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Saturday, Oct. 29

Maryland (2-5, 1-3 ACC)

vs.

Boston College (1-6, 0-4 ACC)

Kickoff: 3:08 p.m. EDT
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium (54,000).

Gameday Information

Tickets...
Tickets are available for the game. Fans may call 1-800-IM-A-TERP from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or click here. The Comcast Ticket office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. It will also be open from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on game day. The ticket office at Byrd Stadium will open at noon.

Digital Ticketing...
Maryland Athletics introduced digital ticketing this season at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. This system will provide fans greater convenience and security by scanning bar-coded tickets. With the new system in place, Maryland Athletics requests that fans arrive early to the gates. Arriving early will ensure all fans quick access to their seats by avoiding the last-minute rush to the gates.

Broadcast Information

TV: Regional Sports Networks (RSN) - Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Keith Jones (color) and Jenn Hildreth (sidelines). Locally, the game can be viewed on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. In the ACC region, it will be shown on Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Carolina, Sun Sports and NESN. Outside the ACC footprint, the game can be viewed on FOX Sports Tennessee, FOX Sports Southwest Plus, FOX Sports Houston Plus, FOX Sports Arizona Plus and Prime Ticket (California, Nevada, Hawai'i) . Click here for a complete list of affiliates. The game can also be viewed over the internet on ESPN3 or outside the region through ESPN Gameplan.

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color), Tim Strachan (color) and Dave Preston (sidelines) have the call. The Toyota Tailgate Show with Gary Stein begins at 2 p.m. Stein also serves as host on the postgame show. Click here to listen on-line through Terps TV Premium. The game can also be heard on Sirius (93) and XM (192). The Terrapin Sports Radio Network affiliates: WJZ-FM 105.7 - Baltimore (Flagship); ESPN980-AM - Washington D.C.; WWXX-FM 94.3 - Buckland, Va.; WCEM-AM 1240 - Cambridge; WBEY-FM 97.9 - Crisfield; WGOP-AM 540 - Crisfield; WFMD-AM 930 - Frederick; WARK-AM 1490 - Hagerstown; WPTX-AM 1690 - Lexington Park; WVMD-AM 1230 - Midland; WMSG-AM 1050 - Oakland; WWXT-FM 92.7 - Prince Frederick, Md.; WTGM-AM 960 - Salisbury.

