Penn State 30, Maryland 0: Crunch Time for the Lions
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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Penn State uncorked a world of defensive pressure on Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, sacking him seven times and pressuring him countless others in a 30-0 victory Saturday.
The Lions (8-2) unloaded on Maryland's overmatched front, holding the offense to 27 total yards in the first half and forcing six 3-and-outs on nine series. Tagovailoa spent the game under constant duress, as Penn State's defense produced its second consecutive game with at least six sacks. The reserves also preserved the first shutout of the season, as Jordan van den Berg made a fourth-down red-zone stop in a driving rain.
Meanwhile, running back Nicholas Singleton rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, both on epic fourth-down runs.
Breaking down Penn State's dominant day at Beaver Stadium, which also included this: James Franklin does pushup penance for taking an unsportsmanlike penalty in the first half.
Penn State's Defense Dominates
Defensive end Chop Robinson made two sacks playing linebacker for Maryland last season. He had two against the Terps on Saturday, part of outrageous day for the the Lions' defense.
Penn State overwhelmed Maryland from the outset. The Terps went 3-and-out on their first three series (one technically was a 2-and-out because of a penalty). One of those series consisted of three tackles for loss. Maryland had minus-17 yards on its first five series combined.
The pass rush rode waves between the line and blitz packages. Hakeem Beamon and Adisa Isaac generated consistent pressure. Linebacker Abdul Carter, playing for the injured Curtis Jacobs, will show up on Tagovailoa's nightmares. Carter's blistering stat line: 7 tackles, two quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and a forced fumble.
Nicholas Singleton Runs Mean
Singleton somehow has cultivated an early reputation as a back who prefers turning corners than running between the tackles. The freshman has spent the past two weeks dispelling that.
Singleton rushed for both of his touchdowns on fourth down out of the Lions' T-formation set with fellow back Kaytron Allen and tight end Brenton Strange. On the first, he rode blocks from Strange and Tyler Warren to a 45-yard touchdown. Strange danced as Singleton covered the last 30 yards.
On the second, Singleton bored through an inside crawlspace and dragged Maryland's Deonte Banks the last 10 yards into the end zone.
Singleton also ran through several defenders on his way to 122 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season. His 10 touchdowns this season already are a freshman school record.
Injury Update
Penn State played without five starters, including cornerback Joey Porter Jr, who was newly added to the list. Porter had been a defensive stalwart, starting 22 consecutive games and 30 of the last 31.
After the game, Franklin said that Porter Jr. was out with a "non-football injury situation that we're working through." Franklin said he's hopeful Porter would return "soon."
Porter is a consensus first-round projected pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. If the injury situation linger through the remaining two games, Porter will be a player-to-watch for bowl season.
The defense also was without linebacker Curtis Jacobs, who missed his first start. The offensive line missed left tackle Olu Fashanu for the second straight game, right tackle Caedan Wallace for the third straight game and left guard Landon Tengwall, who is out for the season.
Noteworthy
Jake Pinegar is on a hot streak, having made 50-yard field goals in consecutive weeks. He made three field goals for his eighth career 10-point game.
Kaytron Allen rushed 16 times for 73 yards, as Penn State continued to work its running backs in deliberate tandem.
Freshman punter Alex Bacchetta made his 2022 season debut.
Quarterback Christian Veilleux played for the first time since the Auburn game. Coach James Franklin said this week that he hopes Veilleux will return to Penn State next season.
Defensive end Zuriah Fisher, whom Franklin had said would miss the season because of an injury, played for the first time this season. He still can preserve the redshirt, however, even if he plays in the team's remaining three games (including the bowl game).
Up Next
Penn State visits Rutgers on Nov. 19. Kickoff time is TBA.
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