COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland football team ends a three-game season-opening homestand Saturday as it welcomes USF to Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium for a Noon ET kickoff on ESPNU.
Saturday marks USF's first-ever trip to College Park, and the second overall meeting in the series. The Terps were victorious, 24-17, in the inaugural meeting betwen the teams last year in Tampa, Fla.
Live Coverage
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPNU and streamed live on ESPN3/WatchESPN at Noon ET. Clay Matvick (pbp) and John Congemi (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 can also be heard on Sirius Radio channel 132, XM Radio channel 195 and SiriusXM channel 195.
Series History
Maryland leads, 1-0, deafeting South Florida last season, 24-17, in Tampa, Fla.
A LIKELY STORY
After standout freshman and sophomore seasons in College Park, many wonderded 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 agaisnt Bowling Green. Likely has 316 punt return yards through two games, placing him seventh on the program's single-season chart. He was named to the Paul Hornung Week One Honor Roll and also Big Ten Specialist of the Week for his efforts against Richmond.
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 (28.0, 2013-pres.
On The Offense
TERPS ON THE RUN
- The Maryland rushing attack is averaging 248.5 yards per game, due in large part to its ability to pick up large chunks at a time. Through two games in 2015, the Terps are averaging 7.0 yards per carry.
- Senior Brandon Ross passed Keon Lattimore to move into 16th on Maryland's all-time rushing list, and currently has 1,761 yards.
- Junior Wes Brown continues to be a viable scoring option in the red zone, having recorded a touchdown in seven of his last 10 games.
- Junior quarterback Perry Hills displayed excellent scrambling ability against Bowling Green. He ran including a 36-yard scamper.
ROWE TO START AT QB
- Redshirt junior quarterback Caleb Rowe is chalked up to make his first career start under center since Oct. 26, 2013 against Clemson.
- Rowe was impressive in that game against Clemson, throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
- A start Saturday would mark Rowe's fourth career start at Maryland.
- Rowe was impressive in that game against Clemson, throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
SHARING THE WEALTH
- Six different Maryland receivers have caught at least three passes in 2015, led by junior Amba Etta-Tawo with seven total receptions.
- Additionally, four different receivers have at least 60 receiving yards this season.
- Redshirt junior Leven Jacobs has caught a touchdown in three consecutive games dating back to 2013 in the Military Bowl against Marshall.
O-LINE CONSISTENCY
- Maryland features strong consistency on the offensive line, specifically on its flanks with tackles Michael Dunn and Ryan Doyle and guard Andrew Zeller. The trio has combined 78 starts over their careers along the offensive line.
- Dunn, a former walk-on, leads the offense with 28 consecutive starts after starting every game since the start of the 2013 season.
- The Terps have started the same front-5 in both games in 2015.
On The Defense
GETTING TO THE QB
- The Maryland defense has racked up 8.0 sacks through its first two games, ranking third in the Big Ten and eighth nationally.
- The duo has combined for more sacks than any other duo in the Big Ten Conference.
- Ngakoue totaled all three of his sacks against Bowling Green, posting a career-high.
STOPPING THE RUN
- The Maryland defense has been strong against the run, allowing an average of just 74.0 yards through two games.
- Sophomore linebacker Jermaine Carter, Jr. has been the catalyst for the defense, totaling 21 tackles through the first two games. His 10.5 tackles per game ranks second in the Big Ten.
- Carter posted a career-high 13 tackles against Bowling Green.
- The Terrapin front seven has impressed so far, after returning just one starter (Yannick Ngakoue) from 2014. Quinton Jefferson started the first three games of 2014, before suffering a season-ending injury.
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.
-Maryland-
