Dec. 10, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - This week is the first in University of Maryland history that the school's football and basketball teams have both been ranked in the nation's top six during the same week.

The Terps, No. 2 in this week's USA Today/ESPN college basketball poll and No. 3 by the Associated Press, are joined by the No. 6 football Terps who are preparing for their Jan. 2 appearance in the FedEx Orange Bowl.

The basketball team is currently 7-1 and enjoying its highest ranking in history, at No. 2 for the second straight week. Maryland basketball was also No. 2 in the AP preseason poll, coming off last season's trip to the Final Four and returning seven of its top nine scorers.

On the gridiron, meanwhile, Maryland finished its regular season 10-1 as the outright ACC champions, its first ACC title since 1985. First-year coach Ralph Friedgen has been tabbed as the National Coach of the Year as the Terps have climbed to their highest ranking of the season, and their highest since 1978.

It is the first time that both clubs have been ranked in the top six during the same season.