Feb. 7, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland's week three game against West Virginia has been moved to the night of Thursday, September 14. The game will be played at 7:45 p.m. and will air live in front of a national television audience on ESPN.

The game, originally scheduled for September 16, features a rivalry which has been intriguing since Ralph Friedgen and Rich Rodriguez have taken over their respective alma maters. The Terrapins took the first four games between the two coaches, winning by an average score of 39-13 and including a 41-7 win in the Toyota Gator Bowl at the close of the 2003 season.

West Virginia got its first victory under Rodriguez in a 19-16 overtime victory in the two team's last game at Morgantown and then earned its first convincing win over the Terps in the series between the two coaches with a 31-19 win in College Park last season. In that game, Maryland cut a 15-point deficit to two points with 8:24 remaining, but the Mountaineer ground game proved too much down the stretch for the Terrapins to complete the comeback.

This year's game will mark the first-ever Thursday night game between the two schools and the just the second night game since 1998.

In a series that exemplifies parity, Maryland is 21-21-2 all-time against West Virginia and 9-11-1 all-time in Morgantown.