Penn State Vs. Maryland: What You Need to Know About the 'Fake Rivalry'

How to watch, who to watch and what to watch when the Nittany Lions host the Terps at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks to the scoreboard during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fake rivalry? It renews Saturday at Beaver Stadium, where No. 4 Penn State takes on Maryland with a new world before it. The Nittany Lions essentially can secure a home date in the College Football Playoff with a victory over their "fake" rival (Maryland coach Mike Locksley's word; more on that in a bit) that has lost four straight games.

Do the Terps have anything left in the tank? Will Beaver Stadium get a farewell in the playoffs before the renovation begins? Here's what you need to know about the Penn State vs. Maryland football game.

No. 4 Penn State (10-1) vs. Maryland (4-7)

• When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday

• Where: Beaver Stadium

• TV: Big Ten Network

• Betting Line: Penn State is a 25-point favorite, according to DraftKings

• Series History: Penn State leads 43-3-1

• Last Meeting: Penn State 51-15 in 2023

How to Watch Penn State vs. Maryland

The Nittany Lions will take on the Terps at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on Big Ten Network. Jeff Levering and Jake Butt will be on the broadcast, with Brooke Fletcher reporting from the sideline. The game will be streamed on B1G+. Can't watch? Listen to Steve Jones and Jack Ham on the Penn State Sports Network.

What Is the Penn State-Maryland Betting Line?

Penn State has grown to a 25-point favorite, according to DraftKings, with the over/under set at 50.5 points. Penn State is 5-5 this season as a favorite.

The Penn State vs. Maryland Story Line

The Big Ten this week released a cute Thanksgiving video that asked players and coaches, "Who don't you trust to cook Thanksgiving dinner?" Some coaches played along. Penn State's James Franklin, for instance, pointed to USC's Lincoln Riley. "He looks skinny and hungry," Franklin said. Ohio State's Ryan Day predictably was a bore.

But Maryland's Mike Locksley ended the video with a gem. "Me and James, we have a quirky relationship, so I'd have to have my tester taste his stuff," Locksley said. "Just kidding, James. You know I've got to keep the fake rivalry going."

Which #B1GFootball coaches are we NOT trusting to cook Thanksgiving dinner? 😂 pic.twitter.com/h7nQSoMUh9

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 27, 2024

Love it. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the game in which Maryland's captainsrefused to shake hands with Penn State's captains, which seemed like a proper petty start to a new Big Ten rivalry. It never materialized. The Nittany Lions are 8-2 in the series since Maryland joined the Big Ten. Many of those wins have been squashings.

Penn State won the three games from 2017-19 by a combined score of 163-6. After Maryland ended a five-game losing streak in 2020, the Nittany Lions poured it on again. They have won the past three by a combined score of 112-29. The sequence of events has prompted Locksley to cry uncle.

"It's not a rivalry game," Locksley said in 2022. "I told our team there's no such thing. It's not a rivalry game. Obviously we have to compete a little better to get it to that level. But right now they're a regional team that's really close that comes into our area to recruit. There's a lot of natural relationships because of the location of both universities. But other than that, it's Penn State vs. Maryland."

Penn State shut out Maryland that year 30-0 at Beaver Stadium. This year, Maryland ranks 17th in the Big Ten in scoring defense, 10th in scoring offense and likely will start a backup quarterback. The recipe is there for Penn State to win its 11th regular-season game for the first time since 2008 and to start preparing Beaver Stadium for a home playoff game in December.

Penn State Players to Watch

Trey Wallace: Penn State's receivers need an energy surge heading into the playoffs. Franklin is going to push the offense into bonus-point territory against the Big Ten's 17th-ranked passing defense. Wallace began the regular season with a huge game. He could bookend it with another one.

Kaytron Allen: The running back disappeared last week at Minnesota. He didn't get a first-half carry and finished with 10 yards on seven carries. Allen has rushed for just 30 yards in Penn State's last two games. He needs a turbo boost as well.

AJ Harris: Maryland's primary threat is receiver Tai Felton. Penn State wants to curb his ability to give the Terps hope. Penn State's top cornerback is the tonic here.

Maryland Players to Watch

Tai Felton: As noted, Felton is the one player who could make Maryland threatening. He leads the Big Ten, and ranks second in FBS, with 92 catches for 1,097 yards. Felton is the conference's most dominant receiver who needs 144 yards to break Maryland's single-season receiving record.

MJ Morris: The quarterback, who started two games previously at N.C. State, likely will make his first start at Maryland in place of injured quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. Morris has played in six games, completing 22 of 37 passes, and could get a hard look at Penn State's pass rush.

Kaden Prather: Maryland's offense has two gifted receivers, with Prather catching 55 passes for 599 yards. But without Edwards, the passing game will be hamstrung severely.

Penn State Vs. Maryland Predictions

Mark Wogenrich: This is a statement game for Penn State, even as a three-touchdown favorite. The Nittany Lions sit on the edge of history; their first playoff appearance with a home game very likely should they win. Penn State has demonstrated enough poise and polish this season to indicate that its ready to finish the mission and start a new one. Defensively, the Nittany Lions could be poised for their best game of the season. Penn State 31, Maryland 7

Daniel Mader: Likely the only way this matchup remains close is if Penn State comes out clearly distracted by recent playoff talk and Senior Day festivities, which won’t happen. The Nittany Lions’ defensive pressure should overwhelm a Maryland team allowing 1.82 sacks per game, and James Franklin's offense shouldn't find much trouble finding the end zone against the 79th-ranked FBS squad in total defense. Terrapins wide receivers Tai Felton and Kaden Prather may present some challenges for Penn State’s secondary, but it’d still take a massive defensive performance from Maryland to remain competitive in this one. I think the Nittany Lions end their 2024 regular season on a high note. Penn State 45, Maryland 10

Sam Woloson: A win against Maryland would likely secure a home playoff game for Penn State, and I don’t expect the Nittany Lions to pass that opportunity up. The Terrapin offense has the playmakers to keep up early, but I expect turnovers to cause this game to snowball in the second half. Look for the Penn State pass rush to force errors on Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards, while the Nittany Lions have a comfortable, efficient day offensively. Penn State 45, Maryland 17

More Penn State Football

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How Tyler Warren launched a Heisman campaign from self-doubt

Why Penn State remained ahead of Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff rankings

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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