COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The University of Maryland football team may already be bowl eligible, but they are still looking for that signature win of the 2022 season.
Their next chance at it arrives on Saturday when they visit Penn State.
It’s the final road game of the season. The Terps (6-3) are coming off that tough 23-10 loss at Wisconsin last week, a game that saw Maryland give up 278 rushing yards to the Badgers. They will have to do a much better job when they get to Happy Valley and see the No. 14 Nittany Lions (7-2). PSU rotates running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who is coming off a three touchdown performance in a win over Indiana.
What could give the Terps some confidence is the last time they traveled to Penn State they came away with huge win, a 35-19 victory in 2020. Granted... it was the COVID season. There was a different atmosphere. There were no fans. But the Terrapins remember and want to do it again.
"We have some guys that were here that were part of going up there and getting a big win that was something we haven’t done a lot around here," said head coach Mike Locksley. "But, it’s going to come down to us blocking, tackling, running, catching and throwing, putting in the work."
"This team we have this year is really different. They have a different team this year too. We didn’t have the crowd over there and they play a big factor too in the game," added quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa.
"We have the same guys from that 2020 year who were there. But, we’re a different team and they have a different team as well. We just got to go into this weekend with the mindset that we got to go in and take care of our business," said linebacker Ruben Hyppolite.
Locksley has been telling his players this is not a rivalry game. He said they have to compete better against Penn State to make it that way. A second straight win at their house would go a long way towards that goal.
If the Terps are able to pull off the upset they will earn a seventh regular season win for the first time since 2014 and move to 7-3 for the first time since 2010.
Kickoff on Saturday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
