Penn State emerges from slog at Maryland, wins 31-14: Highs and Lows

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – From the jump, Penn State appeared off-kilter at Maryland Saturday afternoon.

In the Nittany Lions’ first six offensive plays run, they found themselves without a play for positive yardage and, in fact, notched -11 yards on the stat sheet.

More than three hours later, though, that start wouldn’t matter.

A game pitting two 5-3 teams battling through some obvious flaws and challenges, Penn State proved to be the winning side, emerging from a three-game losing streak to earn a 31-14 win against the Terrapins.

Recapping the highs and lows from the game, here:

PLAYER OF THE GAME Who else? Jahan Dotson.

Duh.

When the play of the game category could go to any of a handful of catches that all dictated the outcome in Penn State’s favor Saturday night, it makes this category an especially easy choice. Dotson was as prolific in the Nittany Lions’ passing offense as at any other point in his career, racking up a massive 242 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions. The performance was a single-game record for receiving yards.

PLAY OF THE GAME Immediately following a Maryland game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion, Penn State opened its ensuing possession with a sack. It wouldn’t matter. The Terrapins’ defense allowed Dotson to slip through the middle of its coverage, the Nittany Lions’ elite receiver burst into overdrive to race into the end zone. The play went 86 yards for a touchdown and a 21-14 Penn State lead. 

Calling it a “game-winner” probably wouldn’t be completely accurate, but Ji’Ayir Brown’s pick-six eliminated any possibility of a loss for the Nittany Lions late in the fourth quarter. Stepping in front of receiver Darryl Jones in the red zone, the Terrapins threatening to make it a 24-21 game, Brown raced 87 yards the other way to seal the 31-14 win.

BEST PASS Sean Clifford’s 24-yard strike to Jahan Dotson midway through the third quarter delivered crucial points to the Nittany Lions in a game devoid of them. In rhythm on the throw, Clifford put the ball where only Dotson could snatch it, leaving Penn State with a 14-6 lead with 6:51 remaining in the period.

WORST PASS Clifford broke the pocket and had all the time he needed to settle and deliver an on-target pass to a streaking Dotson up the right hash. Instead, the second-and-15 pass was thrown off-balance and on the run, eluding Dotson by a couple of steps in the process for an incompletion and a missed opportunity to take control of the game. Clifford finished completing 27 of 47 passes for 363 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

BEST RUN There weren’t a ton to choose from Saturday afternoon as both offenses struggled to develop anything resembling a successful running game. Still, a first-and-goal, 2-yard touchdown carry for Challen Faamatau capped an eight-play possession spanning 86 yards to make it a 7-6 game at the half. Keyvone Lee’s 15-yarder in the third quarter gets a nod here as well. 

BEST CATCH The pickup only went for a yard, but Noah Cain’s one-handed reception on the final play of the first quarter wins on technicality alone. Extending his left hand to reel in Clifford’s dump-off, the sequence set up a third-and-6 for the Nittany Lions at the Maryland 38.

WORST DROP Maryland’s path toward evening the game late in the third quarter was upended when quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa couldn’t handle a high shotgun snap at the Nittany Lions’ 15-yard line. Bouncing off the signal-caller’s hands and the helmet of his running back, it ricocheted into the hands of Ji’Ayir Brown and handed Penn State a crucial change in possession. That swing was offset somewhat by a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties leveled against Brown and fellow safety Jaquan Brisker but it didn’t dampen the impact of the play. 

BEST SACK Just as Maryland was beginning to move the ball offensively, reaching midfield midway through the first quarter, Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie showed up. Getting to Tagovailoa’s blind side on a first-and-10, the Nittany Lion transfer set up the end of the Terrapins’ possession just two plays later. 

BEST HIT The biggest hit of the game was delivered on a 15-yard pass completion from Tagovailoa to Chigoziem Okonkwo in the waning minutes of the first half. Meeting at the receiver on the cross-field pass, Joey Porter Jr. and Brandon Smith unloaded.

BEST EFFORT The play might not have seemed all that important, but a third-and-7 late in the first half was trending toward a Penn State punt were it not for the extra effort of Parker Washington. Collecting Clifford’s pass at the Maryland 47, Washington withstood the tackle attempt of Jakorian Bennett to pick up a much-needed first down for the Nittany Lions. 

WORST KICK Jordan Stout chose a bad time for a shenked punt. Leading 21-14 with 11:49 left in the game, the Nittany Lions’ usually reliable specialist send a punt 22 yards and out of bounds when Maryland needed a boost. 

BEST DECISION Was there a nicer play call all game than Maryland’s shovel pass on fourth down at the end of the third quarter? Needing to pick up three yards on the play, Tagovailoa’s pitch to Okonkwo set the Terrapins up with a first down at the Nittany Lions’ 14 and, eventually, a touchdown. Maryland’s creativity continued with its score to tight end Corey Dyches and subsequent two-point conversion to Okonkwo.

WORST DECISION Calling James Franklin’s decision to go to the half “the worst” decision probably isn’t as appropriate as calling it “the most perplexing.” What was Penn State trying to do in that situation, exactly? Surely, something could have been said both to the pro and con for heading to the locker room or pushing one last time for points, but Penn State managed to do a hybrid in which neither was executed particularly well.

MOST TELLING MOMENT Irrespective of how anyone else felt about Franklin’s choice to go to the half on a knee, Penn State fans at Maryland Stadium let the Penn State head coach know their displeasure. Retreating to the locker room with a 7-6 lead, the Nittany Lions were booed on their way off the playing surface.

(Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Brown’s interception as Penn State’s first defensive points of the season.)