Going 1-0. It’s something fans hear from Penn State head coach James Franklin weekly. It’s a tactic used to keep the Nittany Lions focused on the task at hand and to not look at both the past or future, keeping the entire focus on the opponent right in front of them.

However, this week’s 1-0 mentality is the biggest in Coach Franklin’s tenure at Penn State. If the Nittany Lions defeat Maryland this afternoon (3:30 ET, BTN) then it guarantees them a spot in the College Football Playoff and they should also receive a home playoff game. So, to put it mildly, everything is on the line this week against the Terrapins.

Each week, I try to highlight a player, position group or storyline before breaking down Penn State’s opponent, and this week I want to touch on the play of quarterback Drew Allar. I haven’t talked much about Allar this season, and in my opinion, that’s a good thing. That means Allar has been steady and solid. I feel like that’s been the case nationwide wide as well - with writers, broadcasters and fans alike not talking much about Allar’s play.

Well we’re going to try and change that today. I think Allar’s play isn’t being talked about enough. I think it’s because he has been good, but he hasn’t been bad and he hasn’t been great. But he’s been very good week in and week out. On the season, Allar has thrown for 2,497 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. Allar also ranks eighth in the country with an 82.2 QBR. In his career, Allar has thrown for 46 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

Allar has helped Penn State win close games this season by making plays with his arm, but also with his legs. His scrambling prowess has improved in each and every season, especially this year. Allar has rushed for 202 yards and four scores, which has been enough to keep defense’s honest and also extend plays.

Last week in a 26-25 win over Minnesota, Allar again made plays down the stretch including a quarterback sneak on fourth and one that was converted, and an 11-yard throw to Tyler Warren on fourth and one to ice the game. Allar will need to put together one more solid regular season performance this afternoon against a Maryland pass defense that has given up some big numbers. The Terrapins (4-7) rank 108th in the country, giving up 245.7 yards through the air per game.

I am anticipating a heavy dose of Tyler Warren today in his last regular season game at Beaver Stadium on Senior Day. Warren has 75 catches for 910 yards and five receiving scores this season. After a big time performance against the Golden Gophers last week, Warren now holds the PSU tight end receiving yards record and holds the single season records for catches and receiving yards by a tight end.

There will also be some opportunities in this game for the Nittany Lions to get their rushing game going - and if they’re able to qualify for the CFP, running the football will be key for Penn State to have success and advance. I’ve said many times this year that the PSU rushing attack has been too inconsistent. It would be nice to see Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen put together a big rushing performance today to give them momentum moving forward. Maryland has been struggling against the run during its four-game losing streak. Last week, the Terrapins gave up 256 yards rushing to Iowa in a 29-13 loss. The Nittany Lions average 192.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks 28th in the country.

Maryland’s success on offense has come almost exclusively in the passing game. The Terrapins have the 12th ranked passing offense in the country, averaging almost 290 passing yards per game. Billy Edwards Jr. has thrown for 2,881 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Edwards Jr. is battling a thumb injury and left the game against Iowa early last week. MJ Morris filled in for Edwards Jr. and threw for 103 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against the Hawkeyes.

Las Vegas has Penn State as a 25-point favorite.

Maryland has not been able to run the ball with much success this season, averaging just 113.9 yards on the ground per game, which ranks 113th in the country. The Terrapins have become very one dimensional, having to depend heavily on their passing game and they haven’t always been able to protect the quarterback, giving up nearly two sacks per game. That is not a recipe that usually works well against the Penn State defense.

Defensive end Abdul Carter and defensive tackle Zane Durant have been playing really good football up front for the Nittany Lions during the second half stretch. Carter has eight sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss, which ranks near the top in both categories in the nation. Durant has 8.5 tackles for loss, which ranks fourth among Power Four defensive tackles in the country.

With so much on the line, I think the defense is going to be playing with a lot of energy. I think the defense is going to fly around and get after the passer, creating turnovers for Allar and the offense to take advantage of it, helping to put some points on the board. Also, look for Allar to hit some explosive plays in the passing game in this one.

My pick is Penn State 37, Maryland 13.