Game Preview: Maryland at Rutgers
10/31/2017 4:17:00 PM | Football, Terrapin Athletics
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Maryland looks to win back-to-back conference games this weekend as it travels to Piscataway, N.J., to face Rutgers at 3:30 pm on Big Ten Network. The game is a double-header of sorts, as the Maryland and Rutgers wrestling programs will square off on the football field prior to the football game.
- The Terps have played the second-toughest strength of schedule nationally so far in 2017, as its opponents have accumulated a 32-14 overall record (.696). Overall, Maryland is on pace to play the toughest schedule in the country with its cumulative opposition currently posting a 53-24 record (.688).
- The Terrapins hold a 7-5 lead in the all-time series against the Scarlet Knights dating back to the inaugural meeting in 1920. Maryland is 2-1 against Rutgers as Big Ten foes, including back-to-back victories. Maryland has averaged more than 39 points in its three conference meetings against Rutgers.
- Maryland came back from a 14-point deficit last weekend to defeat Indiana on Homecoming, 42-39. It was the largest comeback for the Terps since coming back from 17 points against Rutgers on Nov. 28, 2015. Darnell Savage, Jr. was the difference maker against the Hoosiers, blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown and also recording an INT.
- Junior DJ Moore needs 27 catches to break the single-season Maryland record for receptions, which was set in 1994 by Geroy Simon (77). Moore (51) is currently averaging 6.4 catches per game, which would put him on pace for 76 catches with four guaranteed games remaining. Moore also leads the conference in TD catches (8) and reception yards (745), a remarkable feat considering the Terps are one of three FBS teams to start three different quarterbacks in 2017.
- Junior running back Ty Johnson needs just 82 yards to become the 13th player in Maryland history to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. He currently ranks 14th in Maryland history in the category, while his career 7.9 rush yards/carry mark would place him second in program history behind Chet Hanulak (8.1 y/c - 1951-53).
- Maryland piled up 318 yards on the ground in last season's 31-13 victory against Rutgers in College Park, led by Ty Johnson's 168 rushing yards on 11 carries (15.3/carry). Defensively, Jermaine Carter, Jr., racked up a career-best 15 tackles and also had two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
BY THE NUMBERS: OFFENSE
2 - Maryland is the only program in the country to win a game with three different starting quarterbacks this season: Kasim Hill (Texas), Tyrrell Pigrome (Towson) and Max Bortenschlager (Minnesota, Indiana). Nevada (1-7 record) and Ball State (2-6) are the only other FBS programs to start at least three quarterbacks this season. Bortenschlager has filled in admirably for the Terrapins, throwing just two interceptions in five starts.
3 - Senior Taivon Jacobs has caught a touchdown pass in three consecutive games, adding to his career-best season with a 14-yard score against Indiana last weekend. He also scored on a 10-yard catch at #5 Wisconsin and a 20-yarder versus Northwestern. Jacobs, who has battled injuries for much of his career, has posted season-bests in receptions (25), receiving yards (293) and touchdown catches (4).
4 - The Maryland offense ranks fourth in the Big Ten conference averaging 30.6 points-per-game after a 42-point outburst against Indiana last weekend. The Terps have scored at least 30 points in all four of their victories in 2017. Maryland is 9-2 overall under head coach DJ Durkin when scoring at least 30 points.
5 - The Terps have done well taking care of the ball in 2017, turning the ball over just eight times through eight games despite starting three different quarterbacks due to injury. Maryland's +5 turnover margin ranks second in the Big Ten Conference. Last season, Maryland committed 19 turnovers in 13 games and had a -7 turnover margin.
8 - Junior DJ Moore caught his eighth touchdown pass of the season last weekend against Indiana - a mark that leads the Big Ten Conference. His eight touchdown catches (with three different quarterbacks) is tied for fourth-most in a single-season in program history with Dan Bungori (1971). Torrey Smith is the all-time leader with 12. Moore also ranks fourth in Maryland history with 17 career touchdown receptions.
