Penn State is set to take on Maryland this Saturday afternoon in College Park with a chance to finally snap a three-game losing streak. A fully healthy Sean Clifford could be the key in getting revenge after last year’s loss to the Terps at Beaver Stadium, but Maryland still posses one of the better passing attacks in the country. Can the Nittany Lion defense hold strong yet again? Here are five things to watch as Penn State takes the field to face Maryland.
Energy:
Penn State played with excellent energy against Ohio State last weekend and that physical and aggressive tone went a long way towards nearly upsetting the Buckeyes on the road. It’s one thing to show up with that energy for one of the biggest games of the year, it’s something else to do it against a team you’ve traditionally beaten with relative ease. If the Nittany Lions can show up with the same kind of energy they had against Ohio State, they’ll win on Saturday. The mark of a good team is to show up each week with the same approach, if Penn State wants to prove it is better than its record, that’s one way to do it.
No Second Chances:
Maryland is a fine football team, emphasis on fine. Penn State is a bit better than fine, but still has to go out and prove it. If the Nittany Lions go up on the scoreboard, can they stay up and keep the Terps from any real comeback attempts? Penn State’s defense has been outstanding all year, but the real way to put a team away is to keep scoring. Can the Nittany Lions get stops and then proceed to put up more points? They did it against Ohio State – and the Terps ain’t the Buckeyes.
Hands In The Lane:
Penn State got lit up last year by Maryland’s passing attack and the Terps are second in the Big Ten in passing offense this year which is good enough for 15th nationally. This Penn State secondary and coverage unit is miles better than it was in 2020 with much of the same personnel. Does this group show up with a chip on its shoulder and help breakup a few potential chunk plays? The Nittany Lions have broken up 33 passes this year which is 20th best in the nation and fifth best in the Big Ten. All told the average of 5.25 passes defended per game is 12th best in the nation. Maryland is going to throw the ball, can Penn State continue to showcase solid ball skills in coverage? The Nittany Lions have nine interceptions this year, fourth best in the Big Ten.
Ground And Pound:
Maryland is 79th in the nation in rushing defense, which isn’t bad but sure isn’t great. The Terps are giving up just over 160 yards per game on the ground – second worst in the Big Ten – and that might be exactly what Penn State’s ailing rushing attack needs. At this point the Nittany Lions are what they are offensively but that doesn’t mean they can’t get better. Penn State ended up averaging just over a yard per carry against Ohio State but it felt like far more than that at times, can the Nittany Lions take care of business on the ground? It doesn’t have to be a 200 yard day – that’s not what this team is – but getting four or five yards a clip couldn’t hurt matters any either. Especially with both Michigan teams right around the corner.
Get Your Points:
Maryland has the second worst scoring defense in the Big Ten and gives up just over 30 points a game. Penn State – for all its woes – has the talent to put up a big number on the Terps if things can click for a healthy Sean Clifford and his stable of offensive targets. Can the Nittany Lions do what they ought to do? Penn State might be 5-3, but it would be unfair to think of the Iowa loss and an Illinois game without a healthy Sean Clifford to be quite like losing with a totally healthy and function. Point being, this team is better than its record and Maryland’s defense is ripe to show everyone that fact. But of course having the opportunity to score against a bad defense and actually doing it are two different things.