Game Notes

First-and-10...
• Maryland looks to regroup from a 41-16 loss at Florida State, a game which was within reach until three scores in the final quarter by the Seminoles. The Terps were unable to get their running game going against the ninth-ranked rushing defense in the country, while the Seminoles used a balanced offensive attack and turned the ball over just once. Maryland hopes to get back on the winning track Saturday when the Boston College Eagles visit College Park.
• Offensively, the Terps have become a more run-oriented unit in recent weeks with quarterback C.J. Brown and tailback Davin Meggett providing most of the punch. Brown, who has started the last two games, has posted 286 rushing yards over the last three games, including a school record (for a QB) 162 vs. Clemson (10/8). He also tossed a career-high three TDs vs. the Tigers. Maryland has averaged 198.5 rushing yards over the last four games, including a season-high 291 vs. Clemson. Meggett, who went over 2,000 career yards on the ground vs. Florida State, ranks sixth in the ACC in rushing (75.1 ypg). Sophomore Danny O'Brien, who was replaced by Brown against Georgia Tech, came on in the second half of the FSU game and directed a pair of touchdown drives. Edsall indicated Sunday that the starter at quarterback vs. BC will be decided at game time. Junior Kevin Dorsey leads the receiving corps (team-high 29 catches) and ranks tied for eighth in the ACC in receptions (4.8 per game), though he missed the FSU game with an injury. Matt Furstenburg is manning the tight-end position for the second-straight season. The sure-handed junior already has 22 catches and posted a career-best 104 receiving yards vs. Clemson. He ranks second in the ACC among tight ends in receiving yards (39.6 pg) and third in receptions (3.1 pg). Wideouts Kerry Boykins and Quintin McCree are tied for fourth on team in receptions with 19 apiece. The offensive line recently lost its leader in left guard Andrew Gonnella who had a season-ending knee injury against Georgia Tech (10/8).
• The defense has been in a state of transition due to a number of injuries which has seen as many as seven potential starters on the sideline, including three (LB Kenny Tate, DB Matt Robinson and DL Isaiah Ross) for the season. Junior DL Joe Vellano, one of four team captains, has been the leader of a defense which has forced 16 turnovers (tied for 24th in the FBS), with three being returned for touchdowns. Vellano also has two fumble recoveries on the season (30-yard return for TD vs. Miami, 9/5) and is tied for the FBS lead in tackles by a lineman (7.4 pg). Junior Demetrius Hartsfield, who moved from Will LB to the Mike position in the off-season, ranks third on the team in tackles (51) despite missing the last two games with an injury. Fellow starting linebacker Darin Drakeford returned from injury (missed previous three games) to play against Florida State and recorded six tackles. The Terps started five freshmen defenders vs. Clemson (most in the FBS in 2011), including the entire linebacking corps. Senior Cameron Chism, who has two interception returns for scores this year, and sophomore Dexter McDougle, with a team-high three picks this season, man the cornerback positions. Junior Eric Franklin, who ranks 10th in the ACC in tackles (8.1 per game), has picked up the slack at safety with the loss of Robinson.
• Maryland possesses an explosive performer in senior Tony Logan, a 2010 first team All-ACC selection and record-setting punt returner. Logan is off to a slow start (averaging 6.5 yards per return - third in the ACC), but he has two career punt returns for touchdowns and had a season-best 24-yarder vs. Clemson. Logan is also seventh in the ACC in kickoff returns (21.1 ypr). Freshman Justus Pickett is averaging 17.6 yards on 17 kickoff returns. Nick Ferrara, a 2009 freshman All-American, is handling all three phases of the kicking game. The junior did an admirable job place-kicking, punting and kicking off for five games in 2009 when All-ACC performer Travis Baltz was unable to punt due to injury. Ferrara hit a career-best four field goals, including a 32-yard game winner, against Miami (9/5). He has hit 8 of 11 field-goal attempts and ranks fifth in the ACC in punting (40.1).

Quick Hitters...
• Quintin McCree had his best day as a Terp in last Saturday's Florida State game, posting career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (177). The senior came into the game with 269 career receiving yards. He had a career-long 69-yard reception (longest of the season by a Terp) in the third quarter which set up a touchdown.
• Danny O'Brien, who replaced C.J. Brown in the third quarter of the FSU game, moved to No. 11 on the Maryland career passing yards chart. O'Brien, who threw for 180 yards, passed one of the Terps' all-time greats in Dick Shiner (3,410/1961-63). O'Brien has 3,548 career passing yards.
• Marcus Leak started the first game of his career (Florida State) and became the first true freshman wideout to start for the Terps in six years. Danny Oquendo started at wide receiver as a true freshman vs. NC State (11/26/05). Leak posted eight receptions for 61 receiving yards and had his first TD reception, a 15 yarder in the fourth quarter.
• Brown came on in relief of O'Brien vs. Georgia Tech (10/8) and started vs. Clemson (10/15), rushing for more than 100 yards in each of those games. He's the only signal-caller in school history to post two or more 100-yard rushing games. His 162-yard effort vs. Clemson set a single-game school record for a quarterback and ranks eighth all-time in ACC history.
• Davin Meggett, who has two 100-yard rushing games this season, moved past 2,000 career rushing yards with his first carry of the day vs. Florida State (he entered the day with 1,997). He is just the 11th back in school history to surpass 2,000 yards. Meggett is also tied for 14th on the Terrapin career rushing TD list (17). • With four points against FSU, Nick Ferrara moved into a tie for 10th with Dale Castro (121/1979-80) on the Maryland all-time kick scoring chart.
• With the loss of Andrew Gonnella (season-ending knee injury vs. Georgia Tech, 10/8) and Kenny Tate (upcoming surgery), the Terps have just seven seniors (Davin Meggett, Maurice Hampton, Austin Walker, Cameron Chism, Trenton Hughes, Tony Logan and Quintin McCree) listed among the 44 players on the offensive and defensive two-deep. Logan (punt return) and Tim Downs (long snapper) are listed as starters on special teams.
• Nearly half of the players listed on this week's defensive two-deep (10 of 22) are freshmen (four true/six redshirt).
• A sell-out crowd of 53,627 attended the West Virginia game (9/17), marking the largest turnout at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium since Oct. 20, 2005, when 54,838 saw the Terps play Virginia Tech. The WVU crowd was the fifth-largest in Byrd Stadium history. Maryland also had a sellout vs. Miami (9/5) with 52,875 fans in attendance. So far this season, the Terps are averaging 45,828 fans through five home games, an increase of more than 6,000 from last year.