9 - Junior DJ Moore tacked on four catches against Indiana to move into sole possession of ninth place in Maryland history at 117 career catches. Moore is also in range of the single-season reception mark of 77 held by Geroy Simon since 1994. Moore currently ranks tied for 14th in program single-season history with 51 receptions.
10 - Despite the injury issues at quarterback, the Maryland offense has been fortunate to be consistent at every other offensive position in 2017. Outside of quarterback, the Terps have started the same 10 players on offense in every game. Seven of those 10 players have started at least 15 games in their career.
29 - Wide receiver DJ Moore currently leads the Big Ten Conference with a reception in 29 straight games. Remarkably, Moore has received a pass from seven different quarterbacks during the streak due to various injuries. His catch streak is the longest for a Maryland player since Torrey Smith finished his career with a 30-game reception streak from 2008-10.
BY THE NUMBERS: DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
0.68 - The Terps rank second in the Big Ten Conference with a +0.68/g turnover margin (+5), losing the turnover battle in just one of its eight games. Overall, the Terps have intercepted nine passes and forced 10 fumbles (four lost) against just five interceptions and three lost fumbles (13-8). Last season, the Terps lost the turnover battle, 19-12, over the course of 13 games.
5 - The Maryland defense broke out for 5.0 sacks against Indiana last weekend, a great sign of progress for a unit which had totaled only one sack in its prior five games. It was the most sacks in a game for the Terps since totaling 5.0 in the season-opening win against Texas (9/2). Senior Chandler Burkett led the way with 1.5 sacks in the game, while Jermaine Carter, Jr., Kingsley Opara and Keiron Howard each added sacks of their own.
6 - Senior Jermaine Carter, Jr. has totaled 6.0 tackles for loss this season, including 2.0 most recently in the win over Indiana. Carter now has 29.0 tackles for loss in his career, which ranks 13th in pogram history. Carter needs 3.0 more TFLs to crack Maryland's top-10 in the category.
8 - Senior linebacker Jermaine Carter, Jr. needs just eight more tackles to reach 300 for his career. Carter would be the first Terp to achieve the feat since Demetrius Hartsfield had 339 from 2009-12. Carter currently ranks second on the team with 52 tackles. He is looking to become just the fifth Maryland player to lead the team in tackles in three consecutive seasons 1969, joining Alex Wujciak (2008-10), D'Qwell Jackson (2003-05), E.J. Henderson (2000-02) and Ratcliff Thomas (1993-95).
9 - The Maryland defense posted its ninth interception of the season, with Darnell Savage, Jr., notching his third of the season last weekend against Indiana. The Terps are on pace for about 13 interceptions this season, which would be the most for the defense since totaling 19 in the 2010 season.
11 - Maryland's special teams unit is ranked 11th in the country and second in the Big Ten Conference (Penn State) with a 71.4 efficiency rating according to ESPN - a mark that was bolstered against Indiana with a blocked punt touchdown and a blocked PAT. Darnell Savage's blocked punt and 16-yard touchdown return helped spark a comeback for the Terps against the Hoosiers. The Terps currently rank 16th nationally in both punt return average (12.6/r) and kick return average (24.9/r).
39 - Sophomore Antoine Brooks, Jr. has totaled 39 tackles over his last three games (9.8/g) and now leads the Terps with 53 tackles on the season. The charismatic Brooks has been tremendous in his first full season as a starter, leading the team with 7.0 tackles for loss and also recording an interception and a forced fumble this season.
73 - The Maryland defense held Indiana to just 73 rushing yards in the victory, marking the fourth time this season the Terps have held their opponent under 100 rushing yards. Maryland has won all four games this season when holding its opponent under 100 rushing yards (Texas, Towson, Minnesota, Indiana).
496 - Junior Ty Johnson currently leads the Big Ten Conference with 496 total kick return yards, despite not returning a single kick over the last two games with teams kicking away from him. - a mark that was bolstered by his 100-yard kickoff return against then-No. 10 Ohio State. Johnson has done it all for the Terps, ranking third in the Big Ten and 14th nationally with 150.5 all-purpose yards/g. He currently ranks 15th in Maryland history with 2,899 career all-purpose yards.
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