Game 8: Maryland at Northwestern Preview

Maryland (5-2, 2-2 B1G) at Northwestern (3-4, 1-3 B1G)

October 28, 2023

Ryan Field

12:01 p.m.

Big Ten Network

COLLEGE PARK, MD - The University of Maryland football team travels to Northwestern on Saturday, Oct. 28 to take on the Wildcats at Ryan Field. The game is set to kickoff at 12:01 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.

starting off

Over the last 22 games played, dating back to 2021, Maryland is 15-7, good for the fourth-best record of any Big Ten school, trailing only three top-10 teams: #2 Michigan (20-2), #3 Ohio State (19-3) and #10 Penn State (17-5).
On the offensive side of the ball, Maryland currently ranks top-three in the Big Ten in total offense (422.3), passing offense (281.4), third down conversion percentage (45.0%), fourth down conversion percentage (90.0%) and sacks allowed (1.14). On the defensive side of the ball, Maryland currently ranks top-three in the Big Ten in sacks (3.00 per game), interceptions (nine) and turnovers gained (13).

Roman Hemby and Taulia Tagovailoa have paced the Maryland offense this season

rewriting the record books

QB Taulia Tagovailoa has helped ascend the Terps' passing game to new heights during his three-year career. The quarterback has set Maryland career records for passing yards (9,805), passing touchdowns (67), total touchdowns (79), completions (824), completion percentage (66.7), 300-yard passing games (14), passing efficiency (146.4) and total offense (10,076).
Tagovailoa has been one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten through seven games, currently standing top-two in the conference and top-25 in the FBS in passing yards (1,926), passing TDs (16) and points responsible for (122). He leads the Big Ten and is top-30 in the FBS in total offense (287.0 per game) as well.
The redshirt senior is one of only seven FBS quarterbacks with at least 16 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns this season, along with Donovan Smith (Houston), Kaidon Salter (Liberty), Jayden Daniels (LSU0, Diego Pavia (New Mexico State), Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma) and Caleb Williams (USC).
Tagovailoa's current career completion percentage (.666) is the fifth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time, only trailing Dan Persa, Northwestern (.727), Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (.700), Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin (.681), Jack Coan, Wisconsin (.668). He stands eighth all-time on the career Big Ten passing yards list with 9,805. Last week, he passed the likes of David Blough (Purdue) and Chad Henne (Michigan) and now stands only 94 yards behind Trace McSorley (Penn State) for seventh all-time. He is 12th in career passing touchdowns in Big Ten history with 67 in his Maryland career. He is now tied with Curtis Painter (Purdue) and Tommy Armstrong (Nebraska). Next up with 68 is Nathan Stanley (Iowa).
Including the Terps last game against Illinois (10/14), QB Taulia Tagovailoa has now thrown multiple touchdown passes in 21 career games, the most of any active Big Ten player. Maryland has gone 15-6 in those games.
Tagovailoa has reached 1,500 passing yards through his team's first six games for the third straight season (2021-2023). The only other Maryland player to do this even once over the past 25 seasons was Sam Hollenbach in 2005 (1,513 passing yards).
Also on the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award and Polynesian Player of the Year Watch Lists and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after a 24-for-34, 352 yard performance vs. Indiana (9/30), Tagovailoa currently stands top-15 among all FBS QBs in career completion percentage (seventh), passing yards per game (12th), completions per game (12th) and total offense (14th).

Taulia Tagovailoa stands top-two in the Big Ten in every passing category

turnover terps

Maryland has been one of the best teams in the nation at forcing turnovers through seven games, currently standing 11th in the country in turnover margin (+7), 12th in the country in interceptions (nine), 14th in the country in turnovers lost (six) and 23rd in the country in turnovers gained (13).
On the offensive side of the ball, the Terps have only lost six turnovers, good for 14th in the nation and third in the Big Ten. Maryland is one of 15 FBS teams and one of only four Big Ten teams that has only lost one or less fumbles this season. Dating back to last season, Maryland has only lost a fumble once in the last eight games.
The Terps stand 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in interceptions, tallying nine through six games. CB Tarheeb Still has three himself (two vs. Virginia & one at Michigan State), one of only 50 players in the FBS with at least three interceptions. Still's three interceptions over the two games are the first time a Maryland player has done that since current Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage Jr. in 2018 (one at #15 Michigan, 10/6 & two vs. Rutgers, 10/13).
The Terrapins nine interceptions this season are tied for their second most through seven games over the past 20 years (2010) behind the 2018 season (13)
Maryland has recorded at least 15 points while committing two or fewer turnovers in 10 straight games, tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the FBS. This is the longest such streak for the Terrapins over the past 25 seasons.

