Oct. 18, 2012
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland football team made its final physical preparations for Saturday's game against NC State with a 90-minute workout at the on-campus practice facility Thursday afternoon.
The Terps, 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time since 2001, will be celebrating Homecoming when the Wolfpack visit Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
"We've got a tough challenge coming up Saturday against North Carolina State here for Homecoming," said head coach Randy Edsall. "You see a team there who has a quarterback, Mike Glennon, who's playing very well for them. They have a big offensive line. They are a team that is running the ball well and throwing well with good skill athletes."
NC State is coming off its bye week and defeated then-No. 3 Florida State, 17-16, in its last game. Glennon ranks third in the ACC with 280.2 passing yards per game and has a number of talented receivers around him. Quinton Payton ranks seventh in the conference in receiving yards per game (83.3), while Bryan Underwood is second in the league with seven receiving touchdowns.
Maryland, though, has been tough against the pass lately. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 40.2 percent of their passes the last two games, and the Terps rank second in the league in passing defense on the year, having surrendered just 183.2 yards per game.
In the fourth quarter, Maryland's defense has been particularly tough in helping pull out several close victories. Opponents have totaled just 70 total rushing yards in the fourth quarter in six games, and Maryland has dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 50:02 compared to 39:58 for the opponents.
A similar performance this Saturday could be vital if history is a guide: of the last 12 contests between the teams, 10 have been decided by 10 points or fewer.
All time, the series is tied, 32-32-4, though the Terps have owned the upper hand in the series in College Park, having won three straight and five of the last six.
Terp Notes
Terps Agree to Home-and-Home with Wisconsin: The University of Maryland and the University of Wisconsin have agreed to a two-year home-and-home football series. Maryland will travel to Madison, Wis., on Sept. 12, 2020 for a game with the Badgers. Wisconsin will make the return trip to Maryland on Sept. 11, 2021 for a game inside Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. "We're excited about adding Wisconsin to the upcoming football schedule," said Kevin Anderson, director of athletics. "These will be much anticipated games for both our future student-athletes and for our fans." It will be the first time in history the two schools have met in a football game.
Hill to be Honored: Maryland athletics will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Darryl Hill becoming the first African-American to play at the University of Maryland and in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Saturday vs. NC State. Hill will be honored on the field after the first quarter. For more information, click here.
Scout Team Players of the Week: Each Thursday during the season Edsall will announce the scout team players of the week. This week's scout team players of the week are tight end Brian McMahon (offense), linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil (defense) and D'Angelo Gantt (special teams).
Flag Bearers: Matt Furstenburg (American) and Kenneth Tate (Maryland) will carry out the flags during Saturday's introductions.
ACC Sportsmanship Week: ACC Football is celebrating Sportsmanship Week throughout the ACC this week, which features initiatives designed to promote good sportsmanship for all of the league's fall sports, its teams, coaches and fans. Maryland and NC State will participate in a pre-game handshake to promote sportsmanship.
