Terps Host Tech Next Week In Rematch Of '01 Thriller
10/12/2002 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 12, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland football team returns to action next week after a big win at West Virginia on October 5th and then an off week, and it does so in grand fashion as it will play host to Georgia Tech, the team it beat a year ago and drew the attention of the nation on its way to an Atlantic Coast Conference championship.
The Terrapins will play host to the Yellow Jackets on Thursday night at 7:45 p.m. in front of a nationally-televised audience (ESPN) from Byrd Stadium.
There are some differences between this year's game and last, as a year ago, the billing was of Ralph Friedgen's return home to square off against his old team and his best friend, George O'Leary. O'Leary is now in Minnesota with the Vikings and former Dallas head coach and Miami Dolphin's offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has taken over the reins. The quarterback that Friedgen helped turn into one of the best in the NCAA, George Godsey, has graduated. But what remains are two teams still fighting for an ACC championship and a rivalry that began with a huge kick a year ago.
In last year's game, the Terps had taken an early 14-0 lead only to fall behind 17-14 with time running out. Maryland took the ball with 1:18 left and quarterback Shaun Hill led the Terps into field goal position. Problem at the time was that the Terrapins were relying on a player in redshirt freshman Nick Novak who had only made four of his previous 11 attempts and the longest had come from 33 yards. This one was going to be from 46 yards with time running out in front of a sold-out crowd to tie a game and move to 6-0 on the season. By now, the result is well known to Maryland fans.
Novak hit the 46 yarder, hit an ensuing 26 yarder in overtime -- to the tune of play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico proclaiming Novak was kicking like "Jan Stenerud!" -- and the Terps went on to recover a Tech fumble on the ensuing possession to seal the victory.
A year later, Novak has evolved into one of the premier kickers in the ACC and the Terps are looking to regain the magic they found on that Thursday night in Atlanta.
Tickets still remain for this Thursday's game in College Park. For information or to purchase tickets, call the Terrapin Ticket Office at (301) 314-7070 or purchase tickets online at www.ticketmaster.com.
