STATE COLLEGE, Pa. –Postgame notes following Maryland 20-19 victory over Penn State.
Kicking It Off: In the first matchup between Maryland and Penn State since 1993, the Terps defeated the Nittany Lions 20-19 at Beaver Stadium Saturday afternoon. Maryland improved to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten, while Penn State fell to 4-4 and 1-4 in the conference. The victory is Maryland’s second all-time against Penn State in 38 all-time meetings. The only other victory came in College Park in 1961.
Stout Defense: Maryland held Penn State to 219 yards of total offense and 42 yards rushing. Both totals marked season bests for the Maryland defense. The previous bests came at USF (9/6) when the Terps held the Bulls to 257 total yards of offense and 83 yards rushing.
Active Leader: Kicker Brad Craddock now has converted 20 straight field goal attempts dating back to last season with his two successful attempts Saturday. Craddock is the active FBS leader in consecutive field goals made and the Maryland record holder. His streak is currently the third-longest streak in Big Ten history. Ohio State’s Mike Nugent holds the conference record with 24 straight field goals from 2001-02.
No. 5: Defensive back William Likely picked off his fifth pass of the season and the sixth of his career midway through the first quarter Saturday. Entering the game, Likely led the Big Ten in interceptions. Likely’s total is tied for the 15th-highest single-season total in school history and he is the first Maryland player to pick off five passes in a season since Domonique Foxworth in 2002.
Likely returned his fifth interception for seven yards. On the season, Likely has 141 interception return yards, the third-highest single-season total in school history and the most by a sophomore.
Monroe on the Sack: Defensive lineman Andre Monroe registered his team-leading 7.5 sack of the season. For his career, Monroe now has 22.0 sacks, which is tied with Shawne Merriman (2002-04) for the second-highest total in school history.
Continue The Streak: Wide receiver Stefon Diggs finished with a game-high six catches for 53 yards. Diggs has now caught a pass in 27 straight games. It is the third-longest streak in school history. Torrey Smith (2008-2010) is second in school history with a catch in 30 consecutive games. Geroy Simon (1993-96) holds the record with a catch in 36 straight.
Brown to Gallo: Quarterback C.J. Brown tossed his ninth touchdown of the season and 29th of his career when he found tight end P.J. Gallo in the back of the end zone in the second quarter. The passing touchdown moved him into a tie for fifth with Danny O’Brien (2010-11) in career touchdown passes. In addition, Brown has now accounted for 51 touchdowns in his career, two shy of the program record held by Scott Milanovich (1992-95).
Offensive Notes: Tight end P.J. Gallo caught his first career touchdown for Maryland’s first score Saturday … running back Wes Brown scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season and the sixth of his career.
Defensive Notes: Linebacker Jalen Brooks totaled a career-best seven tackles … linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil totaled his second sack of the season and fifth of his career … defensive lineman Keith Bowers added his first full sack of the season and now has five in his career … linebacker L.A. Goree recovered his first fumble of the season and the second of his career…. Jermaine Carter forced his second fumble of the season, which was recovered by linebacker Alex Twine his first of the season and third of his career.
– Maryland –
