Penn State is safely past Maryland, and the Nittany Lions are rolling into the Big Ten Championship Game!

Coming into the weekend, Penn State was squarely behind Ohio State in the league standings. But Michigan’s stunning upset in The Game opened the door, and James Franklin’s team kicked it in with a 44-7 win over Maryland.

Maryland will now head to the offseason at 4-8 with a 3-game bowl streak falling by the wayside. Meanwhile, Penn State plays on with major goals entering the postseason.

Here are the key takeaways from Week 14:

Nicholas Singleton’s burst returns

Nicholas Singleton has been dinged up at times this season and missed the UCLA game earlier in the season with an illness. While Singleton has gutted out some performances for the Nittany Lions, his usual burst and explosiveness has been absent at times.

Going back to an Oct. 12 game against USC, Singleton had produced just one game with a yards per carry over 6. That was the Washington game when Singleton needed just 7 carries to record 45 yards.

In last week’s close game against Minnesota, Singleton’s touches increased with 19 total touches on offense and 4.8 YPC on the ground. Against Maryland, the traditional breakaway look for Singleton’s speed returned.

It started early with a 66-yard kickoff return to set up Penn State’s first points of the game. And by the time Singleton was lifted for reserves, he had delivered one of his best performances since early in the season.

He finished the rout of the Terps with 87 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on just 13 carries, giving him 6.7 YPC. That is Singleton’s best efficiency since a Sept. 21 win over Kent State and his most production since a Sept. 28 win over Illinois.

For Penn State to achieve its postseason goals, Singleton needs to be at his best moving forward.

Tyler Warren’s magical season shatters records

Tyler Warren is up for the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end, and it’s hard to envision anyone beating out Penn State’s versatile contributor. He kept the versatility rolling in the season finale.

Warren led the Nittany Lions with 6 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown as the team’s leading receiver all season long. He also produced 32 rushing yards on 3 carries and completed a pass for 9 yards.

It goes down as Warren’s 3rd game of the season with a receiving touchdown and a completion (Kent State, USC). It is also Warren’s 3rd game of the year with at least 32 rushing yards and over 40 yards receiving from his TE position.

Now, Warren can officially add some records to his tally. He now holds Penn State’s all-time record for receiving touchdowns by a TE with 17, and Warren also set the Big Ten single-season record for receptions by a TE in Saturday’s game.

Penn State will get plenty of chances to showcase the versatile Warren on the big stage moving forward. We’ll see what Andy Kotelnicki and company have in store.

Back in the B1G Championship

Coming into the season, Penn State was among the top Big Ten competitors per the 2024 B1G Championship odds. But after losing to Ohio State, it looked like those hopes were out the window.

However, the Buckeyes received a jolt on Saturday when Michigan rolled into Columbus and shut down Ohio State’s offense with a 13-10 win. That upset opened the door for Penn State.

With the win over Maryland, the Nittany Lions are now back in the B1G Championship Game for the first time since 2016. Penn State won the game that season, but the league has been dominated by Ohio State and Michigan since then.

Now, Penn State is back with a chance to win the B1G, but it will not be easy. The Nittany Lions will face Oregon, an undefeated squad and the No. 1 team in the country entering Week 14. (The Ducks play Saturday night.)

A win in Indianapolis would net Penn State a first-round bye in the Playoff. But even with a loss, fans can likely pencil the Nittany Lions into the final 12-team bracket.