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University of Maryland Athletics

Tackle Pic
7
Maryland UMD 4-8 , 1-8
44
Winner Penn St. PSU 11-1 , 8-1
Maryland UMD
4-8 , 1-8
7
Final
44
Penn St. PSU
11-1 , 8-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UMD Maryland 7 0 0 0 7
PSU Penn St. 3 28 0 13 44

Game Recap: Football |

Football Wraps Up Season With Loss At No. 4 Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, PA – Maryland football was defeated by No. 4 Penn State, 44-7, at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The Terps finished their 2024 season at 4-8 overall and 1-8 in Big Ten play. 

The Terps got off to an exceptional start, forcing a fumble on the Nittany Lions' first offensive play of the day and scoring a one-play touchdown on the ensuing drive as MJ Morris found Kaden Prather for a 25-yard score. The last time Maryland scored on its first offensive play of the game was on Oct 5, 2019, at Rutgers as Dontay Demus Jr. corralled an 80-yard touchdown pass from Josh Jackson. The two scores are the only two on the first offensive play of a game since Maryland joined the Big Ten. 

Scoring 14 seconds into the game was also Maryland's fastest score at the start of a game since Stefon Diggs had a 100-yard kickoff return for TD 13 seconds into a win vs Virginia on Oct 13, 2012. This was Maryland's fastest offensive score to start a game since Josh Allen had a 72-yard rushing TD versus The Citadel on Sept 13, 2003, just 16 seconds into the eventual 61-0 win. However, the Nittany Lions responded with 38 unanswered scores on their way to victory. 
  Senior wide receiver Tai Felton capped off his incredible career with four receptions for 27 yards. He finished first in program history for single-season receptions (96) and second in single-season yards (1,124). He also ranks second in program history for career yards (2,207) and third in career receptions (172).

Morris completed 14-of-24 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in his first career start as a Terp. It was his first start since Nov. 4, 2023, when he was at NC State. 

Prather's touchdown was his lone reception in the game. It was his 12th touchdown of his career. The score was also his ninth as a Terp and fourth of the season. Roman Hemby (64 yards) and Nolan Ray (51 yards) bolstered the ground game. 

Senior linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II led Maryland's defense with a career-high 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss. He also added a pass breakup. Daniel Wingate also provided a career-high 13 tackles.  

Penn State improved to 11-1 overall and 8-1 in conference play. Its lone loss this season came against then-ranked No. 4 Ohio State on Nov. 2.  


Breaking Down The Action
  • The Terps forced and recovered a fumble on Penn State's first offensive play. Tommy Akingbesote forced and recovered it, and the Terps started on Penn State's 25-yard line. 
  • MJ Morris fired a deep pass that Kaden Prather caught for a touchdown on Maryland's first offensive play. Maryland led 7-0 with just 14 seconds off the clock.  
  • Penn State responded with a field goal but trailed 7-3 at 12:47 in the first. 
  • Maryland forced back-to-back three-and-outs on the Nittany Lions' third and fourth offensive possessions. However, Penn State cashed in on its fifth possession as Nicholas Singleton plunged for a two-yard TD. Penn State took a 10-7 lead at 12:53.
  • Drew Allar then scored on a QB sneak as Penn State increased its lead to 17-7 at 10:11. 
  • Beau Pribula rushed for a four-yard score at 6:53, and Allar connected with Tyler Warren for a TD at 1:46. Penn State settled for a field goal before the break, but the Terps blocked it. Penn State led 31-7 entering halftime. 
  • The Nittany Lions led 38-7 at 14:14 in the fourth after Singleton scored his second TD of the game. 
Terrific Tai  
  • Tai Felton finished his day with a stat line of four receptions for 27 yards. He finished his season with 96 receptions for 1,124 receiving yards and nine TDs. 
  • The receiver's 96 catches are a single-season program record. He broke DJ Moore's 2017 mark (80) against Rutgers on Nov. 16. His 1,124 yards also rank second in program history. Marcus Badgett owns the record with 1,240 yards in 1992. 
  • He's fourth in program history for career receiving yards with 2,207. Third place is Torrey Smith (2,215 yards from 2008-10).
  • Felton also finished third in program history for career receptions with 172. Geroy Simon is second on the list, who corralled 185 balls from 1993-96.
The Roman Empire 
  • Roman Hemby rushed 13 times for 64 yards in the game. He added three receptions for 20 yards through the air. 
  • Hemby ranks 11th on the career-rushing leaderboard. With 2,346 yards, he passed Louis Carter (1972-74). Da'Rel Scott is 10th with 2,401 yards from 2007-10. 
Numbers And Nuggets 
  • 1: Maryland has scored a touchdown on the first offensive play of a game just twice since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
  • 1: MJ Morris made his first start at quarterback as a Terp and first since Nov. 4, 2023. 
  • 3: Ruben Hyppolite II posted his third career game with 10 or more tackles. 
  • 8: The Terps recovered their eighth fumble of 2024, which is tied for the lead in the Big Ten. 
  • 11: Hyppolite recorded a career-high 11 tackles. 
  • 12: Kaden Prather has 12 touchdowns in her career, including nine as a Terp and four this season. 
  • 13: Daniel Wingate posted a career-high 13 tackles. 
  • 18: Bryce McFerson has 18 punts of 50 or more yards this season. 
  • 26: Hemby has recorded a reception in 26 straight games dating back to December of 2022, the second-longest active streak by an FBS RB. This is the longest such streak by any Maryland running back this century.
  • 96: Felton finished the season with 96 receptions, a Maryland single-season record.
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