance to produce an exceptional result and shine some light on an extremely disappointing season. Whether Locksley’s squad will come out with energy and resolve will be interesting to see.
2. Will Tai Felton end on a high note? Felton needs 144 yards to break Marcus Badgett’s single-season receiving yards record set in 1992. It will certainly be a tough task against the Nittany Lions, but Felton, who is undoubtedly looking to add to his draft stock, has a little extra to play for Saturday.
3. The defensive line performance. Maryland’s play on the defensive line has not been great this year, as some of the more experienced players in the unit have failed to clog up run gaps and produce significant pocket pressure. In a game that will be key to containing Singleton and Allen, the defensive line will need to show out.