Oct. 23, 2006
The University of Maryland continues its stretch of games against Atlantic Coast Conference rivals in the Atlantic Division with a home matchup against Florida State at 7 p.m. at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium. Maryland will end its 2006 season with eight straight against conference opponents, while the game with the Seminoles is the second in a three-game stretch against divisional rivals (NC State, Florida State, Clemson). The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN2, and broadcast on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network (105.7 FM and 1300 AM Baltimore; 630 AM Washington, D.C.) with radio pregame starting at 5:30 p.m.
Maryland (5-2, 2-1) earned a Homecoming victory over NC State a week ago, 26-20, posting its second straight victory and third in the last four games. The Terps turned three NC State turnovers into 17 points and took a 20-0 lead early in the third quarter before the Wolfpack mounted a comeback.
Florida State (4-3, 2-3) lost at home against Boston College in an exciting game, 24-19. The Seminoles trailed 24-10 before mounting a fourth-quarter comeback that fell just short. QB Drew Weatherford threw for 326 yards and a touchdown for Florida State, while Chris Davis led FSU with 10 catches for 100 yards. Weatherford also rushed for a touchdown.
Maryland is currently tied for third place in the Atlantic Division, one game behind first-place Clemson and a half-game behind second-place Boston College. The Seminoles are in sixth place in the division. Maryland, which has lost only to teams ranked nationally (West Virginia is currently #4/4, Georgia Tech is currently #21/21), will seek to extend a winning streak to three games for the first time since Games 4, 5 and 6 last season (at Wake Forest, Virginia, at Temple - 9/24 to 10/8). The Terrapins are a win away from becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2003.
Neither Maryland or Florida State is ranked this week in the Top 25 of either major poll.
Series Notes -- Terps vs. Seminoles
Saturday's game is the 17th in the football series between Maryland and Florida State. The Seminoles hold a 15-1 edge in the series.
Maryland's victory came in College Park in 2004 when the Terrapins won 20-17 over the then-5th ranked Seminoles. In that game, played on Halloween Eve, Maryland posted its first victory over a Top-5 opponent since 1983.
In the 2004 victory, QB Joel Statham was 21-of-40 for 333 yards and a touchdown while the Terp defense limited Florida State to just 50 yards rushing and forced a pair of interceptions. TB Josh Allen's 72-yard run after a swing pass from Statham was the play of the game while, notably, the Terps controlled time of possession in the game, 34:45 to 25:15.
Last year in Tallahassee, Maryland overcame a 14-0 deficit to take a 21-14 halftime lead. The Terps led 24-14 and 27-21, but then-10th ranked Florida State picked up two fourth-quarter touchdowns to earn a 35-27 triumph. Weatherford passed for 264 yards, while Lorenzo Booker ran for 60 yards. Maryland RB Lance Ball led all rushers in the game with 120 yards.
In three meetings under Friedgen prior to 2004, Maryland's problems with the Seminoles had largely been a result of their own miscues. In those three games, the Terps turned the ball over 11 times (seven interceptions, four fumbles) -- mistakes that have resulted in 42 Seminole points off of turnovers.
On-field history aside, the Terrapins have one other positive note in regard to their history with the Seminoles. In winning the ACC Championship outright in 2001, Maryland became the first team to hold the title since the `Noles joined the league in 1992.
Quick Hits -- Week 7
Maryland took advantage of turnovers to earn a 20-0 lead over NC State and held on for a 26-20 Homecoming victory over the Wolfpack, ending a two-game losing streak to the `Pack.
The Terrapins took advantage of three Wolfpack turnovers, converting them into 17 points. Maryland scored 14 points in a span of 1:49 early in the third quarter to take its 20-0 lead. NC State responded by going 80 yards in 14 plays to set up a 2-yard run by Andre Brown, but PK Dan Ennis kicked a 40-yard field goal with two seconds left in the third quarter for a 23-6 lead.
Darrell Blackman returned a punt 65 yards for an NC State touchdown midway through the final period and Toney Baker went over from 1-yard out to pull the `Pack within six points with 58 seconds left. Maryland covered the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock to earn its second straight win.
Ennis set a career-high with four made field goals in the game. He hit from 32 and 27 yards in the second quarter, from 40 yards in the third period and from 18 yards late in the fourth quarter. Ennis, now 11-for-15 this season, earned recognition as one of three weekly stars nationally by the Lou Groza Award.
