Maryland vs #12 Penn State Preview
Maryland vs #12 Penn State Preview –
Maryland 2-1 vs Penn State 3-0
When: Friday, September 27, at 8 p.m.
Where: Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium
Tv: FS1
Injury:
Terps – WR Jeshaun Jones (Out for the season/torn ACL), RG Terrance Davis (Out/ Sprained MCL), RB Jake Funk (Out for the season/ torn left ACL)
Penn State – N/A
Terps –
53.0 – Points per game
13.3 – Points against
537.7 –Total Yards
260.3 – Passing
277.3 – Rushing
298.3 – Yards Allowed
224.7 – Pass yards Allowed
73.7 – Rushing Yards Allowed
Penn State –
47.0- Points per game
10.0- Points against
473.0 –Total Yards
281.0 – Passing
192. 0 – Rushing
323.3 – Yards Allowed
252.7 – Pass yards Allowed
70.7 – Rushing Yards Allowed
Notes- Legendary Maryland Football head coach Ralph Friedgen will be honored during the first half of the game. The honorary captain for Maryland coached the Terps from 2001-2010, earning 75 wins which is third in program history while leading the Terps to seven bowl game appearances, winning five. Friedgen has been away from the program since 2010.
Keep an eye on
Battle in the trenches between the Terps offensive line and the Nittany Lions front seven. It’s no secret that the Terps are thin up front due to the injury of guard Terrance Davis and it’s also no secret the Terps will face arguably the toughest defense in the Big Ten. Penn State has a ton of talent on defense and is led by linebacker Micah Parsons, who was the first freshman in program history to lead Penn State in tackles (83) last season, is second so far this season in tackles with 20. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (Chancellor HS) is another playmaker that makes a living in the opponent’s backfield. Along with Parsons, linebackers Jan Johnson and Cam Brown (Bullis) have great range covering the field, they can stop the run and get to the quarterback. Maryland’s offensive line play will be the x-factor in this game. If they give Josh Jackson time, he is capable of picking apart Penn State’s defense, like he was able to do against Howard and Syracuse where he completed 58 percent of his passes for 550 yards. Both Terp wins.
If the Nitany Lions are able to hurry and apply pressure to Jackson, it can be a repeat of the showing he had against Temple, where he completed 39.5 percent of his passes with one touchdown and an interception. It’s not just the passing game where the offensive line level of play will dictate it’s success, creating holes for Anthony McFarland Jr to get out in the open and do what he does best, make defenders miss, will be HUGE if Maryland is to knock off the talented Nittany Lions.
These teams are very close to being mirrors of one another talent wise so expect a good old fashion Big Ten chess match between Mike Locksley and Penn State head coach James Franklin from the sidelines.
