UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 9 Penn State visits Maryland in SECU Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on FOX.
SERIES HISTORY: The Nittany Lions meet Maryland for the 47th time in the series. Penn State owns a 42-3-1 advantage in the series, including last season's 30-0 win in Happy Valley. Nicholas Singleton rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, scoring on runs of 27 and 45 yards, while Jake Pinegar hit three field goals, including a 50-yarder. The Nittany Lions limited Maryland to 134 yards while racking up nine tackles for loss and seven sacks.
TIGHT END TOUCHDOWNS: Against Indiana, Khalil Dinkins (9 yards) and Theo Johnson (16 yards) hauled in touchdown receptions. The two touchdowns give the Penn State tight end room 10 touchdown receptions this season. Penn State's 10 receiving touchdowns by tight ends are the most among FBS teams. Tyler Warren paces the group with five touchdowns, good for third among FBS tight ends, while Johnson has three and Dinkins owns two this season. Penn State and Appalachian State are the only FBS teams with two tight ends with three or more touchdown receptions this year.
MULTIPLE TAKEAWAYS: Since the start of the 2022 season, Penn State has forced 42 turnovers (22 interceptions, 20 fumbles), ranking sixth in the FBS. The Nittany Lions forced two takeaways in the Indiana game. Kevin Winston Jr. recovered a muffed punt in the first quarter and Jaylen Reed picked off a pass in the second quarter. Penn State improved to 11-0, since the start of the 2022 season, when forcing multiple takeaways in a game.
THE OPPOSITION: Maryland is 5-3 overall after falling 33-27 at Northwestern last Saturday. The Terrapins posted 391 total yards. Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Jeshaun Jones hauled in nine catches for 78 yards and a score. The Maryland defense totaled eight tackles for loss and five sacks.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 311: Drew Allar started his Penn State career with 311 pass attempts without an interception, an FBS record.
- 50+: KeAndre Lambert-Smith's 57-yard touchdown reception against Indiana was his fourth career touchdown grab of 50+ yards.
- 17: After Daequan Hardy's sack against Indiana, 17 different Nittany Lions have recorded at least one sack this season.
- 7: After limiting Indiana to 80 rushing yards, Penn State has held seven-straight opponents under 100 rushing yards.
SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS
- Michael Locksley is in his fifth full season as Maryland's head coach.
- Locksley has a 26-31 record at Maryland.
- Maryland is 5-3 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten play this season. Maryland fell 33-27 at Northwestern last Saturday.
- The Terrapins own conference wins over Michigan State (31-9) and Indiana (44-17).
- On offense, Maryland ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (32.6 ppg), third in total offense (418.4 ypg), second in passing offense (280.5) and eighth in rushing offense (137.9).
- QB Taulia Tagovailoa paces the Big Ten in passing yards (2,200), passing yards per game (275.0), passing touchdowns (19) and completions per game (23.6).
- WR Jeshaun Jones holds fifth in the conference in receiving yards (496) and receptions per game (4.5) and sixth in receiving yards per game (62.0).
- On defense, the Terrapins rank eighth in scoring defense (20.4), eighth in total defense (340.5), 12th in passing defense (231.2) and fifth in rushing defense (109.2).
- Beau Brade paces Maryland with 47 tackles, while Kellan Wyatt leads the Terrapins with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
- Tarheeb Still owns three interceptions, ranking second in the Big Ten.
- Braeden Wisloski leads the Big Ten in kick return average with 25.4 and has one kick return for a touchdown.
STREAKING
- Penn State has not allowed a first-drive touchdown in the last 22 games, dating back to the Michigan State game in 2021.
- Penn State has not allowed a special teams touchdown in 56-straight games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
- Penn State has won 18 consecutive games against teams that are not members of a Power Five conference.
- Penn State has won 19 consecutive games over non-conference opponents during the regular season, dating back to a win over Temple in 2016.
- Penn State has won 25-straight non-conference home games, dating back to a win over Kent State in 2013.
INDIANA POSTGAME NOTES
- The Nittany Lions are 13-0 in home matchups and have won nine of the last 10 games in the series.
- Penn State snapped a streak of 11-straight games without throwing an interception. It was the longest active streak in the nation.
- An Indiana touchdown pass in the first quarter snapped a streak of 11-straight quarters at home, dating back to the Delaware game, without allowing any points.
- The Nittany Lions snapped a streak of 16-straight games with at least five tackles for loss. Entering the game, it was the second-longest streak in FBS.
- Penn State recorded a safety late in the fourth quarter. It was the Nittany Lions' first safety since the 2022 season opener vs. Ohio.
- Over the last two seasons, Penn State is 11-0 when recording multiple takeaways in a game.
- P Riley Thompson had four punts of 50+ yards, including boots of 51, 50, 50, and 54 yards. He averaged 49.0 yards on six punts for the game.