Maryland used a solid running attack, getting 77 yards from TB Lance Ball and a career-high 62 yards from QB Sam Hollenbach en route to 165 yards as a team. FB Tim Cesa got the first carry of his career in the second quarter, running 11 yards for a first down.
With his second-quarter run for three yards, TB Josh Allen moved past Billy Lovett (1966-68) into 9th on the Maryland career rushing list. He now has 1,915 yards in his four seasons in College Park and is 85 yards away from becoming the 9th player in school history to rush for 2,000 yards.
Hollenbach completed 7 of 9 passes for 115 yards. TB Keon Lattimore had 3 catches for a career-best 72 yards, including receptions of 32 and 34 yards in the first half.
CB Josh Wilson sparked an aggressive defense that created problems for NC State QB Daniel Evans. Wilson had 2 of Maryland's 4 sacks, and the Terps were credited with 5 other quarterback hurries in the game.
Of Comebacks
Maryland's 20-point comeback at Virginia created a scramble through the record books to find the following nuggets:
Head coach Ralph Friedgen was the offensive coordinator on 11/10/1984 when Maryland recovered from a 31-0 halftime deficit at Miami to score a 42-40 triumph.
The last time Maryland came from 20 points down to win a game was on 11/20/1993 at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons scored the first 23 points of the game before Maryland rallied to take a 33-32 victory.
Before Saturday's win at Virginia, Maryland had earned two 14-point comebacks during Friedgen's tenure as head coach. Maryland trailed 21-7 at Wake Forest on 11/29/2003 before winning 41-28. Also, the Terrapins trailed 21-7 against NC State on 11/9/2003 before rallying for a 24-21 victory.
Terps Own Nation's Longest Streak
In special teams coach Ray Rychleski's six years, Maryland has had two punters (Brooks Barnard and Adam Podlesh), two long snappers (Jon Condo and Andrew Schmitt) and zero blocked punts.
The Terrapins' streak of games without a blocked punt goes back 78 games, now the longest streak in college football.
The Terps have not had one blocked since November 13, 1999 (Florida State). That amount of time became the longest in NCAA football two weeks ago when Georgia, which last had one blocked earlier in the 1999 season, had a punt blocked by Ole Miss.
Turning The Tables
While the Terrapins are not yielding blocked punts, they are doing their best not to return the favor to their opposition.
In the last two years, the Terps have blocked four punts. They opened this season with a Josh Wilson block against William & Mary.
Select Company
Ralph Friedgen's 41 wins in his first five years as a head coach ranked tied for second in Atlantic Coast Conference history among coaches in their first five years. Three games into the 2006 season, Friedgen is already working his way up the charts for sixth-year ACC coaches.
Though he was the top second-, third- and fourth-year coach in ACC history by wins, Friedgen's win total after last season fell short of the mark of 44 wins set by Clemson's Danny Ford from 1979-83. That mark, however, tied him for second with former Terrapin great Jerry Claiborne (1972-76) on the list of fifth-year mentors.
Friedgen (46-22) will need five more wins this season to match the six-year ACC mark of Ford (51-15-2), a tall order with five games remaining.
Last weekend's win moved Friedgen into a tie for 4th with current NC State coach Chuck Amato on the list for career wins in the sixth year. Amato was 46-28 in his first six seasons. Next on the list is Dick Crum, who was 48-20-1 in 1978-82 at North Carolina. Claiborne was 49-20-2 at Maryland from 1972-77.
New Old Faces
The loss of two experienced coordinators this past season left what would seem to have been a gap in experience on the Terrapin coaching staff. With Friedgen taking over at offensive coordinator and Chris Cosh on the defensive side, Maryland is far from green, however.
The Maryland staff (head coach and full-time assistants), overall, possesses a combined total of 202 years of full-time experience at either the collegiate or pro levels.
That total includes seven coaches (Friedgen, Cosh, Brattan, Rychleski, Seamonson, Sollazzo and Zacharias) who have been at it for 20 years or more, and the 202 years means an average of over 20 years of experience per coach on the 2006 staff.
Only quarterbacks coach John Donovan (four years) has less than 10 years as a full-time assistant coach. Donovan's time around football is not quite so brief, however, as he spent four years at Georgia Tech as Friedgen's graduate assistant and four years with the Terps as an assistant recruiting coordinator.
