Game 10: Maryland at Nebraska Preview

Maryland (5-4, 2-4 B1G) at Nebraska (5-4, 3-3 B1G)

November 11, 2023

Memorial Stadium

12:06 p.m.

Peacock

COLLEGE PARK, MD - The University of Maryland football team plays at Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Memorial Stadium. The game is set to kickoff at 12:06 p.m. and will be broadcast on Peacock and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.

rewriting the record books

QB Taulia Tagovailoa has helped ascend the Terps' passing game to new heights during his four-year career. The quarterback has set Maryland career records for passing yards (10,365), passing touchdowns (72), total touchdowns (84), completions (883), completion percentage (66.8), 300-yard passing games (14), passing efficiency (145.9) and total offense (10,590).
Tagovailoa has been one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten through nine games, currently leading the conference and standing top-20 in the country in passing yards (2,486), passing touchdowns (21), completions (218), points responsible for (152). He leads the Big Ten and stands top-35 in the nation in total offense (280.1).
Tagovailoa is the first Terp since Jonathan Claiborne in 1977 to be named a finalist for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, known as the "Academic Heisman," given annually to the premier scholar-athlete that is the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. One of just 16 finalists in the nation and three in the Big Ten, Tagovailoa has a 3.61 GPA in the classroom, graduating last December, earning a degree in Family Science. He is currently working towards his master's degree in African American studies.
Since the beginning of the 2021 season, Tagovailoa has thrown at least one touchdown in 32 games, the third most among FBS quarterbacks in that time. Sam Hartman (Notre Dame) and Seth Henigan (Memphis) have each thrown a TD in 33 games over the last three seasons.
The redshirt senior is one of only six FBS quarterbacks with at least 21 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns this season, along with Kaidon Salter (Liberty), Jayden Daniels (LSU), Caleb Williams (USC), Haynes King (Georgia Tech) and Bo Nix (Oregon).
Tagovailoa's current career completion percentage (.668) is the fourth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time, only trailing Dan Persa, Northwestern (.727), Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (.700) and Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin (.681). He stands seventh all-time on the career Big Ten passing yards list with 10,365. Against Northwestern, he passed Penn State's Trace McSorley and his 9,899 yards. Next on the list is No. 6 Brett Basanez (10,580 from 2002-05) from Northwestern. He is also seventh in career passing touchdowns in Big Ten history with two in last week's game, giving him 72 in his Maryland career. He passed Michigan State's Connor Cook with 71 and is tied with Minnesota's Adam Weber with 72. Next on the list with 77 is Trace McSorley of Penn State from 2015-18.
Last week against #9 Penn State (11/4), Tagovailoa completed his first 17 consecutive passes in the game, the longest to begin a game in the country this season, equaling South Carolina's Spencer Rattler vs. Mississippi State (9/23/23). His streak was the longest by any Big Ten player since Michael Penix, then with Indiana, had 20 completions in a row on Sept. 28, 2019.
Including the Terps last game against #9 Penn State (11/4), Tagovailoa has now thrown multiple touchdown passes in 23 career games, the most of any active Big Ten player. Maryland has gone 15-8 in those games.
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 (11th), completions (10th) and total offense (13th).

Taulia Tagovailoa leads the Big Ten in every passing category

dominant dyches

TE Corey Dyches has 76 receptions over the last two seasons, tied for the second most among FBS tight ends in that time. The only tight end with more since the beginning of last season is Georgia's Brock Bowers (104).
This season, Dyches' 37 receptions are also the second-most among all FBS tight ends, only trailing Bowers 41. Dyches is the seventh-highest rated tight end in the FBS via Pro Football Focus with a 79.1 grade.

Dyches is among the best tight ends in the nation

offensive nuggets

Over the last two-plus seasons, Maryland tight ends have combined for 193 receptions, 1,975 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.
Three offensive lineman: G Corey Bullock, T DJ Glaze and C Aric Harris rank among the top offensive linemen at their respective positions in the Big Ten and nation according to Pro Football Focus. Harris is the second-highest rated center in the league with a 73.6 grade, Glaze is the second-highest rated pass blocking tackle in the Big Ten and 14th in the FBS with a 83.4 grade and Bullock is the fourth-highest rated guard in the conference with a 72.9 grade.
Maryland has converted on 75.0-percent of it's fourth down attempts this season (nine-of-12), the fifth-best percentage in the country and third-best in the Big Ten. The Terps have at least one fourth down conversion in six of nine games (not #4 Ohio State, Northwestern or #9 Penn State).
Maryland is one of six Power 5 teams this season (Arizona, Kansas State, North Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA) with three players with at least 200 rushing yards and six players with at least 150 receiving yards.
Maryland is tied for the most different players with 20+ receptions among FBS teams with six. The other teams with six such players this season are Arizona, Fresno State, Oregon and USC.
Dating back to last season, Maryland has attempted at least 30 passes in 12 consecutive games. The only two FBS teams with longer such active streaks are Washington (25) and Washington State (20).
Maryland has 47 offensive plays of 20+ yards this season, the third-most in the Big Ten (trailing #3 Ohio State & #2 Michigan).
Over the course of his career, Maryland is 10-1 when WR Jeshaun Jones has 70 or more yards receiving. Jones currently stands fifth in program history in career receiving touchdowns (14), eighth in program history in career receptions (134) and ninth in receiving yards (1774).

Jeshaun Jones stands top-10 in program history in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns

OTHER NUGGETS

P Colton Spangler has established himself as one of the best Maryland punters of all time. Spangler stands third all-time in program history with a 43.0 career punting average, narrowly trailing long-time NFL punters Brooks Barnard (43.7) and Adam Podlesh (43.1). Spangler broke the single-season record with a 45.5 punting average in 2021 and stands 10th all-time in program history with 7,486 career punting yards. Spangler is 12th among all active FBS punters in career punting average (43.0) (over 175 punt minimum).
DL Donnell Brown is the seventh-highest rated edge defender in the FBS and the top-rated in the Big Ten, via Pro Football Focus earning a 88.4 grade. He is the fifth-best edge defender in the nation in pass coverage, earning a 91.3 grade.
The Terps currently rank 15th in the FBS and third in the Big Ten (#9 Penn State with 38 & Nebraska with 28) with 27 sacks this season. Before last week, Maryland had at least three sacks in five straight games (at Michigan State, 9/23; Indiana, 9/30, at #4 Ohio State, 10/7, Illinois, 10/14 & Northwestern, 10/28), the Terps longest single-season streak since at least 1996. The last time the Terrapins had such a streak, it spanned over two seasons between November 12, 2011 - September 8, 2012.