The Maryland football team began the season with four victories, but its undefeated stretch ended at Beaver Stadium after Penn State handed the Terps a 38-14 loss Saturday afternoon. A bevy of factors played into Maryland’s defeat, but here are four plays that turned the game in favor of the Nittany Lions.
1) Perry Hills’ fumble at Penn State’s 15-yard line
Quarterback Perry Hills dropped back to pass with the Terps threatening to cut Penn State’s lead to single digits a few minutes before halftime.
But before Hills could get his throw off, a Nittany Lions defender blindsided him and knocked the ball out. A play after the Terps blocked a punt to set up the redzone play, the Nittany Lions regained possession.
“We get the blocked punt, and it finally swings things our way, and the very next play, we turn it over,” coach DJ Durkin said. “Just an error in the read in what we saw, so momentum went back their way.”
The interception marked Hills’ second turnover. Each came on a blindside hit.
Late in the first quarter, tight end Avery Edwards allowed a defender go around him on the left side and hit Hills as he released the ball, forcing a wobbly throw that linebacker Brandon Smith picked off.
“We have to do a better job protecting the passer,” Durkin said. “A couple of those plays we were going to take some shots down the field, and they were there, but the quarterback didn’t have time.
2) Running back Saquon Barkley’s 45-yard touchdown
Just before halftime, the Terps gained some momentum. One play after Hills went down with a shoulder injury, freshman signal-caller Tyrrell Pigrome scored from seven yards out with 52 seconds left. The Terps trailed, 17-14, and would receive the ball to start the second half.
Penn State started the ensuing drive at its own 30-yard line with 41 seconds to play, but Barkley started with a 25-yard gain inside Maryland territory. Two plays later, the Terps defense watched Barkley scamper into the end zone from 45 yards out.
Durkin had trouble describing the defensive series after the Nittany Lions outscored the Terps 14-0 at that point in the second half.
3) Terps’ failed conversion on 4th-and-2
With the Nittany Lions up, 24-14, and at Maryland’s 15-yard line midway through the third quarter, cornerback Will Likely forced the lone hiccup in Barkley’s 209-yard rushing performance. He stripped Barkley and recovered the fumble. He then watched from the sideline as Pigrome led the Terps into Nittany Lions’ territory.
The Terps faced a 4th-and-2 from the Penn State 22-yard line, but while looking to extend their best scoring opportunity of the second half, Durkin’s squad strayed from its game plan. Pigrome didn’t keep the ball. Neither did running backs Ty Johnson or Lorenzo Harrison.
Instead, Jake Funk, who may be Maryland’s slowest rusher, ran a jet sweep for a five-yard loss.
The Terps could have opted for a 40-yard field goal to cut the deficit to seven, and Durkin said the team debated using kicker Adam Greene.
After calling a timeout, Durkin said, “we kind of changed our minds” and decided to go for it. The decision backfired, and the Terps didn’t get past their own 40-yard line the rest of the game.
“If we want to win a game,” Durkin said, “we should be able to get two yards.”
4) Penn State’s 70-yard touchdown to end the third quarter
After Penn State running back Mark Allen’s rushed for no gain with 42 seconds left in the third quarter, Maryland looked as though it would be down 10 to start the final period. The Nittany Lions only had time for one play.
On the ensuing snap, quarterback Trace McSorley didn’t deliver a handoff or tuck the ball and run. He launched one of his 19 pass attempts deep down the right sideline, connecting with wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins for a 70-yard touchdown as the third quarter expired.
Without their starting quarterback or an answer to the Penn State running game, Maryland’s chances to mount a comeback were already slim.
Still, Thompkins’ score served as the exclamation point for Penn State’s homecoming victory and as a dagger for the Terps in their first loss of the season.
