No. 4 Penn State overcomes slow start to beat Maryland 44-7 and advance to Big Ten title game

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Drew Allar threw for a touchdown and ran for another score as No. 4 Penn State beat Maryland 44-7 Saturday and advanced to its first Big Ten championship game since 2016.

Nick Singleton ran for two touchdowns, Beau Pribula rushed for a TD and tossed a scoring pass to Tyseer Denmark, and star tight end Tyler Warren caught at TD pass for the Nittany Lions (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP), who will face No. 1 Oregon for the Big Ten title in Indianapolis on Saturday with a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff at stake.

Penn State's path to the conference title game was cleared when Michigan beat No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 in Columbus, Ohio.

“We knew, but I didn’t say anything to the team," Penn State coach James Franklin said of the Michigan victory. “Actually, I did the opposite, I said Maryland, Maryland, Maryland, Maryland.”

Nittany Lion fans in Beaver Stadium on a frigid, windy afternoon went quiet early, after a disastrous opening sequence against the struggling Terps (4-8, 1-8).

Maryland turned a Singleton fumble into a 7-0 lead two plays into the game before Penn State shook off its miscues and went on to rout its regional rival.

The Nittany Lions scored touchdowns on four of their five possessions in the second quarter and the Penn State defense forced four punts, a turnover on downs and had two interceptions before halftime to help secure the team's fourth straight win in the series.

Singleton, Allar and Pribula scored on short runs capping quick possessions after Maryland turnovers.

Warren, one of college football’s most dynamic players, set a Big Ten record for receptions by a tight end in the first quarter. He also became Penn State’s all-time leader in touchdown catches by a tight end with his 17th on a 7-yard pass from Allar that gave Penn State a 31-7 lead at halftime.

“We needed to win and play well,” Franklin said. “A lot of eyes looking at these games, looking at the statistics. All those things are important. We’re fighting to keep this family together as long as we possibly can. Wins do that.”

Maryland crossed midfield just once in each half and stalled out each time. Penn State played backups for much of the second half.

Allar finished 17 of 26 for 171 yards, while Singleton ended with 104 offensive yards on 16 touches.

Maryland's MJ Morris was 14 for 24 passing for 112 yards with three interceptions. Running back Roman Hemby gained 64 yards on 13 carriers for the Terps.

“Disappointing end to a long, long season," Maryland coach Mike Locksley said. “Disappointed. Disappointed in the way this thing finished. Disappointed in our inability to get things going.”

Penn State could move up to No. 2 after Ohio State’s loss.

Maryland: The Terps had their best start to any game this season. They forced and recovered a fumble on the game’s first play to set up a nice 25-yard touchdown pass from Morris to Kaden Prather. They failed to do much else the rest of the way, ending the season with a five-game skid. That losing streak is the longest since a seven-game winless stretch to end 2019.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions haven’t started games well all season, but they sure do finish well. In addition to the forced turnovers and punts, Penn State’s defense recorded six sacks and four quarterback hurries. Coach James Franklin improved to 9-2 against Maryland since the Terps joined the Big Ten in 2014.

Maryland: Season over.

Penn State: Faces No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday.

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Penn State tight end Tyler Warren (44) hurdles Maryland defensive back Kevis Thomas (25) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Hollywood Smothers slipped through the middle of the line for a 2-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left to help N.C. State beat rival North Carolina 35-30 on Saturday night in the Tar Heels' final game under Mack Brown.

Smothers' short TD run capped the go-ahead 75-yard drive that pushed the Wolfpack (6-6, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) to bowl eligibility. The key play was CJ Bailey's deep ball to Noah Rogers, who snagged a 44-yard catch while taking contact from two defenders to set up the go-ahead score.

That capped a wild finish that saw the Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5) take a 30-29 lead on Omarion Hampton's 47-yard catch and run to the end zone with 1:51 left in a huge day for UNC's top weapon. Hampton ran for 185 yards and a touchdown to go with four catches for 78 yards.

N.C. State: N.C. State was picked fourth in the ACC, but an unimpressive opening-night win against Western Carolina foreshadowed trouble. There were blowout losses to Tennessee and Clemson, as well as home losses to instate foes Duke and Wake Forest before last weekend's close loss at Georgia Tech set up this win-to-bowl scenario.

UNC: The Tar Heels were coming off a lopsided loss at Boston College, which killed optimism about the team's trajectory during a three-game win streak immediately preceding it. Then came the announcement that Brown wouldn't return as coach on Tuesday to set this up as a farewell moment for the winningest coach in program history who also led Texas to the 2005 national title.

The rivalry chippiness got going quickly when N.C. State offensive lineman Timothy McKay went low for a block and hit the planted left leg of Kaimon Rucker, leaving the Tar Heels’ pass rusher face down on the turf in pain in the first quarter. As trainers tended to Rucker — who ultimately was helped to the tunnel and didn’t return — fellow UNC linemen Jahvaree Ritzie and Desmond Evans stood near the middle of the field pointing and yelling toward Wolfpack players gathered on the sideline.

Two possessions later, officials declared offsetting unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties on every player on the field after a post-play bit of tangled jawing. And in the second period, UNC offensive lineman Howard Sampson was flagged for unnecessary roughness after running in late after a big run by Hampton to hit Wolfpack cornerback Brandon Cisse late and leave him shaken up.

Both the Wolfpack and Tar Heels await bowl destinations — with the latter also awaiting the hiring of their next coach.

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North Carolina head coach Mack Brown walks onto the field before an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)