Tough Opening Stretch...
With three top 20 teams among the first seven foes of the season, Maryland's strength of schedule ranks third in the FBS according to NCAA.org. The Terrapins' first seven opponents have posted an aggregate record of 33-12 (.733) so far this season. When you factor in upcoming opponents, the Terps still have the 18th-toughest schedule in the FBS at this point in the season. Maryland's 2011 opposition currently has an aggregate record of 51-29 (.638). In addition to the three ranked teams, last week's opponent - Florida State - was ranked as high as No. 5 in the early season national polls.

Close Calls vs. The Top 20...
In three of its five losses this season, Maryland has either held the lead or been in position to score the go-ahead touchdown in the final 5:00. All three of those losses came against top 20 teams (No. 18 West Virginia, No. 13 Georgia Tech and No. 8 Clemson).

Mash Unit...
The Terps have lost a number of key performers to injury so far this season with the defense getting hit especially hard. In all, seven potential defensive starters, including the entire linebacking unit, have been on the sidelines for two or more contests. So far this season, the Terps have lost 29 man-games to potential defensive starters (DL Justin Anderson - 7; LB Darin Drakeford - 4; LB Demetrius Hartsfield - 2; DL Andre Monroe - 3; DB Matt Robinson - 4; DL Isaiah Ross - 6; LB Kenny Tate - 3).

Making Adjustments...
The Terps have trotted out a different defensive starting lineup every game this season. With LB Darin Drakeford returning from injury and A.J. Francis being reinserted at Florida State (10/22), the Terps used a seventh different lineup.

Leading the Nation...
Junior Joe Vellano is averaging 7.4 tackles per game, a mark which is tied for the lead among defensive linemen in the FBS.

Maryland-BC Ties...
• Maryland head coach Randy Edsall (DBs: 1991-93) and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton (QBs: 1991-93) were assistant coaches at Boston College under Tom Coughlin.
• Maryland running backs coach Andre Powell and BC tight ends coach Dave Brock spent the 2005-06 seasons together on the North Carolina staff.

No Laundry on the Field...
After setting a school record for most penalties (102) last season, Maryland has been one of the least flagged teams in the nation this season. The Terps rank seventh in the FBS in penalties per game (4.14) and 10th in yards penalized (37.86 per game). They had just two penalties for 11 yards against Towson (10/1) and one for 5 yards vs. Georgia Tech (10/8), the fewest flags the Terps have received in a contest since 2009 (one for 5 yards vs. Virginia Tech, 11/14).

Cashing In...
Maryland ranks tied for 13th in the FBS in turnover margin (+1.0 per game). The Terps forced four turnovers vs. Miami (9/5) and surrendered the ball just once to the Hurricanes. Maryland scored 16 points off the four Miami miscues, but did not allow the Hurricanes to score off its lone turnover. Despite turning the ball over three times vs. West Virginia (9/17), the Terps allowed just seven points off those miscues. Conversely, WVU turned the ball over three times and the Terps scored 10 points. On Sept. 24, Temple scored a touchdown off a Danny O'Brien interception. Maryland forced four Towson turnovers (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries) and scored 14 points off them. The Terrapins committed one but didn't surrender any points off the turnover. The Terps had two turnovers vs. Georgia Tech (10/8) and forced one Yellow Jackets' miscue. Neither team scored off the three turnovers. Against Clemson (10/15) the Terps won the turnover battle two to one and gained 14 points off turnovers while surrendering seven. There was just one turnover in the Florida State game (10/22), when Dexter McDougle made an interception, but no points were scored off of it. Since the beginning of the 2010 season Maryland has scored 154 points off turnovers (45) while the opposition has been held to 41 points (22).

