Maryland football is within reach of postseason play and a competitive Penn State rivalry
(Photo Courtesy of Maryland Athletics.)
For the first time since 2018, bowl game eligibility is imminent. For the first time always, a Penn State and Maryland edge rivalry tin potentially be actualized.
Since the beginning of the Michael Locksley era, the desire for a marquee, Big Ten rivalry was articulate. But beyond the proximity and the numerous times the two sides take met, in that location'southward little reason to refer to this annual matchup a legitimate rivalry. The Nittany Lions boast a xl-3-ane all-fourth dimension tape against the Terps and throughout the time James Franklin has been at the captain, Maryland has merely managed to win twice.
Of those two wins, Locksley'southward squad deemed for 1. Last year's meeting between the 2 sides marked a peak of the Terps' 2022 campaign. Locksley and his Terps registered their first Big Ten winning streak with a dominant road performance against the Nittany Lions, and Rakim Jarrett had his coming out party with two touchdowns and 144 yards on only 5 catches.
Jarrett, at present the peak receiver on the depth nautical chart, has put little thought into the significance of his 2d Penn State game.
"It doesn't matter at all," Jarrett said. "They're just the next team. That'southward always the biggest game for me."
With another win, Locksley could even upward his all-time record against Penn State to 2-2, giving him possession of half of Maryland'due south best wins over Penn Country. Perhaps in the Locksley era a Penn State and Maryland rivalry can be realized if Maryland can stay inside reach of a .500 record.
A win also grants Maryland a run a risk to play in the postseason — an occasion that hasn't been a part of a Maryland football year since 2016.
"It'due south not something we will talk most earlier," Locksley said. "But because we are at five [wins] and this is the adjacent game, there's a couple of things that are at stake … Obviously, six is the magic number to become bowl eligible. Nosotros all know it. Because we at present have five we can talk about six."
Despite beingness ranked and by the season midpoint, Penn State happens to be vying for bowl eligibility as well. With an identical record every bit the Terps, the Nittany Lions are currently enduring a iii game losing streak that saw starting quarterback Sean Clifford fall to injury, a strange nine overtime loss to unranked Illinois at dwelling and a surprisingly narrow loss at Ohio Land.
Fifty-fifty with the string of losses, Penn Land is all the same fielding a elevation ten scoring defense, ane of the all-time quarterbacks in the league and an NFL hopeful in receiver Jahan Dotson.
Of form, under Locksley'due south philosophy, next week'southward opponent remains faceless and nameless. And regardless of Maryland'south reach to postseason play or its commitment to the imagined edge country rivalry, the focus remains on improvement within.
"They put shoulder pads on just like we put shoulder pads on," defensive back Jakorian Bennett said. "So nosotros just gotta become out there just handle our business organization. And of form, winning out there final year kind of gave united states of america a little extra juice, y'all know, this calendar week, and we merely fix to go out there and merely exist 1-0 this week and go that sixth win for the fans … For united states."
Source: http://wmucsports.net/maryland-football-is-within-reach-of-postseason-play-and-a-competitive-penn-state-rivalry/
0 Response to "Maryland football is within reach of postseason play and a competitive Penn State rivalry"
إرسال تعليق