PSU vs Maryland – 3:30PM Saturday, Nov 6th!

By PSUGreg On November 4, 2021 · Leave a Comment

Marina 84 is a wonderful venue for social distancing. Inside are booths with their own TV and the outside patio has ten 50+ televisions. The patio offers a lot of seating and is protected from the sun and rain

No. 22/23 Penn State vs. Maryland
No. 22/23 Penn State faces Maryland on Saturday at Capitol One Field at Maryland Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. The 2021 season is presented by PSECU.

SERIES HISTORY: The Nittany Lions will meet Maryland for the 45th matchup. Penn State has won nine of the last 11 contests. Last year, Penn State fell 35-19 in Beaver Stadium. Sean Clifford threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns. Jahan Dotson made nine grabs for 123 yards and a score. Parker Washington added eight catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Ellis Brooks registered seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss.

ONE-TWO PUNCH: Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington continued their dynamic seasons at Ohio State. Dotson had a career-high 11 catches for 127 yards and added a 2-yard rushing touchdown. Washington contributed a career-high-tying nine receptions for 108 yards. They also both went over 100 receiving yards against Villanova (Dotson 117, Washington 148). They are the first Penn State receiver duo with multiple 100-yard games in a season since 2014 (DaeSean Hamilton and Geno Lewis).

NO FLY ZONE: The Nittany Lions’ pass defense has been strong in 2021. Penn State ranks eighth in the country in opponent pass efficiency rating (103.56). The blue and white is allowing 193.9 passing yards per contest, good for 25th in the country. The Nittany Lions hold sixth in the country allowing 5.64 yards per pass attempt and seventh allowing 9.94 yards per completion. Penn State’s nine interceptions are good for 22nd in the nation.

OUTSTANDING PUNT COVERAGE: Led by Jordan Stout’s 48.5 punt average, the highest season punt average in program history by 4.51 yards, Penn State is second in the nation with a 46.54 net punting average. Stout has placed 19 punts inside the 20 this season.

THE OPPOSITION: Maryland improved to 5-3 with a 38-35 win over Indiana last Saturday. The Terrapins collected 498 total yards, including 419 through the air. Taulia Tagovailoa completed 26-of-40 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns. Carlos Carriere hauled in eight catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Challen Faamatau added two rushing touchdowns. Mosiah Nasili-Kite led the Maryland defense with eight tackles, including a sack.

SCOUTING THE TERRAPINSMichael Locksley is in his third full season as Maryland’s head coach.Maryland is 5-3 on the season after a 38-35 win over Indiana last Saturday.The Terrapins also have wins over West Virginia (30-24), Howard (62-0), Illinois (20-17) and Kent State (37- 16).Maryland threw for 419 yards in its win over the Hoosiers.The Terrapins rank fifth in the Big Ten in scoring offense (29.2) and total offense (431.1), while holding second in passing offense (309.2).QB Taulia Tagovailoa leads the Big Ten with 2,384 passing yards and completions per game (24.75), while sitting second in completion percentage (70.2), passing yards per game (298.0) and passing touchdowns (17).WR Rakim Jarrett is fifth in the Big Ten with five touchdown receptions.Maryland ranks 13th in the conference in scoring defense (30.4), 12th in total defense (402.5), 10th in passing defense (241.5) and 13th in rushing defense (161.0).S Nick Cross paces Maryland with 47 tackles, including a sack, and two interceptions.DL Sam Okuayinonu leads the unit with 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
OHIO STATE NOTESPenn State threw for 361 yards, the eighth-most in a game in the James Franklin era. The Nittany Lions completed 35 passes, the most in a game under Franklin, and attempted 52 passes, the second-most in a game under Franklin.Penn State stopped Ohio State on 4th-and-3 at the PSU 13 to hold their opponent without a score the ninth time this season.With a fumble recovery in the first quarter, dating back to the Nebraska game in 2020, Penn State has forced a turnover in 14-straight games (21 total, 14 interceptions, seven fumbles), the sixth-longest streak among FBS teams and the third-longest among Power Five teams.
OFFENSIVE NOTESSince the start of the 2016 season, Penn State’s offense is second in the Big Ten in touchdown percentage (32.0; 17th nationally), scoring offense (34.1; 17th), points per possession (2.18; 20th), yards per pass attempt (8.00; 24th), yards per play (6.1; 28th) and total offense (422.3; 37th) and is third in scoring percentage (40.83; 20th).Penn State’s offense has been explosive since the 2016 campaign, as it leads the Big Ten in 70-plus yard play percentage (0.41 percent; 9th nationally) and 80-plus (0.20; 3rd), ranks second in 20-plus (7.99; 12th), 40- plus (2.08; 16th) and 50-plus (1.02; 32nd) and holds third in 30-plus (3.64; 20th) and 60-plus (0.55; 30th).Additionally, the Nittany Lions are third in the Big Ten and 13th nationally in 15-plus yard passing play percentage since 2016 (19.75 percent).In 2021, Dotson (60 rec, 690 yards, 6 TD) and Washington (41, 482, 2) are one of three receiver duos with at least 40 receptions and 480 receiving yards among Power Five teams through their first eight games of the season.Against Ohio State, Clifford completed a Penn State record-tying 35 passes on 52 attempts, the fourth-most in a game at Penn State. Dotson (11 receptions, 127 yards) and Washington (9 rec, 108 yards) both went over 100 yards for the second time this season.
DEFENSIVE NOTESThe Nittany Lions are allowing just 17.0 points per game in 2021, ranking eighth in the country and second in the Big Ten.Penn State is allowing opponents only a 69.0 conversion rate in the red zone this season, ranking ninth in the country and leading the Big Ten.In 29 opponent red zone trips, Penn State has held opposing teams without a score on nine possessions. Penn State has held its opponents to a 27.59 touchdown conversion percentage in the red zone, marking the best in the country (29 attempts, eight touchdowns).The Nittany Lions’ nine red zone stops are behind only Virginia (10) and Washington State (10) among Power Five teams and are tied for second-most with Vanderbilt.Penn State has allowed just five passing touchdowns this season, tied for fourth in the country.Dating back to the Nebraska game in 2020, Penn State has forced a turnover in 14-straight games, the sixth-longest streak among FBS teams and the third-most among Power Five teams (Marshall, 22; Baylor, 16; San Diego State, 16; ECU, 16; Oklahoma, 15).In those 14 games, Penn State has forced 21 total turnovers (14 interceptions, seven fumbles).
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTESRedshirt senior Jordan Stout has served as Penn State’s kicker, for both field goals and extra points, punter and kickoff specialist in all eight games this season.Stout was named Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week after his performance against Illinois, where he hit four punts of 50+ yards and dropped six inside the 20.Stout owns Penn State’s best career punt average (45.37), leading by 2.24 yards per punt.Stout also holds Penn State’s highest season punt average (48.46), ahead by 4.51 yards per punt.Stout, San Diego State’s Matt Araiza, Texas’ Cameron Dicker and UConn’s Joe McFadden are the only FBS players handling kickoff, field goal and punt duties for their team this season.Among the four, Stout leads the group in touchbacks (39) and kickoffs returned (0).Led by Stout, Penn State ranks second in the country in net punting (46.54).Stout is fourth in the country, and second in the Big Ten, with a 48.5 punt average.Twenty of Stout’s 41 punts this season have been 50 or more yards.Stout’s 92.9 touchback percentage is the highest in the FBS among kickers with 40 or more kickoffs. Stout has yet to allow a kickoff return this season.