Maryland–Penn State football rivalry

The Maryland–Penn State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Maryland Terrapins and Penn State Nittany Lions.^[2][3] In a series dating back to 1917, Penn State has an overwhelming series advantage, having won 44 out of 48 games. When Maryland joined Penn State in the Big Ten Conference in 2014, this series became a yearly conference series with implications for the Big Ten East Division title. On October 4, 2023, the Big Ten announced future football opponents for the 2024 to 2028 seasons with the addition of four schools to the conference and the removal of divisions. The teams are scheduled to meet in 2024, 2026, and 2027.^[4]

Maryland–Penn State football rivalry

Maryland Terrapins Penn State Nittany Lions
First meeting	November 17, 1917 Penn State, 57–0
Latest meeting	November 30, 2024 Penn State, 44–7
Next meeting	2026
Statistics
Meetings total	48
All-time series	Penn State leads, 44–3–1[1]
Largest victory	Penn State, 70–7 (1993) Penn State, 66–3 (2017)
Longest win streak	Penn State, 24 (1962–1988)
Current win streak	Penn State, 4 (2021–present)

110km
68miles

Penn State

Maryland

   

Locations of Maryland and Penn State

Series history

Early years

Between 1917 and 1944, Maryland and Penn State played a total of six games, all Penn State victories, including shutouts in 1917 (57–0), 1938 (33–0), 1939 (12–0), and 1943 (45–0).^[1]

From 1944 to 1959, the teams did not play any games against each other.

Middle years

The series resumed in 1960, with Maryland and Penn State playing 31 games between 1960 and 1993. During this middle period of competition, Penn State again dominated the series, compiling a 29–1–1 record, including 24 consecutive wins from 1962 to 1985 and six consecutive blowouts in 1967 (38–3), 1968 (57–13), 1969 (48–0), 1970 (34–0), 1971 (63–27), and 1972 (46–16).^[1] Several later games were narrowly lost by missed field goals and turnovers. In 1975, a field goal attempt by kicker Mike Sochko hit the upright with under a minute left; Maryland lost 15–13.^[5] On September 7, 1985, no. 7 Maryland missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, and no. 19 Penn State won, 20–18, in a game considered an upset.^[6]

The 1993 game, during Penn State's first season in the Big Ten Conference, was the last game in the series for over 20 years.^[7] Prior to Maryland's announcement to join the Big Ten, former Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen and Penn State athletic spokesman Jeff Nelson had previously stated that the schools had undergone discussions in an attempt to schedule a rematch. Maryland and Penn State were unable to agree on the terms for a revival. In 2008, Maryland officials alleged that Penn State demanded a two-to-one ratio of home games, which Penn State officials denied.^[8] Maryland head coach Randy Edsall, in 2011, expressed his hope that the series might resume.^[9]

Big Ten years

On November 19, 2012, Maryland announced that it would be joining the Big Ten Conference, effective July 1, 2014.^[10] Maryland was placed in the East Division along with Penn State, ensuring that Maryland and Penn State would play on a yearly basis.^[11] Prior to Maryland joining the conference, Penn State coach James Franklin, speaking in Baltimore, Maryland, claimed the new Big Ten territory as "in-state" adding, "I know there other schools around here, but you might as well shut them down".^[12] Maryland coach Randy Edsall responded to Franklin: "Talk is cheap."^[13]

The first rematch was at Beaver Stadium on November 1, 2014. Prior to the game, Edsall said that he looked forward to creating a rivalry with Penn State, while Franklin said that he saw Maryland simply as a Big Ten opponent, not a rival.^[14] During the warmups, Maryland and Penn State players scuffled. During the scuffle Maryland star wide receiver Stefon Diggs made contact with a referee and was handed a one-game suspension after the game for violating the conference's sportsmanship policy.^[15] At the coin toss the captains of the Terps refused to shake hands with the Penn State captains. Maryland won 20–19 on a 43-yard field goal by Brad Craddock with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter.^[16] Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs, coach Randy Edsall, and athletic director Kevin Anderson made public apologies to the Penn State President, coaching staff and players after being reprimanded by the Big Ten Conference.^[15]

After the 2014 game, Penn State won nine of the next ten games, including blowout victories in 2016 (38–14), 2017 (66–3), 2018 (38–3), 2019 (59–0), 2022 (30–0), 2023 (51–15), and 2024 (44–7).^[1] Maryland defeated Penn State during COVID-shortened 2020 season, 35–19; Penn State began the 2020 season with a 0–5 record, the worst start in Penn State history.^[17][18][19]

