Preview: Terps Face Rutgers Saturday
11/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland closes its 2015 season Saturday as it travels to Piscataway, N.J. to take on Rutgers. The game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network with the kickoff set for Noon ET. Maryland was victorious in its last trip to Piscataway on Sept. 29, 2007, when it knocked off 10th-ranked Rutgers, 34-24.
Live Coverage
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on BTN at noon ET. Josh Lewin (pbp), Chuck Long (analyst) and Tina Cervasio (sideline) will call the action. The game can also be heard on the Maryland Sports Radio Network with Johnny Holliday (pbp), Tim Strachan (analyst) and Scott McBrien (sideline) on the call. The game is also available on Sirius Radio channel 136, XM Radio channel 196 and SiriusXM channel 196, and via the TuneIn App.
By THE Numbers
1 - Maryland has played the toughest schedule in the country this season, facing teams with a combined record of 68-27 (72%). Four of the Terps' six Big Ten contests have come against teams currently in the top-12 of the Associated Press poll (Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan).
2 - Junior utility man William Likely became just the second Maryland player (Torrey Smith 2008-10) to eclipse 2,000 career kick return yards with a 65-yard day against Indiana. Likely currently leads the nation with 1,197 combined return yards (789 kick return, 408 punt return). He has started every game at cornerback and also started at wide receiver against Wisconsin.
13.5 - Junior defensive end Yannick Ngakoue became the top sacker in Maryland single-season history when he notched his 13.5 sack of 2015 against Indiana (a strip sack). The record (13.0) had been shared by Mark Duda (1982) and Bruce Palmer (1978). Nagkoue is second in the nation in sacks.
20 - The Terrapins reeled off 20 second half points to knock off No. 10 Rutgers, 34-24, in their last trip to Piscataway on Sept. 29, 2007. Running back Keon Lattimore led the way with 124 rushing yards, while Darrius Heyward-Bey added a touchdown catch.
250 - Running back Brandon Ross had a spectacular Senior Day performance against Indiana, becoming the first Maryland player to rush for 250 yards and score three touchdowns in the same game. His 250-yard day ranks fourth on Maryland's single game list and he currently leads the Big Ten with 6.4 yards per carry. Ross had success against Rutgers last season, rushing 10 times for 108 yards.
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. The short answer is everything, including making a start on both offense and defense against Wisconsin. He started the season with a bang, 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. In 2015, he has twice been named Big Ten Specialist of the Week (Week 1, Week 9) and Paul Hornung Honor Roll (Week 1, Week 3). Likely has the top-2 single-game kickoff return yardage marks in school history, including a 220-yard performance at #10 Iowa that included a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
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)
On The Offense
TERPS ON THE RUN
- The Maryland rushing attack is averaging 182.9 yards per game - a mark that ranks fifth in the Big Ten Conference.
- Senior running back Brandon Ross is averaging a Big Ten-best 6.4 yards per carry, after averaging 13.2 in his 250-yard day against Indiana.
- Earlier this season, Perry Hills became the first Maryland player to rush for 100 yards in three straight games (OSU, PSU, Iowa) since Lance Ball in 2005.
- Maryland has had a 100-yard rusher in six games this season.
MARYLAND CAREER RUSHING LIST
1. LaMont Jordan (1997-00) -- 4,147
2. Charlie Wysocki (1978-81) -- 3,317
3. Steve Atkins (1975-78) -- 2,971
4. Lance Ball (2004-07) -- 2,487
5. Bruce Perry (1999, 2001-03) -- 2,424
6. Rich Badanjek (1982-85) -- 2,417
7. Davin Meggett (2008-11) -- 2,411
8. Da'Rel Scott (2007-10) -- 2,401
9. Brandon Ross (2012-) -- 2,375
10. Louis Carter (1972-74) -- 2,266
MARYLAND SINGLE-GAME RUSHING LIST
1. LaMont Jordan vs. Virginia, 1999 306
2. Bruce Perry vs. Wake Forest, 2001 276
3. Josh Allen vs. Virginia, 2003 257
4. Brandon Ross vs. Indiana, 2015 250
5. Willie Joyner vs. No. Carolina, 1982 240
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.
- Moore is the first Maryland true freshman to catch three TD passes since Stefon Diggs in 2012.
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 105 starts over their careers along the offensive line.
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Dunn, a former walk-on, leads the offense with 36 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 35.0 sacks through its first 11 games, ranking second in the conference and 10th nationally.
- Junior defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is ranked second nationally and in the Big Ten with 1.2 sacks/g, posting 13.5 so far on the season.
- Nagkoue has had at least a half sack in 10 consecutive games, including a sack last week against Indiana.
CARTER LEADS TACKLERS
- Sophomore linebacker Jermaine Carter, Jr. ranks sixth in the Big Ten Conference with 8.7 tackles/g. Carter has at least five tackles in 10-of-11 games this season, including a 14-tackle performance at West Virginia on Sept. 26.
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Carter also ranks third in the Big Ten with 5.5 solo stops per game, while Sean Davis is just behind in fourth.
EXPERIENCED SECONDARY
- Maryland's secondary has tremendous experience, featuring four players that have combined for 131 career starts: Sean Davis, A.J. Hendy, William Likely and Anthony Nixon.
- Sean Davis recently accepted an invite to play in the 2015 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 30.
- Senior Anthony Nixon had one of the best games of his career at Michigan State, nabbing a pair of interceptions and forcing a fumble.
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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