Maryland @ Penn State preview

Maryland joined the Big Ten this season and it appears to have a natural rival in Penn State, which hosts the Terrapins on Saturday in the first matchup between the schools since 1993. But Maryland hasn’t exactly been a worthy opponent to Nittany Lions, who hold a dominant 35-1-1 mark in the series and triumphed 70-7 in their last meeting. “Going to State College,” Maryland coach Randy Edsall told reporters. “It hasn’t been a place that has been very friendly to the University of Maryland over the years.”

The immediate future for the Terrapins includes attempting to recover from last week’s embarrassing 52-7 loss to Wisconsin and stepping into November with some momentum. Maryland is a ghastly 2-10 in November since 2011, the season Edsall took over the program, and after Penn State comes home games against No. 5 Michigan State and Rutgers with a road trip to Michigan sandwiched between. Penn State has lost three in a row and is still smarting ffrom a 31-24 double-overtime loss to Ohio State last week.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN2. LINE: Penn State --3.5

ABOUT MARYLAND (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten): When the Terrapins run the football well they tend to win, but Brandon Ross and Wes Brown have struggled the last three games and Maryland has dropped to 11th in the Big Ten with 137.5 yards rushing per game. The Terrapins' defense has not fared well against the run either with four of the last five opponents rushing for over 200 yards and two eclipsing the 300-yard mark. Christian Hackenburg will test Maryland cornerbacks Will Likely and Jeremiah Johnson but with questions along the Nittany Lions’ offensive line, the Terrapins should be able to apply pressure.

ABOUT PENN STATE (4-3, 1-3): The offensive line has to do a better job of protecting Hackenberg, who has been sacked 25 times. The run defense, which ranks third in the country, looks to rebound after yielding 219 yards and three touchdowns against Ohio State. Linebacker Mike Hull, who has been added to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, is coming off an outstanding performance against the Buckeyes with a career-best 19 tackles and an interception.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs has at least one receiving touchdown in four consecutive games, the longest streak at Maryland since a five-game stretch by Jermaine Lewis in 1994.

2. Penn State coach James Franklin spent eight seasons on staff at Maryland as the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator (2008-10) and recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach (2000-04).

3. Penn State had a net 16 yards rushing on 31 attempts in last week’s loss to Ohio State, the program's lowest total in a game since 2006.

PREDICTION: Penn State 21, Maryland 17