Behind Enemy Lines: What to know about the Maryland Terrapins
Penn State is once again on the search for a win. After suffering three consecutive losses in conference play, the Nittany Lions will begin the month of November on the road against Maryland. Maryland got the last laugh in last season’s meeting by handing Penn State a loss in Happy Valley, but the Nittany Lions are the favorite for this weekend’s matchup in Big Ten play.
To help enlighten us a bit on this week’s opponent, we reached out to Ryan McFadden, who covers Maryland sports for the Baltimore Sun. Ryan was kind enough to offer his insight on this weekend’s showdown from a Maryland point of view and share some keys to the game to keep an eye on.
Here’s what Ryan had to say about this weekend’s game between Penn State and Maryland.
Nittany Lions Wire: What are your initial thoughts of Penn State vs Maryland?
Ryan McFadden: Saturday’s matchup is quite interesting. The Terps have a chance to clinch a bowl game in front of a home crowd, while the Nittany Lions are in dire need of a bounceback game after dropping three straight games. This is a perfect opportunity for Maryland coach Mike Locksley to get a signature win and I think the Terps will come out with a ton of momentum. Penn State are 10.5-point favorites, but I do believe Maryland can make it close if they can avoid allowing big plays on defense and the Terps can get off to a fast start on offense.
NLW: Who on Maryand’s offense should Penn State be concerned with?
McFadden: I would say quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. If Tagovailoa can remain consistent in the pocket and not try to force throws, Maryland offense will be fine. Despite injuries to Dontay Demus Jr. and Jeshaun Jones, the Terps still have Rakim Jarrett while senior Carlos Carriere and freshman Marcus Fleming are coming off impressive performances against Indiana.
Tagovailoa can make or break the game. If Tagovailoa gets into a position where he is trying to force plays that will lead to him generating turnovers and ultimately taking Maryland out of the game.
NLW: For those who don’t follow Maryland, what makes this matchup very interesting from a Maryland point of view?
McFadden: What makes this matchup interesting is what is at stake for Maryland. The Terps are one victory away from their first bowl appearance in five years. Maryland has a chance to do it at home against a ranked opponent. This is the type of signature victory the program needs.
Maryland has shown that it has a dynamic offense. In the victory against Indiana last week, Tagovailoa threw for over 400 yards and spread the ball around pretty well. However, the Terps seem to only do this against weaker teams. Penn State has held opponents to 17 points per game, so it will be interesting to see how the Terps handle the challenge.
NLW: What did you take away from last year’s encounter?
McFadden: Maryland was able to start the game off fast, jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Tagovailoa was efficient while Rakim Jarrett showcased the talent he has. The Terps were able to establish the run game with Jake Funk rushing for 80 of the team’s 123 yards. Defensively, I thought the Terps did a solid job at generating turnovers and holding Penn State to seven points through three quarters. Unlike last year, Maryland doesn’t have a consistent run game, which will require the Terps to rely on Tagovailoa a lot more.
NLW: What is one reason why Maryland defeats Penn State?
McFadden: Maryland can defeat Penn State if they can limit the big plays down the field. The Terps have struggled when facing elite receivers this season. If they can prevent big plays from Jahan Dotson, the Terps will be in good shape. The way for Maryland to do that is pressuring Sean Clifford. The Terps defensive line has to collapse the pocket and get Clifford out of rhythm. If the Terps can limit the big momentum-swinging plays, that will allow Tagovailoa to remain calm and not try to force plays like he did against Ohio State and Iowa.
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5 Reasons why Maryland will beat Penn State
Our thanks to Ryan McFadden for taking some time to answer questions about the Maryland Terrapins for us this week. Follow Ryan on Twitter @ryanmcfadden_.
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