UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Taulia Tagovailoa competed 18 of 26 passes for 282 yards and three touchdown passes and Maryland beat Penn State 35-19 on Saturday.
Rakim Jarrett caught five passes for 144 yards with a pair of touchdowns, Dontay Demus caught another, and Jake Funk added 80 yards rushing and a score for the Terps (2-1, 2-1 Big Ten Conference), who won for just the third time in the 44-game series and first since 2015.
Sean Clifford completed 27 of 57 passes for 340 yards with two interceptions and three touchdowns for the Nittany Lions, who fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2001. They had outscored Maryland 163-6 over the last three meetings.
The Terps flipped the script this time thanks to Tugavailoa and a defense that tortured Penn State all night.
A week after he turned in one of the best passing performances in Terrapins history, Tugavailoa didn’t hesitate to attack Penn State’s reeling defense. He completed 14 of his first 19 throws, including a pair of long touchdowns to Jarrett on two first-quarter possessions that gave the Terps a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Tugavailoa hit Jarrett on a short slant route and the wideout outran Penn State’s defense 42 yards into the end zone to open the scoring. Maryland went back to the play as the first quarter drew to a close, but this time Jarrett went 62 yards untouched to put Maryland up 14-0.
Funk capped an 8-play, 62-yard drive with a 38-yard touchdown run through heavy traffic early in the second quarter before Clifford cut the lead to 21-7 with a 20-yard touchdown to Dotson.
Tugavailoa gave Maryland a 28-7 lead when he found Demus running uncovered down the sideline for a 34-yard score.
It got worse for Penn State. Maryland got the game’s first turnover to start the third quarter.
Nick Cross blasted Clifford and jarred the ball loose on Penn State’s first second-half possession. Linebacker Chance Campbell scooped up the fumble and returned it 44 yards to give Maryland a 35-7 lead.
Clifford threw a pair of touchdown passes to Parker Washington in the fourth quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Maryland: The Terps played their most complete game against their regional rivals in a long time. Tagovailoa appears to have all the makings of a star and helped Maryland’s offense dictate this game from the opening whistle.
Penn State: For the third straight week, the Nittany Lions have little to feel good about. They were gashed on the ground early, burned on third down regularly, gave up huge chunks on intermediate passing plays and couldn’t get anything going on offense.
UP NEXT
Maryland: Hosts No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday.
Penn State: Visits Nebraska on Saturday.
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