Back in the Saddle
This season will be Ralph Friedgen's first coordinating the Maryland offense while also serving as head coach. Prior to this year, Friedgen had not called offensive plays since leaving Georgia Tech in 2000.
In his last stint in college as a coordinator (1998-2000), Friedgen guided a Georgia Tech offense unit that averaged 36.7 points and 444 yards of total offense per game. During that span, the Yellow Jackets posted a record of 27-8 (.771)
This run is Friedgen's second coordinating the Maryland offense as he served in the same role under head coach Bobby Ross from 1982-86. In his time with Ross at Maryland, Friedgen helped lead the Terps to three ACC Championships and was instrumental in the development of quarterbacks Boomer Esiason, Frank Reich and Stan Gelbaugh.
Tough Road
The Terrapins road back to a bowl game will be a challenging one as its schedule is one of the toughest in the nation this season. An initial look shows that the Terps play (or have played) five teams ranked in this week's Top 25, but a second look proves that the midseason stretch will be among the toughest in the nation.
Maryland has eight 2005 bowl teams on the its `06 slate.
Now finished with their non-conference slate, the Terps are in the midst of eight straight games against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.
The NCAA maintains weekly an updated list of toughest schedules in the nation based on opponents' won-lost records. Currently, Maryland's opponents for 2006 are 42-25 (.621), ranking 6th on the list of toughest schedules. Connecticut has the toughest schedule, with the Huskies' opponents carrying a .667 winning percentage. The next-highest ACC team on that list is UNC in 11th.
In his online column in the preseason, ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman ranked the Terps schedule as the 10th-toughest in college football this season.
Sam I Am
For just the second time in the last six years, Maryland has started a season with a returning starter at the quarterback position. And though the success Sam Hollenbach (pronounced HALL-en-bock) had a year ago is not that of Scott McBrien (the last QB to return as starter) in 2003, his experience and knowledge of Friedgen's offense suggests that he he is the man to lead the Terp offense this season.
Through 7 games this season, Hollenbach has yet to have a breakout performance but has more cut down on the mistakes that plagued him a year ago. In 2006, he is 101-for-166 (60.8 completion percentage) for 1,137 yards with 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Hollenbach's career completion percentage heading into this week's game is 60.9 percent (315-for-517). He needs 95 yards this week against Florida State to hit the 4,000 mark in his career and become the 7th Terrapin to reach that plateau.
In the West Virginia game, Hollenbach moved into the Terps' career top 10 for yards, surpassing some big names along the way. Now with 3,905 yards, Hollenbach is 7th on the career passing yards list, having moved past John Kaleo (1991-92) and Stan Gelbaugh (1981-85) at Virginia. He is 175 yards away from Brian Cummings, who threw for 4,080 from 1994-97.
Hollenbach is the only returning ACC quarterback to rank in the top five in pass efficiency, total offense and passing yardage last year. The lone QB who achieved that feat along with him was the now-departed Charlie Whitehurst of Clemson.
Entering this week, Hollenbach is 11-7 in his career as a starter.
Terple Threat
Heading into last season, Maryland was -- for the first time since 2001 -- in search of a tailback. Mario Merrills, Lance Ball, Keon Lattimore and J.P. Humber were all vying for the job and midway through last season, no single back had been named the every day starter. A year later, the Terrapins are as deep and talented at tailback as any team in the ACC and the only issue at hand is splitting up the carries.
This year, the team has made regular use of Ball, and Lattimore while also mixing in veteran Josh Allen.
Seven games into the season, the trio has rushed 212 times for 1,006 yards (4.7 average) and 9 touchdowns.
Still only a junior, Ball established himself as one of the league's top backs a year ago, rushing for 903 yards despite starting only four games. He rushed over 100 yards four times in the team's last seven games and was ultimately named second team All-ACC.
Ball currently leads the team in rushing with 545 yards on 112 carries (4.9 per carry). He is 4th in the ACC in rushing and rushed for the fifth 100-yard game of his career at Georgia Tech (23 carries, 116 yards).
Junior Keon Lattimore missed spring recovering from a shoulder injury, but has returned and looks like a different player this season. He is second on the team in rushing (79 carries, 406 yards) and his 5.1 yards per carry leads the team. Lattimore had the first 100-yard rushing game of his career at Virginia.
