The Week

EAST

On the morning of the Penn State-Maryland game, a damp and dejected hitchhiker stood in State College, Pa., bearing a rain-streaked sign that read ANYWHERE BUT HERE.

Maryland , which was ripped by the Lions 27-9, probably felt the same that afternoon. With wins over Rutgers, Houston and now the Terps, even cautious Penn State Coach Joe Paterno should be convinced that his Lions rank with the best. Sparked by the passing of Quarterback Chuck Fusina, who tied a school record for completions by connecting on 19 of 29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns, Penn State rebounded from a 3-all halftime deadlock to beat Maryland for the 22nd time in 23 meetings.

Defenses dominated through the first half when both teams combined for but 60 yards rushing, and a Fusina bomb for Flanker Jimmy Cefalo was defused by Jon Claiborne, son of Terp Coach Jerry, who batted the pass away. The momentum swung the Lions ' way when Maryland settled for an 18-yard field goal by Ed Loncar. The kick came on the last play of the first half, after the Terps had driven to a first down at the Penn State two-yard line. Maryland went for the field goal after three running plays netted one yard. "That defensive stand in the first half really psyched us up at halftime," Cefalo said of the locker-room meeting, during which Paterno told his team. "You're going to find out some things about yourselves today."

Early in the third quarter, Fusina found Cefalo again, but this time unencumbered by Claiborne or anyone else. The result was a 58-yard touchdown pass that dampened the Terps' spirit more perceptibly than the rain.

Fusina threw another touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, a 20-yarder to Halfback Mike Guman, before Tony Capozzoli connected with Cefalo on a seven-yard scoring pass in the last 40 seconds. The Lions ' Matt Bahr, who kicked two field goals, also set a school record of six consecutive successful kicks. The old record of five was held by his brother Chris, now with the Cincinnati Bengals . "I think we're starting to develop the poise it takes to be a good football team," Paterno said. "We hung tough and didn't crack."

After losing 76-0 to Pitt in one of the week's biggest mismatches. Temple Coach Wayne Hardin was asked if there was that much disparity between the two teams. "The disparity?" he said. "I don't think it's that much, but we just can't hand anyone four or five touchdowns." Pitt got 11 touchdowns all told, even though Panther Coach Jackie Sherrill used 20 freshmen. One of them, Quarterback Rick Trocano, ran for three scores and passed for another while playing only in the first half. Temple , which fumbled 12 times, losing eight, did not get past its own 46-yard line in the second half.

"Everybody knows Army's Leamon Hall is a tremendous passer," said Boston College Linebacker Rich Scudellari. "Not to take anything away from him, but we felt all along that our guy was better and I guess today he proved it." Indeed, BC Quarterback Ken Smith tossed a school-record five touchdown passes as he connected on 19 of 30 for 301 yards to rout the Cadets 49-28. A loser in 19 straight road games, Army had tied the score at 28 early in the fourth quarter. Shortly thereafter, Receiver Mike (Bucky) Godbolt told Smith in the huddle, "I can beat this guy if you get me the ball." Smith agreed, so the guy, Army Defensive Back David Charest, who had been burned on three previous touchdown passes, got another scorch mark when Smith threw down the middle to Godbolt for a 69-yard scoring play that broke the game open. Smith also connected on three touchdown passes to Pete La Boy and another to Paul McCarty.

Hall acquitted himself nobly in defeat, completing 23 of 39 passes for three touchdowns and 268 yards, which enabled him to eclipse the Army career total-offense record of 4,129 yards held by Glenn Davis . Hall's record now stands at 4,327 yards.

Syracuse got its first victory when David Jacobs kicked a 31-yard field goal in the last 23 seconds to beat Washington 22-20. The Huskies had taken a 20-19 lead minutes earlier on Warren Moon 's four-yard run but a conversion pass attempt failed.