Maryland (5-5, 2-5)
at
#19 Nebraska (8-2, 5-2)
November 19, 2016 || Memorial Stadium || Noon ET
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Maryland football program faces its third consecutive AP top-20 opponent Saturday as it meets No. 19 Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb. It marks the first meeting in history between Maryland and Nebraska.
QUICK HITTERS
- Despite nearly 250 years of combined football history, Saturday's matchup marks the first meeting in history between Maryland and Nebraska. It will also mark the first Maryland football game ever played in the state of Nebraska.
- Saturday's game marks the fourth time in history that Maryland will have faced an AP top-20 opponents in three consecutive weeks (2004, 1983, 1980). Maryland has faced then-No. 2 Michigan and then-No. 6 Ohio State leading into its game with No. 19 Nebraska.
- Maryland's rushing offense has totaled 2,137 yards on the ground through its first 11 games, the most since the 2003 season (2,487). Currently ranked third in the Big Ten with 213.7 rush yards/g, it would mark the first time since 2001 that Maryland averaged more than 200 yards on the ground in a season.
- Senior quarterback Perry Hills continues to lead the Big Ten Conference in completion percentage (66.7), while ranking second in passing efficiency (150.1). Hills currently ranks eighth in program history in touchdown passes (27) and 10th in total offensive yards (3,562).
- Senior wideout Levern Jacobs is steadily climbing Maryland's all-time receiving charts, most recently moving into a tie for seventh in career receptions (120) and surpassing Vernon Davis for 14th in career receiving yards (1,401).
MARYLAND OFFENSE: BY THE NUMBERS
1 - The Terps are one of just three teams in the Big Ten (Iowa, Ohio State) with two rushers who have gained at least 630 yards in 2016, as sophomore Ty Johnson leads the way with 656 yards and freshman Lorenzo Harrison is just behind with 633. It marks the first time since 2010 (Davin Meggett - 720, Da'Rel Scott - 708) that Maryland has had two running backs with at least 630 yards in a season.
5 - Sophomore Ty Johnson has made a habit of breaking loose for huge plays in conference play, totaling seven plays of at least 40 yards or more in seven league games. Including a 66-yard rush most recently against Indiana, six of the seven big plays have been rushing attempts. Johnson averaged 10.9 yards on 13 carries against Indiana, becoming just the eighth player in Maryland history to average 10 yards/carry in a single game (min. 10 carries).
7 - Senior wide receiver Teldrick Morgan caught a season-best and game-high seven passes against sixth-ranked Ohio State over the weekend, totaling 56 yards. The New Mexico State transfer currently leads the Terps with 38 receptions, including at least four receptions in four of his last five games.
17 - Sophomore D.J. Moore currently leads all Maryland receivers with a reception in 18 consecutive games dating back to Oct. 3, 2015. It is the longest streak for a Terrapin receiver since Torrey Smith pieced together a 30-game streak from Nov. 6, 2008 to the final game of his career on Dec. 29, 2010. Moore has caught five touchdown passes this season - the most for a Maryland player since Stefon Diggs had five in 2014.
67.4 - Senior quarterback Perry Hills continues to lead the Big Ten Conference in completion percentage, completing passes at a 66.7 percent clip in 2016. He is 5-for-7 over his last two games as he has battled with injuries. Hills currently ranks seventh in Maryland history in touchdowns responsible for (37), eighth in touchdown passes (27), 10th in total offensive yards (4,245), 12th in completions (289) and 13th in yards (3,562).
120 - Senior wide receiver Levern Jacobs' recent success has vaulted the veteran up Maryland's career receptions chart, moving into a tie with Russ Weaver (1992-94) in history with 120 career catches. Jacobs also moved into 14th in career reception yards (1,401), most recently passing Vernon Davis (2003-05).
367 - The Maryland rushing attack is averaging 213.7 through its first 10 games. If the offense can keep up the output, it would be the first time since 2003 that a Maryland offense averaged better than 200 yards/g in a season. It would also mark just the fifth time since 1976 that the Terps achieved the mark.
633 - Freshman running back Lorenzo Harrison has totaled 633 rushing yards this season, and needs just 57 more yards to break LaMont Jordan's Maryland freshman record of 689 rushing yards set in 1997. For comparison's sake, Jordan had 466 rushing yards through his first nine games.
MARYLAND DEFENSE/ST: BY THE NUMBERS
1 - The Terrapins are one of just three teams in the Big Ten Conference (Michigan, Indiana) with at least two blocked punts this season. Both blocks happened to be at the hands of Maryland's top running backs, with Ty Johnson blocking a punt against Howard and Lorenzo Harrison notching a block against Penn State.
6 - True freshman defensive back Elijah Daniels made the first start of his career against the sixth-ranked Buckeyes, becoming the sixth true freshman to start for Maryland this season, joining Tyrrell Pigrome, Lorenzo Harrison, Terrance Davis, Tino Ellis and Qwuantrezz Knight. Harrison, Davis and Ellis are all products of nearby DeMatha Catholic High School.
8.7 - Junior linebacker Shane Cockerille totaled eight tackles against No. 6 Ohio State to maintain his position as the Big Ten Conference's fourth-leading tackler with 8.7 tackles/game. Cockerille has continued to impress in his first season on the defensive side of the ball, totaling at least seven tackles in seven of his eight seven games.
9 - Senior cornerback Alvin Hill recorded a career-high nine tackles against the No. 2 Wolverines, including seven solo stops. Hill is having his best season as a Terrapin this year, leading the team in both interceptions (2) and ranking second in pass breakups (4). He is also the only defensive back to start in all nine games this season.
10 - Sophomore safety Darnell Savage, Jr., posted a career-high 10 tackles against No. 6 Ohio State last weekend, including nine solo stops. Savage currently ranks fourth on the Terps with 39 tackles this season.
-TERPS-