Now completely healed from an injury suffered in the final game of 2004, Josh Allen returns to give the Terps yet another threat. Allen enters this week tied for 6th on the school's all-time list for rushing touchdowns and moved into the career top 10 for rushing yards with 1,915. He is now 9th on that list, passing Billy Lovett (1966-68) on Saturday against NC State.
Receivers Coming Along
In Vernon Davis, Danny Melendez, Jo Jo Walker and Derrick Fenner, Maryland lost 76 percent (160 of 210) of its receptions due to graduation or the NFL draft. It is not a mystery that players will have to step up in their absence.
The Maryland two-deep returned just one senior (Drew Weatherly) and no other players with the exception of special teams guru Greg Powell with any more experienced than a sophomore. What the team does have that it did not have even last year in its talented trio of wideouts is an abundance of physical talent.
The average height and weight of this year's top five receivers is 6-2, 203. In that group, the average time in the 40-yard dash in spring drills was 4.46 with Darrius Heyward-Bey and Isaiah Williams each sub-4.4.
Through seven games, Maryland's top three wide receivers are all second-year players (Danny Oquendo, Williams and Heyward-Bey). The only non-receiver to sneak into the top four is another first-year starter, TE Joey Haynos.
Heyward-Bey had an outstanding game at Georgia Tech, often getting yards where there seemingly were none. He finished the day with five receptions for 111 yards, the first 100-yard effort of his young career and first of the season for the Terrapins.
In game three (at West Virginia), the trio of Heyward-Bey, Williams and Oquendo accounted for eight more receptions (12) than they had in their collective careers prior to this year. Heyward-Bey and Williams each posted then career highs in receptions and yards and Williams caught his first career touchdown, a 35-yarder.
Against Virginia, Sam Hollenbach found 8 different receivers. Heyward-Bey led the team with 5 catches against the Cavs and has taken over the team lead in receptions with 22 and receiving yards with 289. That stat is all the more impressive since 21 of his 22 catches have come in the last five outings.
Noting the Terp Defense
When he was hired to come to Maryland, the talk about the mark Ralph Friedgen would make in College Park was all about offense. For the majority of his tenure, however, the most consistent Terp unit has been the defense.
Since 2001, the Maryland defense has allowed an average of 19.0 points per game. The 2005 campaign was the team's first in that time finishing a season with a scoring average above 20.0.
Last year's defensive scoring average of 25.0 points per game was somewhat deceiving. The Terrapins gave up 42 points without the defense even being on the field (four interception returns, one punt return and one fumble return). Factor that in and the team averaged 21.1 points allowed per game, which would have ranked 26th-best in the nation as opposed to 55th.
Since 2001, 43 of Maryland's 68 opponents (63%) have been held to 20 points or less.
Since 2002, Maryland has held its opposition scoreless in 98 quarters (including 11 in 2006).
Prior to Saturday's first-half shutout of NC State, the last time Maryland held an opponent scoreless in the first half was 11/27/2004 when the Terps posted a zero on the scoreboard at Wake Forest. Maryland won that game 13-7.
Maryland has held nine opponents to 100 yards or less passing since 2001 (one in 2006).
Since `01, Maryland has held its opposition below 100 yards rushing 16 times. The Terps have accomplished the feat twice in `06 (William & Mary and FIU).
Just 3 times since game two of 2003 has a quarterback been able to pass for more than one touchdown against the Terrapins (Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall in 2004, Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst in 2005 and Virginia's Jameel Sewell in 2006).
Turnover Low in `06 and `07
Maryland had just 15 seniors on its roster last season, with two of those seniors -- OT Stephon Heyer and TB Josh Allen -- back in uniform this year after redshirting due to injury.
Only seven of those 15 seniors from last year were listed as starters (three offense, four defense).
Just four players from the entire defensive two-deep from last year were lost to graduation.
This season's team has a total of just 13 seniors.
LB Unit Home of the Hardware
Three of the last five years, the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year has been a Maryland linebacker. This season the Terps have had to replace last year's honoree after losing eventual NFL second-round pick D'Qwell Jackson (currently the Browns' third-leading tackler), so it may come as a shock that Maryland's linebacking corps may be better this season.
