Gameday Coverage: Penn State vs. Maryland

It’s gameday, Penn State fans! The Nittany Lions are in Baltimore this afternoon, set for a 3:30 p.m. clash against Maryland. It’s the second time Penn State has played in an NFL stadium this year. The first time didn’t end too well: The Nittany Lions fell to a still unbeaten Temple side in Philly.

Maryland has limped to a 2-4 start to the year, and feature interim coach Mike Locksley in his first game at the helm. With Saquon Barkley and Akeel Lynch a week healthier, the Nittany Lions, fresh off a disappointing yet marginally promising appearance at Ohio State, enter M&T Bank Stadium at about a one touchdown favorite.

Here’s all of the media information you need for today’s game:

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Television: ESPN.

Radio: 93.7 FM, 1450 AM, Sirius: 134, XM: 201

Weather: Penn State hasn’t had great luck with weather this year. Three rainy home games and a bitter cold matchup at Ohio State has, according to James Franklin, altered the offense’s production. But Saturday will be a perfect fall football afternoon: Mid to high 50s during tailgating hours, and right around 60 degrees throughout the game without any real chance of rain, according to AccuWeather.

Last time they met: Ugh. Maryland’s Brad Craddock booted a 43-yard field goal with 51 seconds left to defeat the Nittany Lions on their home turf, 20-19. Prior to kickoff, Maryland captains refused to shake the hands of Penn State captains during the coin flip ceremony. It set off a contested, heated, and at times ugly day of football. Sam Ficken drilled four field goals, but Christian Hackenberg struggled, completing only 18-42 passes.

Injuries: Nyeem Wartman-White is still out of course. But with Lynch and Barkley returning last week, along with a slew of other defensive players, Penn State should be the healthiest it’s been all year. Midway through the season, and given all the hits that Hackenberg has taken this year, that’s no small feat.

Media coverage: Make sure you follow @OnwardState and @OnwardStSports on Twitter and like Onward State on Facebook for the best coverage of today’s game. Our main account will tweet out big plays, photos, and interesting information, and our sports account will tweet play-by-play, statistics, and analysis. You can also follow our live blog for a more in-depth account of the game, and a collection of our best social content.

Ben Berkman (@Ben_Berkman on Twitter), David Abruzzese (@abruz11), and Alex Robinson (@ARobinsonPSU) will be in the press box for Onward State, and photographers Alex Bauer (@TheAlexBauer) and Jack Lukow (@JacksLens) will be shooting photos on the field. StateCollege.com‘s Ben Jones will also be in the press box.

A recap of our features, news, and previews from throughout the week can be found below: