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Saturday, Nov. 5

Maryland (2-6, 1-4 ACC)

vs.

Virginia (5-3, 2-2 ACC)

Kickoff: 12:29 p.m. EDT
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium (54,000).

Game Day 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. Tickets are available for as low as $30 apiece and there is a Family Four-Pack available for $72. The Comcast Ticket office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The ticket office at Byrd Stadium (located near Gates F & G) will open at 9:30 a.m. on game day. Stadium gates open at 11 a.m.

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.

Canned Food Drive...
There will be a canned food drive at Saturday's game. Fans are encouraged to bring any canned food items to the game. Bins will be set up at each gate. Donations will support the Capital Area Food Bank. Gates open at 11 a.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: The ACC Network - Tim Brant (play-by-play), Riley Skinner (color) and Mike Hogewood (sidelines) will call the action. Locally, the game can be viewed on WJZ-TV (Channel 13) in Baltimore and WTTG-TV (FOX 5) in Washington, D.C. 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 11:30 a.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 (134) and XM (197). 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 will try to get back on the winning track Saturday when the Virginia Cavaliers visit Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium in the Terps' final home game of the season. The Cavaliers have won three of their last four contests, while the Terps will attempt to snap a four-game skid. Maryland's 42-23 victory last season in Charlottesville snapped a Virginia three-game winning streak in the series. Saturday's game, the 76th meeting between the teams, will be shown regionally on The ACC Network.
• 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 three games, has posted 303 rushing yards over the last four games, including a school record (for a QB) 162 vs. Clemson (10/8). Maryland has averaged 198.2 rushing yards over the last five games, including a season-high 291 vs. Clemson. The Terps rank fourth in the in the ACC in rushing (171.9 ypg) and seventh in total offense (382.4 ypg). Meggett, who is tied for 10th in school history in career rushing yards (2,140), ranks sixth in the ACC in rushing (76.1 ypg). Sophomore QB Danny O'Brien, who has started 15 career games, has come on in relief the last two contests. Junior WR Kevin Dorsey leads the team in receptions (29) and receiving yards (361) despite missing the last 10 quarters with an injury. He ranks sixth in the ACC in receptions (4.8 per game). Matt Furstenburg is manning the tight-end position for the second-straight season. The sure-handed junior has 24 catches (second on the team) and posted a career-best 104 receiving yards vs. Clemson (10/15). He ranks second in the ACC among tight ends in receiving yards (37.3 pg) and third in receptions (3.0 pg). Wideouts Kerry Boykins and Quintin McCree are tied for fourth on the team in receptions with 23 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 20 turnovers (tied for 12th 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 leads the FBS in tackles by a lineman (7.8 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 three games with an injury. Fellow starting linebacker Darin Drakeford returned from injury (missed previous three games) against Florida State (10/22) and has 17 tackles over the last two games. The Terps started five freshmen defenders vs. Clemson (second most in the FBS in 2011), including the entire linebacking corps. Lorne Goree has started the last four games at Mike LB and leads all ACC freshmen in tackles (6.0 per game). Senior Cameron Chism and sophomore Dexter McDougle are tied for the team lead with three interceptions apiece. Chism has two interception returns for touchdowns this season (one of just three players with two in a year). Junior Eric Franklin, who ranks 10th in the ACC in tackles (8.5 per game), has picked up the slack at safety with the loss of Robinson.
• Nick Ferrara, a 2009 freshman All-American, is handling all three phases of the kicking game. The junior ranks sixth in the ACC in punting (39.6 ypp) with nearly one third of his attempts (12 of 37) landing inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Ferrara is 9 of 14 on field goals, including a career-best four field goals against Miami (9/5). Senior Tony Logan, a 2010 first team All-ACC selection and record-setting punt returner, ranks fifth in the league (6.5 ypr). Logan, who missed the Boston College game with an injury, is also sixth in the ACC in kickoff returns (21.1 ypr). Freshman Justus Pickett is averaging 17.0 yards on 20 kickoff returns.

Quick Hitters...
• Saturday's game will serve as the final home appearance for 15 seniors: DB Cameron Chism, LS Tim Downs, WR Webb Dulin, OL Andrew Gonnella, DB Anthony Green, DL Maurice Hampton, RB Desmond Haynes, DB Trenton Hughes, WR/PR Tony Logan, WR Quintin McCree, RB Davin Meggett, DB Daniel Thomas, LB Kenny Tate, WR Ronnie Tyler and DB Austin Walker. Tate, who had season-ending surgery last week, hopes to return next year on a medical redshirt. In addition, LB Shaquan Virgil, a fourth-year junior, will take part in the pregame ceremony which starts at 12:08.
• WR Quintin McCree has 13 receptions over the last two games, including career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (177) against Florida State (10/22). The senior came into the FSU game with 269 career receiving yards and has 208 over the last two contests.
• Davin Meggett moved into a tie for 10th on Maryland's career rushing yards list with 99 yards against Boston College (10/29). Meggett is tied with Willie Joyner (2,140; 1980-83).
• Marcus Leak has started the last two games at wide receiver. He became the first true freshman wideout to start for the Terps in six years when he was in the opening lineup vs. FSU (10/22). 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 vs. the Seminoles.
• C.J. Brown, who replaced Danny O'Brien vs. Georgia Tech (10/8) and started the last three contests, is 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. He also rushed for 124 yards vs. the Yellow Jackets.
• Freshman Keith Bowers had career highs in tackles (9) and tackles for loss (2.0) vs. Boston College (10/29). His previous career best was four stops (vs. Georgia Tech, 10/8). Bowers had the most tackles by a Maryland freshman lineman since Trey Covington had nine stops vs. Virginia Tech on Oct. 20, 2005.
• Junior Darin Drakeford has played in just four games due to injury, but has averaged 8.5 tackles in those contests, including a career-high 14 vs. Miami (9/5).
• 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, Ronnie Tyler and Quintin McCree) listed among the 44 players on the offensive and defensive two-deep. Tyler (punt return) and Tim Downs (long snapper) are listed as starters on special teams.
• Just over 40 percent of the players listed on this week's defensive two-deep (9 of 22) are freshmen (four true/four 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 Virginia Tech game. 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 year, the Terps are averaging 43,180 fans through six home games, an increase of more than 4,000 from last year.

Mash Unit...
The Terps have lost a number of key performers to injury this year 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 34 man-games to potential defensive starters (DL Justin Anderson - 8; LB Darin Drakeford - 4; LB Demetrius Hartsfield - 3; DL Andre Monroe - 3; DB Matt Robinson - 5; DL Isaiah Ross - 7; LB Kenny Tate - 4).

Tough Opening Stretch...
With three top 20 teams among the first eight foes of the season, Maryland's strength of schedule ranks 18th in the FBS according to NCAA.org. The Terrapins' first seven opponents have posted an aggregate record of 37-21 (.638) so far this season. When you factor in upcoming opponents, the Terps still have the 20th-toughest schedule in the FBS at this point in the season. Maryland's 2011 opposition currently has an aggregate record of 56-34 (.622). In addition to the three ranked teams, Florida State was ranked as high as No. 5 in the early season national polls.

Making Adjustments...
The Terps have trotted out a different defensive starting lineup every game this season. DL Marcus Whitfield made his first career start Saturday vs. Boston College and DL Andre Monroe earned his first start since the Temple game (9/24).

Leadership Lost...
The Terps have lost two of their four team captains (Andrew Gonnella, Davin Meggett, Kenny Tate, Joe Vellano) to injury in recent weeks. Gonnella suffered a season-ending knee injury against Georgia Tech (10/8). The senior and two-year starter had 26 career starts at left (18) and right guard (8). Sophomore Pete White replaced Gonnella in that game and has started the last three games at left guard. Tate, a 2010 first team All-ACC safety, started the first four games at Star, an outside linebacker position, but the senior missed the next three games due to injury. He had season-ending surgery on Oct. 28 and hopes to gain a medical redshirt season in order to play in 2012. Redshirt freshman Mario Rowson has started the last four games at Star. Rowson has averaged 5.5 tackles in those starts.

Close Calls vs. The Top 20...
In three of its six 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).

Leading the Nation...
Junior Joe Vellano is averaging 7.75 tackles per game, a mark which is first among defensive linemen in the FBS.

Virginia At-A-Glance...
• Virginia enters Saturday's contest at 5-3 (2-2 ACC), coming off a 28-21 victory last Thursday night against Miami.
• Head coach Mike London is in his second season with the Cavaliers and has produced a record of 9-11.
• The Virginia rushing attack is headed by junior tailback Perry Jones who ranks fifth in the ACC in rushing at 80.4 yards per game with two touchdowns. Jones has also been a major threat in the receiving game, totaling 314 yards through the air and three scores. Last week vs. Miami, Jones threw a 37-yard touchdown pass and caught a 78-yard touchdown pass to help Virginia defeat the Hurricanes.
• Redshirt freshman Kevin Parks has also been a force in the backfield, tied for fifth in the ACC in scoring (TDs) with seven touchdowns. The tailback has 471 yards rushing this season, and had a three-touchdown day in his first college game against William & Mary on Sept 3.
• Kris Burd leads the Virginia receiving corps with 37 catches for 480 yards. The senior had eight catches and 123 receiving yards in the Cavalier's 21-20 win vs. Idaho this year. Redshirt sophomore Tim Smith has also had a strong season, making 21 catches for 331 yards and three touchdowns.
• Sophomore quarterback Michael Rocco has started all eight games for the Cavaliers, and has passed for over 1,400 yards. Rocco ranks ninth in the ACC in passing efficiency, while passing for six touchdowns and running in two scores on the year.
• Junior linebacker Steven Greer leads the Cavaliers defense with 72 tackles this season, tied for fifth in the ACC. Greer also has a fumble recovery and 2.5 tackles for loss on the season. Senior defensive end Cam Johnson leads Virginia in sacks with three, good for 16th in the ACC. Johnson has racked up 7.5 tackles for loss this season which ranks fourth in the conference.

Maryland-Virginia Series History...
• Saturday's game will mark the 76th meeting between the Terrapins and Cavaliers, the most between Maryland and any other school in the Terps' 119 year football history. The schools have met every season since 1957.
• Maryland leads the all-time series, which began in 1919, by a 42-31-2 margin.
• Maryland is 20-12 all-time against Virginia at home, though the Cavaliers have won the last two meetings in College Park. The road team has won four of the last five meetings.
• The Terps snapped a three-game losing streak in the series with a 42-23 win in Charlottesville last season. D.J. Adams ran for three touchdowns, while Danny O'Brien ran for one and threw for two in last season's game.
• Maryland's last win over Virginia in College Park came in 2005, when Lance Ball ran for 163 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to give the No. 19 Cavaliers their first loss of the season. The Terps amassed 570 yards of total offense in the game.
• From 1969 through 2000, play between the two schools was basically feast or famine for one team. From 1969-87, the Terrapins held an 18-1 advantage in the series and at one point ran off 16 wins in a row, the longest streak in the series. Then from 1988 to 2000, the series swung almost exclusively to the Cavs as they were 11-2 in that span. The teams have split the last 10 meetings.
• Maryland's 41-21 win in 2001 broke a string of nine straight losses to Virginia. In the win, the Terps allowed a 24-7 lead to be cut to three in the third quarter before scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth to win going away.

What to Look for vs. Virginia...
• Davin Meggett, who is t-10th in school history in career rushing yards (2,140), needs one more to move into sole possession of 10th place. With another 19 he could move into ninth place, currently occupied by Alvin Blount (2,158; 1983-86).
• Danny O'Brien needs 287 passing yards to become just the ninth quarterback in school history to post 4,000 career passing yards.
• Tony Logan (768) needs 27 yards to crack the top 15 on the ACC's career punt return yards list.
• Maryland ranks tied for eighth in the FBS (+1.13) in turnover margin, while Virginia is tied for 93rd (-0.50). The Terps defense has forced 20 turnovers on the season, a mark which is tied for 12th in the nation.
• Virginia and Maryland's rushing offenses rank third and fourth in the ACC, respectively. The Cavaliers, led by Perry Jones' 80.4 rushing ypg, are averaging 186.4 rushing ypr. Davin Meggett (78.1 rushing ypg) leads the Maryland attack, which is averaging 171.9 ypg (48th nationally).
• The Terps will be facing a big challenge in the Virginia defense, which ranks third in total yards allowed (329.0 ypg) and pass defense (197.4 ypg), and fourth in run defense (131.6 ypg) in the ACC.

Holding Them Out...
Neither team recorded a sack during Saturday's Maryland-Boston College game. It marked the first time in five years that occurred during a Terps game. The last time it happened also came vs. BC (11/18/06). Maryland has not allowed a sack in four games this season.

Cashing In...
Maryland ranks tied for eighth in the FBS in turnover margin (+1.13 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. The Terps forced Boston College (10/29) into four turnovers but couldn't convert them into any points. BC, meanwhile, forced a pair of turnovers and got seven points off of them. Since the beginning of the 2010 season Maryland has scored 154 points off turnovers (49) while the opposition has been held to 48 points (23).

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 second most in the nation this season. Indiana started a nation high seven freshmen last week vs. Northwestern.

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 is the only team in the nation to start four or more freshmen on defense in at least four games.

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.

5... Number of freshmen who started on defense against Clemson (10/15) which is the second 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 tied for seventh in the FBS in fewest penalties committed per game (4.0).

9... Maryland has recovered 11 opponent fumbles which ranks tied for ninth in the FBS.

10... Ten of Nick Ferrara's last 20 punts have been fair caught. Only one of his first 17 punts were fair caught.

11... The Terps have 27 former players on active NFL rosters, a number which ranks 11th nationally.

17... Seventeen of the season-high 57 players who saw action vs. Towson (10/1) were freshmen. Since the start of the 1999 season, 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.