Focus this year has been on junior Wesley Jefferson as he is filling the spot where E.J. Henderson (2001 and 2002) and Jackson (2005) earned their hardware while also garnering national award attention at season's end. Jefferson -- who is currently 2nd in the ACC in tackles with 8.7 per game -- has a deeper and possibly more talented surrounding cast than either All-American was afforded.
In game one of 2006, the Terps got eight players in at their four linebacker positions with four of the team's top five tacklers being linebackers. Between Jefferson, Dave Philistin, Erin Henderson and Trey Covington, 28 tackles, three TFLs and two sacks were accounted for.
LBs have led the Terps in tackles in 6 of the 7 games (CB Isaiah Gardner had a team-high 8 vs. Middle Tennessee). Jefferson has led the Terps 4 games in games (W&M, FIU, UVa, NC State), while senior David Holloway topped the tackle chart against West Virginia and Georgia Tech.
Jefferson, who had a career-high 13 last week against NC State, leads the Terps in tackles (65), tackles for loss (6.5) and is tied with DL Dre Moore in sacks with 2.5.
Jefferson (W&M, UVa, NC State), Holloway (GT) and Henderson (10 at Virginia) have posted games in double figures this season.
Turtles in Name Only
The last two years, Maryland has seen an increased level of speed and athleticism among its players as the players on this years team have shown in offseason testing. (Last season was the first year that there were no remaining players from the previous regime's recruiting efforts).
The Terrapins had 14 players run in the 4.5-or-better range in the 40-yard dash in spring testing (note that all times are an average of six stopwatches on the same sprint).
Four of the 11 wide receivers who tested in the spring ran 4.44 or faster and six defensive backs ran under a 4.5.
Some notable times from players other than wideouts and corners who ran well include linebacker Dave Philistin (4.55), quarterback Josh Portis (4.53) and punter Adam Podlesh (4.44).
One other notable time, though it has as much to do with weight as it does speed, was the 4.83 time of 312-pound defensive tackle Dre Moore.
Podlesh Moving Up the Charts
Adam Podlesh is rated by NFL scouts as one of the top senior punting prospects this season. He has earned that distinction with as complete a resume as a punter can possess -- gross average, net average, directional punting and consistency -- and he has done it throughout his career at Maryland.
In 7 games this season, Podlesh is averaging 44.6 yards per punt on 28 attempts with 12 balls inside the 20-yard line and 8 fair catches.
Podlesh is ranked 10th nationally in gross punt average this week. His net average of 36.4 is 7th in the ACC.
On 188 career punts, Podlesh has dropped 38 percent (72) inside the opponents' 20-yard line and 16 percent (31) inside the opposition's 10.
Podlesh has earned second-team All-ACC honors in each of his three years at Maryland. In each of those seasons, he was ranked just behind last year's Ray Guy Award winner Ryan Plackemeier of Wake Forest.
In being named the second team All-ACC punter in 2003, Podlesh became the first freshman in school history to be recognized by the league.
Heading into 2006, Podlesh's career average was ninth-best in ACC history and just a half-yard shy of Brooks Barnard's school record of 43.7.
Iron Terps
Maryland's strength numbers over the course of the last six years have been off the charts. This season, 22 players earned "Iron Terp" status, an honor that is based on a player's strength index (determined by a strength/weight formula).
Team averages (in categories used to measure index) this season include an average bench press of 338 pounds; an average squat of 489 pounds; an average clean of 294 pounds; and an average vertical jump of 33-1/2 inches.
Not only were new individual records set, but the team as a whole improved dramatically, as 78 percent of the players on this year's team elevated their personal bests in strength index.
Nine different all-time records were set for players at their given position. Among those records were the 40-yard dash time of punter Adam Podlesh (4.44), the vertical jump of linebacker Rick Costa (42 inches) and the bench press of quarterback Jordan Steffy (355).
Arguably the most amazing record set was by offensive tackle Jared Gaither. At 6-9 and 350 pounds, Gaither posted a 36-inch vertical jump.
ACC Football Power
Now in its second year as a 12-team conference with a championship game, the Atlantic Coast Conference is widely recognized as one of the premier conferences in college athletics.
Last season, eight ACC teams earned bowl bids.
The conference's schools have posted a 21-12 mark in postseason play in the last five years, best among all Division I-A conferences in that span.
With 10 of its 12 teams in the Sagarin ratings final top 45 last season, the ACC was ranked second among all conferences in the final Sagarin poll in 2005. Three of its schools were rated by Sagarin to have among the toughest 20 schedules in the country (UNC, 5th; Maryland, 10th; Georgia Tech, 16th).
