Maryland's game against Penn State couldn't have gotten off to a worse – or more senseless – start, when the Terrapins' captains refused to shake Penn State's captains' hands at the pregame coin toss and earned a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct flag.
Those 15 yards helped Christian Hackenberg and the Penn State offense get just inside kicker Sam Ficken's field goal range, and Ficken hit a 47-yarder to give the Nittany Lions a 3-0 lead. Those marked the quarter's only points.
C.J. Brown had a tough quarter, missing a few easy throws and having his best pass of the game dropped over the middle by Amba Etta-Tawo. Brown was 4-of-8 for 13 yards in the frame.
Will Likely nabbed his fifth interception of the year, on a bad pass from Hackenberg to DaeSean Hamilton near the Maryland goal line. After the teams traded punts, Maryland had the ball and, as the first quarter ended, was driving at the Penn State 24-yard line with a chance to tie or take the lead.
At one point, Penn State took 30 yards of penalties on one play, on a personal foul and unsportsmanlike call of its own after Deon Long took a late hit along the Maryland sideline. It was a chippy start to a new series between the two teams.