Feb. 27, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The second year of the Ralph Friedgen era at the University of Maryland will feature 13 regular season games, including a Kickoff Classic meeting vs. Notre Dame and ACC matchups in Byrd Stadium against Florida State and Georgia Tech.

The defending ACC champion Terps, who return 15 starters and 43 letterwinners from last season's 10-2 squad, open their 2002 slate at the Meadowlands when they meet Notre Dame and first-year coach Tyrone Willingham in the final Kickoff Classic. The game, which will be played Saturday, Aug. 31 at Giants Stadium, is scheduled to be televised nationally on ABC. It will be the first grid meeting between Maryland and Notre Dame.

Maryland is also slated for a national cable television appearance on Thursday, Oct. 17, when the Terps play host to ACC rival Georgia Tech and first-year coach Chan Gailey in a game to be shown on ESPN.

Other ACC foes who will visit Byrd Stadium in 2002 include Florida State, NC State, and Wake Forest. Three non-conference opponents - Akron, Eastern Michigan and Wofford - will also face Maryland in College Park, giving the Terps a seven-game home schedule. The Terps' lone non-conference road game will be at West Virginia.

The Terps will be on the road for ACC matchups vs. Duke, North Carolina, Clemson, and Virginia.

In total, Maryland's 2002 schedule includes five games against teams that advanced to bowl games in 2001: Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State, Clemson and North Carolina.

The Aug. 31 opener vs. Notre Dame matches the earliest start in Terp history (also in 1996). The Nov. 30 game vs. Wake Forest is the latest regular season finale since 1965.

Season tickets can be ordered now through the Terrapin Ticket Office (1-800-462-TERP).

2002 Maryland Football Schedule

Date	   Day	   Opponent	              Site
Aug. 31	   Sat	   Notre Dame (ABC)	      East Rutherford, N.J.
Sept. 7	   Sat	   Akron	              College Park, Md.
Sept. 14   Sat	   Florida State*	      College Park, Md.
Sept. 21   Sat	   Eastern Michigan	      College Park, Md.
Sept. 28   Sat	   Wofford   	              College Park, Md.
Oct. 5	   Sat	   at West Virginia	      Morgantown, W.Va.
Oct. 12	   Sat	   open
Oct. 17	   Thu	   Georgia Tech* (ESPN)	      College Park, Md.
Oct. 26	   Sat	   at Duke*	              Durham, N.C.
Nov. 2	   Sat	   at North Carolina*	      Chapel Hill, N.C.
Nov. 9	   Sat	   NC State*	              College Park, Md.
Nov. 16	   Sat	   at Clemson*	              Clemson, S.C.
Nov. 23	   Sat	   at Virginia*	              Charlottesville, Va.
Nov. 30	   Sat	   Wake Forest*	              College Park, Md.

*indicates ACC game.