Music City Bowl: What They're Looking Forward To

As the Maryland Terrapins prepare to head to Nashville, TN, to face Auburn in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, excitement is palpable about what lies ahead. 

From the chance to spend an extra week with teammates to be able to take in Nashville’s famous country music scene to get a chance to match up against an SEC program, the vibes are high around Jones-Hill House.

Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., running back Roman Hemby, wide receiver Tai Felton, offensive lineman DJ Glaze, safety Beau Brade, linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, linebacker Donnell Brown, and defensive lineman Jordan Phillips share what they’re most looking forward to during bowl week.

One Last Week With Teammates/Bowl Activities

“We had a really special team this year, a really close bond,” Glaze said. “Everyone was willing to do whatever needed to be done for one another, so to be able to go out and play another game with these guys is really special. Any time you get a chance to play another game with a group like this, it’s something you really cherish.”

“(Safeties coach) Zac Spavital told us about a hot chicken eating contest, so I want to check that out,” Brade said. “I want to do that with Dante (Trader Jr.) and see what’s up. Hopefully it’s not too spicy though.”

Nashville Scene/Country Music 

“In our morning lifts they’ve been playing country songs, so we’ve been listening to more of those songs,” Glaze said. “A little Morgan Wallen, a little Chris Stapleton. I’m definitely going to do a little more homework on that and have some songs ready when I get down to the city.”

“When it comes to writing music, I think our team is second-to-none,” Edwards Jr. said. “We have a lot of songwriters on the team, a lot of guys that like to write music, I think we’ll fit right in in Nashville.” 

“I’m not a big country guy, but I’m excited to see Nashville,” Brown said. “I’m a guy who likes seeing new places and experiencing different things so I’m excited to go sight-seeing.”

“Nashville is a legendary city, so I’m looking forward to getting to see it,” Phillips said.”

“I don’t know the name of the song, but I know how it goes, ‘Cold beer on a Friday night…,” Felton said. “That’s my jam. I’ll be listening to that for sure when I get down to Nashville.”

Playing An SEC Opponent In A High-Level Bowl Game

“We’re all just really grateful and excited for this opportunity to play in the Music City Bowl and to play Auburn,” Edwards Jr. said. “Obviously Auburn is a really good team, they have a really solid defense. We’re excited for that opportunity. And the biggest thing this game gives us a chance to do is to send the seniors out the right way as TransPerfect Music City Bowl champions.”

“Growing up, I watched a lot of SEC football,” Felton said. “My dad is from Georgia and he had me watch a lot of SEC football, so I know all about the atmosphere and how big it is down there. Everyone always says it's the Big Ten vs. the SEC, so I’m excited for that.”

“It’s a huge opportunity to be in a great bowl game like the Music City Bowl,” Brade said. “We’re very excited for it, especially to play a team like Auburn that has been a historically great program. They almost beat Alabama and Georgia this year, so we know they’re a great team and we’re excited to come ready to play.”

“Playing an SEC opponent is definitely a big deal,” Hyppolite said. “We’re just looking forward to a great battle, a great fight.”

Playing For Three Straight Bowl Wins

“To have three consecutive bowl wins, not just bowl appearances, but bowl wins, that would show that we’re progressing our program and doing something special that hasn’t been done in a long time,” Hemby said. “We’re really excited to be playing for that.”

Young Guys Getting An Opportunity

“Bowl time is a great experience for a lot of young guys,” Hemby said. “I know I can attest to it personally because two years back the bowl game was my way of stepping on the scene and paving the way for my success. As we’ve gone through our practices so far, we’ve already seen a lot of young guys step up and take bigger roles. It’s really exciting to see. I’m really excited to see guys like (sophomore defensive back) Lionell Whitaker and (sophomore wideout) Shaleak Knotts step up and make plays for us on Dec. 30.”

Playing In An NFL Stadium

“It’s going to be really cool,” Hyppolite said of playing in Nissan Stadium. “We’re gonna have a lot of eyes on us which is what we want. It’ll be good to be exposed to the NFL atmosphere and people. We’re really looking forward to performing in an NFL stadium.”