COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Fans of college football and University of Maryland followers can gear up for the 2009 season starting next week.

The third season of `Terrapins Rising,' an eight-episode reality series chronicling the Maryland football program, debuts at 9 p.m. Tuesday. The series then airs at 9:30 p.m. each Tuesday for seven consecutive weeks, culminating Sept. 1, just prior to the team's season opener against California (note: the season opener was originally scheduled to air at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14).

Comcast SportsNet will lead into the final seven episodes with a replay of the previous week's show. The season opener will replay at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The 30-minute show gives a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a major college football program. This season's series will follow head coach Ralph Friedgen and his staff as they prepare the Terps for the 2009 campaign after losing 30 seniors from last year's squad.

Each episode of the show features in-depth player and coach profiles, as well as footage of heated position battles from spring practice and off-season workouts.

The Terps return 10 starters (six on offense/four on defense) from last season's team, including quarterback Chris Turner and all-league running back Da'Rel Scott who head into year two under the offense of assistant head coach James Franklin.

The show also delves into the installation of a new defense under first-year coordinator Don Brown, who brought an attacking scheme to College Park this spring.

A film crew, led by former University of Maryland and Washington Redskins place-kicker Jess Atkinson, followed the team both on and off the field. The crew also sat in on team and positional meetings.

`Terrapins Rising' is the result of a partnership between Maryland Athletics, Comcast SportsNet, Under Armour and Atkinson & Co.

The program will also be available for Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic viewers ON DEMAND where available. The program can be found in Comcast SportsNet's Maryland folder.

`Terrapins Rising' will also air on Comcast Sports Southeast and Fox College Sports Atlantic, as well as being streamed through Maryland All-Access.

Click here for a sneak preview of the first show.

Below is a complete list of dates and air times for the show's third season:

Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
• Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET beginning 7/14 through 9/1
Comcast Sports Southeast
• Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. ET beginning 7/16 through 9/3
• Sundays at noon ET beginning 7/19 through 9/6

Fox College Sports - Atlantic
• Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. ET beginning 7/16 through 9/3

Umterps.com
• Wednesdays on Maryland All-Access beginning 7/15 through 9/2

About Atkinson & Co.
Jess Atkinson, owner of Atkinson & Co., has worked with the university the past eight years, producing Fridge TV and video segments for the school's athletics Web site, umterps.com. `Fridge TV,' the Terps' weekly football television show, is broadcast during the regular season on Comcast SportsNet. He also produces Under the Shell, the weekly Maryland women's basketball television show.

About Under Armour, Inc.
Founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, Under Armour is the originator of performance apparel - gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and light throughout the course of a game, practice or workout. The technology behind Under Armour's diverse product assortment for men, women and youth is complex, but the program for reaping the benefits is simple: wear HeatGear® when it's hot, ColdGear® when it's cold, and AllSeasonGear® between the extremes.

About Comcast Sports Group
Comcast Sports Group operates 10 sports networks that cover more than 2,400 live sporting events annually and deliver comprehensive sports news and analysis to 40 million cable and satellite homes. Comcast Sports Group's networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, The Mtn. - Mountain West Sports Network, and CSS. These networks provide live game coverage of 18 professional teams, as well as college, minor league and other sports. For more information, see www.ComcastSportsNet.com.

Important Upcoming Dates

July 26-27 - ACC Media Day in Greensboro, N.C.
Aug. 8 - Freshmen report to campus
Aug. 9 - Varsity reports to campus
Aug. 10 - Football preseason camp opens/Media Day
Sept. 5 - Season opener at California

Terp Notes:

Tyser Tower Expansion Project: The newly-expanded Tyser Tower will officially open at the first home football game on Saturday, Sept. 12 vs. James Madison. The renovated towers include 64 luxury suites, and over 400 new mezzanine seats. Suites are available now on multi-year, annual and single-game lease terms and offer the most luxurious game viewing experience. Mezzanine Seating is available now on lifetime, 10-year or annual lease terms, and feature complimentary in-seat food and beverage service. For more information on these premium seating opportunities at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium, please call the Terrapin Club at (301) 314-7020, send an e-mail or visit www.GreatExpectationsAthletics.com.

Football Season Tickets on Sale: Season tickets for this fall's seven-game home slate, which includes matchups with Rutgers, Clemson, Virginia and Virginia Tech, start as low as $135 and are on sale through the Maryland Athletics Ticket Office. To purchase season tickets, call 1-800-IM-A-TERP or click here.

release updated July 14