Tarheeb Still stands second in the Big Ten with three interceptions this season

offensive nuggets

Over the last two-plus seasons, Maryland tight ends have combined for 177 receptions, 1,853 yards and 17 touchdowns, the most receptions, receiving yards and second-most touchdowns of any tight end unit in the Big Ten over this time span. TE Corey Dyches currently is second among all Big Ten tight ends with 22 receptions.
Maryland has converted on 90-percent of it's fourth down attempts this season (nine-of-10), tied with only Minnesota for the best fourth down percentage in the country. The Terps have at least one fourth down conversion in six of seven games (not #4 Ohio State).
In his last game against Illinois, RB Roman Hemby (70, 63) recorded his second game as a Terrapin with at least 70 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards. All other Maryland playershave combined for one such game over the past 20 seasons (Brandon Ross in 2013).
The Terps have only allowed eight sacks through seven games this season, the 14th-lowest total in the FBS and the third-lowest total in the Big Ten (#2 Michigan & Rutgers ). Two Terps, C Aric Harris and G Corey Bullock rank top three in the Big Ten in their positions according to Pro Football Focus. Harris is the second-highest graded center in the Big Ten with a 75.0 grade while Bullock stands third among guards with a 74.1 grade.
Maryland has 37 offensive plays of 20+ yards this season, the third-most in the Big Ten (#2 Michigan & #3 Ohio State).
Maryland is one of four Power 5 teams this season (Kansas State, Georgia Tech, Penn State) with three players with at least 200 rushing yards and six players with at least 100 receiving yards.

Roman Hemby leads the Terps with 414 rushing yards this season.

terps vs northwestern

The Terps and Wildcats played last year in College Park with Maryland defeating Northwestern 31-24.
Roman Hemby broke off a career-long 75-yard touchdown run with 3:22 left to play to put the Terps ahead before Beau Brade came up with a big interception on the Wildcats' ensuing drive to seal the victory. Hemby rushed for a career-high 179 yards and scored three touchdowns in the Terrapins' victory.
Last season, both teams recorded at least 200 rushing yards but fewer than 200 passing yards in their 2022 matchup, the Terrapins' only such game over the past decade.
Northwestern averages 4.20 yards per play on first down this season, fewest among all FBS teams. Maryland has recorded 6.53 yards per play on first down this season, third most in the Big Ten.

Roman Hemby rushes for game-winning touchdown against Northwestern in 2022

so many... receivers

The Maryland wide receiving corps has totaled 6,415 receiving yards in their careers. This is led by transfer WR Tyrese Chambers, who has tallied 153 receptions for 2,480 yards over his collegiate career at Sacred Heart, Florida International and Maryland. Sixth-year WR Jeshaun Jones, has accumulated 120 receptions for 1,671 yards as a Terp.
Maryland has six players with at least 13 receptions and 140 receiving yards this season (WR Kaden Prather, TE Corey Dyches, WR Jeshaun Jones, WR Tai Felton, WR Octavian Smith Jr. & RB Roman Hemby), tied for second most in the FBS after USC (seven) and most in the Big Ten.
Over the course of his career, Maryland is 10-0 when WR Jeshaun Jones has 70 or more yards receiving. Against Indiana, Jones tallied six receptions for 121 yards. Jones is currently ninth all-time in program history with 12 receiving touchdowns, 12th all-time with 120 receptions and 13th with 1,671 receiving yards.
WR Tai Felton had a career day in the Terps' game against Indiana, catching seven passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, the first Maryland player to ever accomplish that feat. He became the sixth Terp with three receiving touchdowns in a game – and the first since Torrey Smith had four vs. NC State in 2010. The others on the list are: Vernon Davis (vs. Duke in 2004), Guilian Gary (vs. Georgia Tech in 2000), Jermaine Lewis (vs. West Virginia in 1993) and James Milling (vs. North Carolina in 1986).
WR Kaden Prather stands third in the Big Ten with five receiving touchdowns this season. He is the five Terp to have four receiving touchdowns in the first seven games since Rakim Jarrett in 2021.