Maryland Has More To Prove To Establish True Rivalry With Nittany Lions

Maryland was one of two newcomers to the Big Ten last year and they didn’t hesitate to instigate a feud that will no doubt carry into the upcoming season and beyond.

As the teams met at the 50-yard line prior to last year’s game, the Penn State captains extended their hands to greet the visitors. The Terrapins didn’t comply, refusing to shake the Nittany Lions’ hands. The actions by the Maryland captains were not condoned by the coaching staff, according to head coach Randy Edsall, though he pumped up the rivalry following the game.

The Terps’ bold statement wasn’t received well by the Nittany Lion faithful at Beaver Stadium, which meant Maryland had much more to prove. Prior to its Big Ten membership, Maryland had been dominated by the Nittany Lions, trailing the all-time series 35-1-1. The last time the programs had met was in 1993.

Maryland was flagged for their lack of sportsmanship and it almost backfired on them, as Penn State carried a 16-7 lead into the 4th quarter. The Terps rallied, though, and took the game, 20-19, on the foot of Lou Groza award winner, Brad Craddock.

My prediction for the ‘rivalry’: Maryland may have won the first Big Ten matchup with the Nittany Lions, but they have much more to prove before they can be considered on of Penn State’s top-tier rivals. James Franklin‘s crew had a down year, but don’t expect Penn State to go 7-6 for a second straight year. Franklin is a solid recruiter and has been doing well in the state of Maryland as well as surrounding areas. Penn State should be on the rise in the next couple of years and it’ll be a very difficult game for the Terps to win, especially considering they don’t yet know who their quarterback will be in 2015.

Maryland got off to a good start head-to-head against the Nittany Lions in Big Ten play, but they’ll have to continue that success down the line. A true rivalry is competitive and unpredictable, and the all-time series — so far — has been relatively predictable.

Jason Shawley is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com covering Big Ten Football. Follow him on Twitter @jshawls.