Maryland vs. Penn State: Focus remains the same despite rivalry

Maryland and Penn State may have just started playing each other regularly in 2014, but there’s clearly a rivalry brewing.

Despite that, the Terrapins are staying focused on the task at hand.

This is the one game that draws the most interest from analysts and fans alike. The rivalry has been rather heated after “Handshake-Gate” prior to the 2014 meeting between the two schools.

“Our mentality and our approach is the same every week,” coach D.J. Durkin. “We play 12 one-game seasons. Any time you play a team that some of our guys may know or may have played against some of their guys, there’s a little something more to it. You know some of those faces a little better. But, for us, it’s just a Big Ten East matchup. They all count the same.”

Maryland is off to their first 4-0 start since 2013. Aside from Ohio State, nearly every team in the Big Ten East has looked vulnerable at times.

There’s definitely a lot at stake for the Terps and they can’t allow themselves to get distracted by the rivalry.

“Another Big ten opponent so it’s a Big Ten conference game for us,” quarterback Perry Hills said. “We look at all of them the same. We’re going to go and prepare the same way we have always been preparing. Just trying to go out and get another Big ten win.”

The first two games between the two programs as Big Ten foes have been nothing short of heart-pounding.

Maryland won the first game 20-19 courtesy of a 43-yard field goal by Brad Craddock with just 51 seconds remaining. The Terps trailed by as many as nine points in the second half before storming back.

In the 2015 meeting in Baltimore, Maryland went into the game under interim coach Mike Locksley after Randy Edsall was fired. This was a back-and-forth affair and the Terps led 27-24 heading into the fourth quarter.

However, the Nittany Lions had just enough defense to walk away with a 31-30 win at M&T Bank Stadium.

This year’s meeting gives Maryland even more to play for.

“I know every game for us is important, we don’t treat any of them any differently from week to week,” defensive coordinator Andy Buh. “They’re the next guys on our schedule. We worry a lot more about ourselves than we do the other teams. We definitely prepare and analyze at the highest level we can.”

There’s more hype surrounding this year’s meeting than there has been since the series was renewed two years ago. Durkin’s new regime and outlook are to thank for that.