Maryland got hit in the mouth on Penn State’s first drive and it continued throughout the game, as the Nittany Lions rushed for 372 yards and the Terps suffered their first loss of the season, dropping a 38-14 decision in rainy State College, Pa. Oct. 8.
The first drive of the game was a seven-play, 84-yard march that included 17- and 20-yard runs by Saquon Barkley and a 20-yard run by quarterback Trace McSorley, which turned out to be a bad omen for the rest of the game for the Terps. Barkley ran 31 times for 202 yards and Maryland couldn’t contain McSorley, who scampered 18 times for 81 yards.
It was a rough showing for Maryland’s front seven, which was beaten up front by Penn State’s offensive line. The front seven was a step or two slower than Barkley and McSorley all day, missing tackles on the two playmakers even when it did have a chance to wrap up. The Nittany Lions held the ball for 35 minutes, as the Terps struggled to get off the field on third down and convert third downs of their own.