During the Big Ten years, local media debated whether the series could be considered a rivalry. Prior to the 2015 season, the Hanover Evening Sun in Hanover, Pennsylvania, published two columns debating the status of the rivalry. Zach Miller wrote that Maryland–Penn State football games "are still a long way from rivalry status."^[20] In contrast, Brandon Stoneburg said that the 2014 Maryland win was the start of "a new era of Penn State vs. Maryland football, an era that is indeed a rivalry."^[21] Steve Heiser wrote in 2016 for the York Dispatch that Maryland is the closest true rival to Penn State due to the campuses' home states bordering each other, the schools competing for recruits, and the close scores of two then-recent games.^[22]

Competition in recruiting

Maryland and Penn State compete for recruits in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area and Delaware Valley.^[23][24] Penn State secured a large number of recruits from the Baltimore–Washington area with its 2006 class, including the 11th-overall 2009 NFL draft pick, defensive end Aaron Maybin of Ellicott City, Maryland,^[25] who had considered attending Maryland.^[23]

Game results

Maryland victories

Penn State victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 November 17, 1917 University Park, PA Penn State 57–0 2 November 13, 1937 University Park, PA Penn State 21–14 3 October 1, 1938 University Park, PA Penn State 33–0 4 November 4, 1939 University Park, PA Penn State 12–0 5 October 23, 1943 College Park, MD Penn State 45–0 6 November 18, 1944 University Park, PA Penn State 34–19 7 November 5, 1960 University Park, PA Penn State 28–9 8 November 4, 1961 College Park, MD Maryland 21–17 9 November 3, 1962 University Park, PA Penn State 23–7 10 November 2, 1963 College Park, MD Penn State 17–15 11 October 31, 1964 University Park, PA Penn State 17–9 12 December 4, 1965 College Park, MD Penn State 19–7 13 September 17, 1966 University Park, PA Penn State 15–7 14 November 4, 1967 College Park, MD Penn State 38–3 15 November 16, 1968 College Park, MD No. 3 Penn State 57–13 16 November 15, 1969 University Park, PA No. 5 Penn State 48–0 17 November 7, 1970 College Park, MD Penn State 34–0 18 November 6, 1971 University Park, PA No. 6 Penn State 63–27 19 November 4, 1972 University Park, PA No. 10 Penn State 46–16 20 November 3, 1973 College Park, MD No. 6 Penn State 42–22 21 November 2, 1974 University Park, PA No. 10 Penn State 24–17 22 November 1, 1975 College Park, MD No. 9 Penn State 15–13 23 September 24, 1977 University Park, PA No. 5 Penn State 27–9 24 November 4, 1978 University Park, PA No. 2 Penn State 27–3 25 October 6, 1979 College Park, MD Penn State 27–7 No. Date Location Winner Score 26 October 11, 1980 College Park, MD No. 14 Penn State 24–10 27 September 11, 1982 University Park, PA No. 7 Penn State 39–31 28 October 6, 1984 University Park, PA No. 11 Penn State 25–24 29 September 7, 1985 College Park, MD No. 19 Penn State 20–18 30 November 8, 1986 University Park, PA No. 2 Penn State 17–15 31 November 7, 1987 Baltimore, MD No. 16 Penn State 21–16 32 November 5, 1988 University Park, PA Penn State 17–10 33 November 11, 1989 Baltimore, MD Tie 13–13 34 November 10, 1990 University Park, PA No. 21 Penn State 24–10 35 November 9, 1991 Baltimore, MD No. 9 Penn State 47–7 36 September 26, 1992 University Park, PA No. 9 Penn State 49–13 37 October 2, 1993 College Park, MD No. 9 Penn State 70–7 38 November 1, 2014 University Park, PA Maryland 20–19 39 October 24, 2015 Baltimore, MD Penn State 31–30 40 October 8, 2016 University Park, PA Penn State 38–14 41 November 25, 2017 College Park, MD No. 10 Penn State 66–3 42 November 24, 2018 University Park, PA No. 12 Penn State 38–3 43 September 27, 2019 College Park, MD No. 12 Penn State 59–0 44 November 7, 2020 University Park, PA Maryland 35–19 45 November 6, 2021 College Park, MD No. 22 Penn State 31–14 46 November 12, 2022 University Park, PA No. 14 Penn State 30–0 47 November 4, 2023 College Park, MD No. 11 Penn State 51–15 48 November 30, 2024 University Park, PA No. 4 Penn State 44–7 Series: Penn State leads 44–3–1[1]

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games