“Let the rivalry begin,” Maryland coach Randy Edsall said after his Terrapins went into Beaver Stadium and left with an ugly 20-19 win over the Nittany Lions. His team survived and secured postseason eligibility, while James Franklin’s Penn State team suffered its fourth straight loss and took a hit to its own bowl hopes.
Penn State’s struggles have mounted and they’re not going away. A young, ineffective offensive line has been a root problem for the team’s many struggles on that side of the ball. Special teams have been inconsistent, at best, in tilting the field in the Nittany Lions’ favor, and to make matters worse, coach James Franklin has precious few personnel upgrades to make with the lingering effects of NCAA sanctions.
If Penn State didn’t recognize Maryland as a rivalry game before Saturday, it might now. The Terrapins invaded Beaver Stadium, refused to shake hands during the pregame coin toss and escaped with a 20-19 win. The Nittany Lions (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) dropped their fourth straight contest and turned up the pressure on their postseason bowl hopes. Maryland pushed the rivalry narrative hard, and coach Randy Edsall said it was…
Penn State made a frantic comeback bid in an eventual 31-24, double-overtime loss to No. 13 Ohio State last Saturday, igniting a “White Out” crowd and playing arguably its best game of the season. The Nittany Lions’ defense pitched a second-half shutout while the offense scratched and clawed for 10 points to tie the game in the fourth quarter. The game was charged with emotion and, of course, featured two…
Penn State’s upset bid fell short in a 31-24 double-overtime loss to No. 13 Ohio State in a game that was marked by two officiating blunders and a dominant second-half performance by the Nittany Lions defense. But coach James Franklin said there were no “moral victories” to be had, instead chalking up the narrow loss as simply Penn State’s third straight defeat. The primetime game in front of a capacity…