Scouting the Seminoles
Florida State enters this week's matchup in College Park with a 4-3 mark overall and a 2-3 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Florida State, now sixth in a tightly-packed Atlantic Division, owns league wins over Miami and Duke, but has dropped decisions to Clemson, at NC State and, last week, to Boston College 24-19, in Tallahassee.
Sophomore QB Drew Weatherford is currently 2nd in the ACC in total offense (217.4 yards per game) and 3rd in the league in passing efficiency (135.2 rating). He has thrown for 1,521 yards, averaging 62.3 percent completions and boasts a 10-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. FSU leads the ACC in team passing offense, averaging 246 yards per game.
Sophomore TB Antone Smith is the team's leading rusher thus far with 311 yards, but has combined with senior TB Lorenzo Booker (288 yards) to give the `Noles a solid 1-2 punch on the ground.
Junior WR De'Cody Fagg tops the receiving chart for Florida State with 25 catches for 297 yards. Three FSU players, Chris Davis (23-for-289) and Booker (22-for-255) have also caught at least 20 passes for the Seminoles. Sophomore Greg Carr has 309 yards and 7 touchdowns on his 17 catches this year.
Defensively, Florida State ranks 3rd in the league in rushing defense and 4th in total defense. Senior MLB Buster Davis leads FSU with 63 tackles and 32 solos. The next-highest total on the tackle chart is 34 by FS Roger Williams.
A Look Back
Maryland has 45 wins in its five-plus seasons under Ralph Friedgen (in Friedgen's first 5 seasons, the team averaged 8.2 wins per year).
The Terps' total of 36 wins from 2001-04 was the second-highest four-year win total in school history. Maryland's top effort was 37 wins under Jerry Claiborne from 1975-78.
In the 108 years of football prior to Friedgen's arrival, Maryland had never put together three straight nine-win seasons. The Terrapins won 10 games in each of Friedgen's first three seasons (2001-2003).
Since 1892, Maryland has had seven 10-win seasons, three of which have come in Friedgen's five-plus years.
Protecting the House
Despite a sub-.500 record in 2005, the Terrapins are 28-7 at Byrd Stadium under Ralph Friedgen. The Terps are 4-0 at home this season.
The Terps finished the 2003 season with a perfect 6-0 record at home, marking the second time in three years the team finished its home slate unblemished.
In 113 previous seasons of football, Maryland has finished undefeated at home 19 times. Just eight of those occasions, however, have come since 1950 (when Byrd Stadium opened) and just three times has it happened since 1975 (`76, 2001 and `03).
The Terrapins' 6-0 mark in 2003 was a tie for the second-best record at home in school history. The 1976 team was also 6-0, only to be trumped by the 2001 team which won all of its games on a seven-game home slate.
More on Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium
Now in its 57th year of operation, Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium continues to serve as the home of the Terps. Opened on Sept. 30, 1950, and constructed for a sum of $1 million, Byrd was named after Dr. H.C. "Curley" Byrd, a multi-sport star at Maryland who later became the school's head football coach and ultimately its president.
The Terrapins are 183-104-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd.
With temporary bleachers installed again this season, Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium can hold up to 51,500.
Terp Alley
In an effort to restore some tradition on gameday in College Park, the football staff created Terp Alley in 2001, a tradition that has become a part of the gameday experience outside Byrd Stadium.
For every football home game, the entire football team makes its first appearance of the day at "Terp Alley." The team is dropped off at the circle at the top of Field House Drive (between the football press box and Ludwig Field) approximately two hours before kickoff and is led past fans gathered along the street to the football complex by the Maryland band and cheerleaders.
Ticket Information
Individual game tickets for Terp home games may be purchased locally at any Ticketmaster outlet or by visiting the Maryland ticket office at Comcast Center. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
For additional info or to order by phone, call (800) 462-TERP.
Dinner with the Turtles
Most Maryland football games are replayed on Comcast SportsNet every Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. Fans can also tune in at 7:00 p.m. Sundays and catch the Ralph Friedgen Show.
Once more this season, the date and time will change for the show and replay -- Miami (Tuesday, 11/14, 7:00 p.m.).
Fans can also see game highlights by tuning in to FridgeTV on the UMTerps.com website every week.