What to Look for vs. BC...
• Davin Meggett, who ranks 11th in school history in career rushing yards (2,041), needs 100 more to move into sole possession of 10th place. Willie Joyner (1980-83) currently ranks 10th with 2,140 yards.
• Nick Ferrara, who has 121 career points, needs one more to take sole possession of 10th place on the Maryland all-time kick scoring chart.
• Ferrara, who has 26 career field goals (11th in school history) needs one more to reach the all-time top 10. Dale Castro (27/1979-80) ranks 10th on the Maryland career chart.
• Tony Logan (768) needs 27 yards to crack the top 15 on the ACC's career punt return yards list.
• Maryland ranks tied for 13th in the FBS (+1.0) in turnover margin, while BC is tied for 88th (-0.43). The Terps defense has forced 16 turnovers on the season, a mark which is tied for 24th in the nation.
• With all-time leading rusher Montel Harris on the shelf this season with an injury, the Eagles' running game is averaging just 114.3 yards per game (102nd in the FBS) this season. The Terps were 61st nationally in run defense just a few weeks ago, but 100-yard rushing games by Clemson's Andre Ellington and Florida State's Devonta Freeman have bumped them down to No. 110.
• Conversely, Maryland's running game (51st nationally at 168.3 ypg) will be tested this week. While BC ranks 72nd in the FBS in rushing defense (165.6 ypg), it has two of the top linebackers in the nation. Luke Kuechly leads the country in tackles (16.9 pg) and Kevin Pierre-Louis ranks tied for 32nd (9.3 pg).

Freshmen Starters...
So far this season, six freshmen (DL Keith Bowers, LB Lorne Goree, DL Andre Monroe, LB Mario Rowson, DB Titus Till and LB Alex Twine) have started for the Maryland defense, including four vs. Georgia Tech (10/8) and Florida State (10/22), and five vs. Clemson (10/15). That was the was the most freshmen to start for Maryland since Nov. 20, 1993, when five started in a 33-32 win over Wake Forest. That season the Terps had as many as six freshmen start in a game (on five occasions). In the game vs. the Demon Deacons, freshmen Sharrod Mack (DT), Johnnie Hicks (NG), Ratcliff Thomas (ILB), Andreal Johnson (RC) and Lamont Gore (SS) started on defense. The five freshmen defensive starters vs. Clemson is the most in the nation this season.

Streaks and Trends...
• Each team comes into this weekend's game riding a three-game losing streak.
• Since the beginning of the 2010 season, Maryland is 10-4 when winning the turnover battle. The Terps held a 1-0 advantage in turnovers with Florida State.
• CB Cameron Chism has started 30 consecutive games which leads the team. OT R.J. Dill has started 25 straight times which leads the offense.
• The Terps have recorded 33 picks over the last 23 games. They had at least one interception in 11 of 13 games last season and have recorded at least one in six of seven games this year.
• The Terps turned the ball over just 14 times (10 interceptions/four fumbles) in 2010 and just four of those (two vs. Navy, 9/6; one vs. Miami, 11/6; one vs. FSU, 11/20) occurred in the red zone. Maryland was tied for fifth in the FBS in fewest turnovers. The Terps have nine turnovers so far this season.
• The Terrapins have averaged 34.9 points over their last 11 home games.
• QB Danny O'Brien had his string of 15 consecutive starts snapped vs. Clemson and RB Davin Meggett saw his streak of six straight starts snapped vs. FSU.

