Terps to Face #1 Ohio State Saturday
10/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland football team travels to Columbus, Ohio for the first time in program history as it faces No. 1 Ohio State Saturday at noon on Big Ten Network. The Terps last faced a top-ranked opponent when it traveled to Florida State on Nov. 13, 1999.
Live Coverage
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network and streamed live on BTN2Go at noon ET. Eric Collins (pbp), Glen Mason (color) and Rick Pizzo (color) will call the action. The game can also be heard on the Maryland Sports Radio Network with Johnny Holliday (pbp), Tim Strachan (color) and Scott McBrien (color) on the call. The game is also available on Sirius Radio channel 136, XM Radio channel 196 and SiriusXM channel 196.
Series History
Ohio State leads, 1-0
Home: 0-1 / Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
First Meeting: Oct. 4, 2014 / Home / L, 24-52
Last Meeting: Oct. 4, 2014 / Home / L, 24-52
Most points scored vs. Ohio State:
Home: 24 (24-52 loss on Oct. 4, 2014)
Away: N/A
Most points given up vs. Ohio State:
Home: 52 (24-52 loss on Oct. 4, 2014)
Away: N/A
Number of Shutouts:
Maryland: 0, Ohio State: 0
Largest Margin of Victory:
N/A
Largest Margin of Defeat:
(28) 24-52 on Oct. 4, 2014
A LIKELY STORY
After standout freshman and sophomore seasons in College Park, many wondered what junior cornerback and return specialist William Likely would do for an encore as a junior in 2015. He quickly answered, gobbling up a Big Ten record 233 punt return yards in the season-opener against Richmond before running back his second punt return for a touchdown in as many weeks against Bowling Green. Likely has 337 punt return yards through five games, placing him sixth on the program's single-season chart. He was named Big Ten Specialist of the Week for his efforts against Richmond, and has twice been named to the Paul Hornung Honor Roll (Week 1, Week 3).
Likely's Maryland Records:
- Single-game punt return yards (233 vs. Richmond, 9/5/15) - also a Big Ten record
- Single-season interception return yards (170 - 2014)
- Single-season interceptions returned for TD (2 - 2014)
- Single-game kickoff return yards (228 vs. Michigan State, 11/15/14)
- Co-single-season yards per kick return (31.0, 2014)
- Co-longest kickoff return (100 yds vs. Stanford, 12/30/14)
- Career yards per kickoff return (26.7, 2013-pres.)
- Career yards per punt return (15.5, 2013-pres.)
On The Offense
TERPS ON THE RUN
- The Maryland rushing attack is averaging 162.6 yards per game, due in large part to its ability to pick up large chunks at a time. Through five games in 2015, the Terps are averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
- Senior Brandon Ross passed Josh Allen to move to 12th on Maryland's all-time rushing list and currently has 1,987 yards.
- Ross totaled 130 rushing yards at West Virginia two weeks ago, turning in his seventh career 100-yard rushing performance.
- Ross is averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
MARYLAND CAREER RUSHING LIST
1. LaMont Jordan (1997-00) 4,147
2. Charlie Wysocki (1978-81) 3,317
...
7. Davin Meggett (2008-11) 2,411
8. Da'Rel Scott (2007-10) 2,401
9. Louis Carter (1972-74) 2,266
10. Alvin Blount (1983-86) 2,158
11. Willie Joyner (1980-83) 2,140
12. Brandon Ross (2012-) 1,987
YOUTH MOVEMENT
- The Terps have been the beneficiaries of a youth movement at offensive skill positions this season, as four different true freshmen have scored a touchdown: Avery Edwards, Ty Johnson, D.J. Moore and Jahrvis Davenport.
- It is the first time in Maryland history that four true freshmen have scored a touchdown in the same season.
- Edwards is tied for the team lead with two touchdown receptions.
- Davenport caught his first career pass against West Virginia and took it 46 yards to the end zone for the touchdown.
O-LINE CONSISTENCY
- Maryland features strong consistency on the offensive line, specifically tackle Michael Dunn and guards Ryan Doyle and Andrew Zeller. The trio has combined for 87 starts over their careers along the offensive line.
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Dunn, a former walk-on, leads the offense with 31 consecutive starts after starting every game since the start of the 2013 season.
On The Defense
GETTING TO THE QB
- The Maryland defense has racked up 19.0 sacks through its first five games, ranking fourth in the nation and second in the conference behind Penn State.
- The Terps totaled 6.0 sacks against USF - the most since notching 7.0 against Virginia Tech on Nov. 17, 2013.
- Junior defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is fifth nationally and third in the Big Ten with 1.3 sacks/g, posting 6.5 so far on the season.
- Ngakoue totaled three of his sacks against Bowling Green on Sept. 12 - a career-high.
TACKLE MACHINES
- Sophomore linebacker Jermaine Carter, Jr., and senior cornerback Sean Davis are the second-best tackling duo in the Big Ten Conference, combining for 95 tackles through five games.
- Carter shares the conference lead in tackles/g (10.8) with Ohio State's Raekwon McMillan. Carter was bolstered by a 14-tackle performance at West Virginia two weeks ago.
- Carter also leads the Big Ten with 7.2 solo stops per game.
- Davis is third in the Big Ten with 6.5 solo tackles per game.
EXPERIENCED SECONDARY
- Maryland's secondary has tremendous experience, featuring five players that have combined for 114 career starts: Sean Davis, A.J. Hendy, Alvin Hill, William Likely and Anthony Nixon.
- William Likely ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 1.4 pass breakups/game.
- Sean Davis leads the nation with four forced fumbles, having posted one in four of the first five games this season. He also intercepted two passes against USF.
MEDIA INFORMATION
For up-to-date game stories, statistics, schedules and results, and other Maryland athletic department information, please log-on to www.umterps.com on the Internet.
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