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The Terrapins' football game at Penn State on Nov. 1 will kick off at noon and be broadcast on ESPN2, Penn State announced early Sunday morning.
Just announced- the @PennStateFball game vs. Maryland on Nov. 1 will kick-off at noon on ESPN2.
— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) October 26, 2014
The Nittany Lions (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) lost a tight home game this weekend to Ohio State, while Maryland (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten) suffered a 52-7 blowout at Wisconsin. The noon start could be interesting for its impact on student turnout at the game, as it comes the day after a Friday night Halloween.
Over their full body of work, the Lions have been mediocre this year. Despite an overall winning record, they don't yet have an impressive win. They did push the Buckeyes to double overtime on Saturday, though, and have one of the country's stingiest defenses.
Thee NCAA recently declared Penn State postseason-eligible for the first time since sanctions hit after the Jerry Sandusky abuse scandal unfolded a few years ago. That gives the Lions plenty to play for over their final five games of 2014.
When this game finally rolls around, it will be rich with subtext. Penn State's first-year head coach, James Franklin, is a former Maryland assistant two times over, and he's already been a thorn in the side for the Terps on the recruiting trail. To whatever extent single-game results influence recruiting, this one figures to do it.
Moreover, this was once a serious rivalry, sort of. It even has a Wikipedia page. Of course, that isn't because of the competition. Penn State is 35-1-1 all-time against Maryland, but the two haven't met on the gridiron since October 1993, at which time the majority of either current student body wasn't yet born. The series' modern chapter starts on Saturday.