Boston College At-A-Glance...
• Boston College enters the game 1-6 (0-4 ACC) after coming off a 30-14 loss against Virginia Tech. Head Coach Frank Spaziani is in his third year with the Eagles.
• The Eagles are led defensively by 2010 first team All-American Luke Kuechly. The junior linebacker, who led the nation in tackles as a sophomore and was second as a true freshman, currently leads the nation in tackles again with 118 (16.6 pg). He is also tops in the nation in solo stops (8.71 pg).
• Sophomore Chase Rettig has started all seven games as the signal caller for Boston College. Rettig ranks ninth in the ACC with 194.6 yards passing per game.
• Andre Williams and Rolandan Finch lead a two-pronged Boston College rushing attack. Williams averages 55.5 yards per game, while Finch averages 44.3 yards per game.
• Kicker Nate Freese ranks fifth in the ACC in field goals per game (1.29) and sixth in field goal percentage (75.0). The sophomore holds the second-longest kick in the ACC this season with a 52-yard boom.
• The Eagles offense has suffered injuries to key playmakers Montel Harris and Ifeanyi Momah. Harris, Boston College's all-time leading rusher, is out for the season with a knee injury. Momah, a big target at 6 feet 6, suffered a season-ending left knee injury in the season opener after making eight catches for 171 yards.

Maryland-Boston College Series History...
• Maryland and Boston College will face off for the ninth time Saturday. The Eagles own a 5-3 edge in the all-time series, including a 3-1 advantage in College Park.
• The Terps hung on for a 24-21 win over the Eagles last season in Chestnut Hill. Danny O'Brien went 26 of 39 for 179 yards and three touchdowns and Maryland forced three turnovers without committing one.
• BC has won two of the past three in the series. The Terps snapped a BC three-game winning streak in the series with a 42-35 victory over the eighth-ranked Eagles in 2007. Chris Turner threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, including two to TE Jason Goode. The Terps rushed for 135 yards against the top-ranked run defense in the nation (58 ypg) and the Maryland defense picked off Matt Ryan three times. The Eagles won a defensive battle, 19-17, in 2009.
• Prior to 2007, Maryland's only win in the series came in 1985 when the Terps beat the Eagles 31-13 in Foxboro, Mass.
• The Eagles have won four of the six meetings since Boston College joined the ACC. Maryland fell 31-16 in College Park in 2005, and 38-16 at Boston College in 2006. The Eagles also upended the Terps, 28-21, in 2008 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

By The Numbers...
0... Now that Andrew Gonnella is on the shelf with a season-ending knee injury, the Terps are without a senior on the offensive line.

1... Maryland ranks tied for first in the FBS in fewest fumbles lost (1). Davin Meggett has the lone one (vs. Towson, 10/1) and that was his first fumble in 230 carries.

2... Number of Maryland team captains (Andrew Gonnella and Kenny Tate) who are out for the season with injury.

2... So far this season, Maryland has seen two of the top eight crowds in the history of Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. There were 52,875 fans in stands for the Miami game (No. 8) and 53,627 for the West Virginia contest (No. 5).

2... Former head coaches (Gary Crowton, Greg Gattuso) on Randy Edsall's staff.

4... Tony Logan became the fourth non-quarterback (Da'Rel Scott in 2008 and 2010; Danny Oquendo in 2008; Josh Allen in 2006) since the beginning of 2004 to complete a pass with his 34-yard toss to Kevin Dorsey vs. Georgia Tech (10/8).

5... Number of freshmen who started on defense against Clemson (10/15) which is the most this season in a single game for any FBS team.

5... C.J. Brown is one of just five QBs in ACC history to post 150 or more rushing yards in a single game.

7... Maryland ranks seventh in the FBS in fewest penalties committed per game (4.14).

8... Maryland has recovered eight opponent fumbles which ranks tied for 22nd in the FBS.

10... The Terps have 27 former players on active NFL rosters, a number which ranks tied for 10th nationally.

15... Number of seniors on Maryland's 96-player roster.

17... Seventeen of the season-high 57 players who saw action vs. Towson (10/1) were freshmen. Since the start of the 1999, the Terps have played 17 or more freshmen in a game just seven times (20 vs. Virginia Tech, 11/14/09; 17 vs. NC State, 11/7/09; 17 vs. Clemson, 9/10/05; 18 vs. The Citadel, 9/13/03; 18 vs. Eastern Michigan, 9/8/01; 20 vs. Wake Forest, 10/21/00)

21... Number of freshmen (13 redshirts; eight true) who have played this season.