Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State eyes New Year's 6 as Maryland looks to go bowling

Published Nov. 22, 2018 1:36 p.m. ET

Maryland (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) and No. 15 Penn State (8-3, 5-3, CFP No. 12), 3:30 EST (ABC).

Line: Penn State by 13½.

Series record: Penn State leads 38-2-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

Penn State wants to play in a New Year's Six bowl game and needs a victory to do so. Maryland missed out on a bowl game last season but can return to the postseason with a victory in Beaver Stadium, where they last won in 2014.

KEY MATCHUP

Maryland's running game vs. Penn State's defense. The Terrapins have to lean on their 17th-ranked running game as they're averaging just 137 yards through the air and have allowed 25 sacks on just 218 drop backs. Penn State has given up chunks of yards on the ground lately and is susceptible up the middle.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Maryland: RB Anthony McFarland has been on a roll despite his team's losing skid. He's run for 508 yards over the last two weeks and the Nittany Lions have allowed 219 rushing yards per game over their last three.

Penn State: RB Miles Sanders. The junior has touched the ball 56 times over the last two games and could be in for another heavy workload; the Terps let Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins run for 203 yards a week ago.

FACTS & FIGURES

Sanders needs 176 rushing yards to tie Saquon Barkley's total from last season. . The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in sacks with 38. . Penn State will honor 21 seniors before the game. . With a 37-14 record over four seasons, this class is the third winningest since 2009 (40-12) and 2011 (38-14). . These seniors are 26-3 at Beaver Stadium. . Maryland has lost three in a row. . The Terps went for a winning 2-point conversion but failed last week against Ohio State. . Maryland is tied for the Big Ten lead with a plus-8 turnover differential, with an NCAA-best 18 interceptions and eight fumbles.