Game 1: Maryland vs. Towson Preview

Maryland (0-0)

vs.

Towson (0-0)

September 2, 2023

SECU Stadium

3:40 p.m.

BTN

COLLEGE PARK, MD - The University of Maryland football team opens its 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 at home against Towson. The game is set to kickoff at 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.

setting the stage

Maryland returns seven players that earned All-Big Ten recognition a season ago as the foundation of the 2023 team. This group is headlined by Second Team All-Big Ten selection QB Taulia Tagovailoa and also includes TE Corey Dyches, OL Delmar Glaze and RB Roman Hemby on offense and LB Jaishawn Barham, S Beau Brade and P Colton Spangler on defense and special teams.
The Terps enter 2023 coming off their most successful season in years in 2022, going 8-5, the most wins for the program in a single season since 2010. Maryland won four Big Ten games for the first time since their first year in the conference in 2014.
With a Duke's Mayo Bowl win, the Terps won bowl games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since winning the Peach Bowl after the 2002 season and Gator Bowl following the 2003 season.

Beau Brade was one of only three defensive backs to lead their team in tackles last season.

rewriting the record books

QB Taulia Tagovailoa returns for the 2023 season already as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks and players in Maryland football history. Tagovailoa stands as Maryland's record holder in every major career and single-season passing category.
A 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten selection, 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 (7,879), passing touchdowns (51), total touchdowns (59), completions (665), completion percentage (67.4), 300-yard passing games (12), passing efficiency (146.2) and total offense (8,067). His current career completion percentage is the fifth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time.
In 2021, Tagovailoa set single-season Maryland records for passing yards (3,860), passing touchdowns (26), completions (328), completion percentage (69.2) and 300-yard passing games (seven). His passing yards number is the sixth-best mark of any Big Ten quarterback all-time.
Since 1996, there have been 188 Power 5 QBs to attempt at least 500 passes at home, including Taulia Tagovailoa. His 70.5 completion percentage ranks as the fifth highest among this group of passers (Texas' Colt McCoy leads at 72.8).
QB Taulia Tagovailoa increased his combined completion percentage on third and fourth down from 51.5 in 2021 to 67.4 last year, the third-largest increase (+15.9) in the FBS (min. 50 attempts each season). It was the biggest such year-to-year improvement by a Big Ten player since Maryland's Perry Hills from 2015 to 2016 (37.5 → 63.5; +26.0).

Taulia Tagovailoa enters his senior year as Maryland's all-time leading passer in virtually every category.

defensive improvement

Under Defensive Coordinator Brian Williams, Maryland's defense saw drastic improvement in 2022, allowing 13.1 less points per game in Big Ten play than 2021 (38.8 in 2021, 25.7 in 2022), the largest decrease in the Big Ten.
Maryland finished 18th in the nation in pass efficiency defense in 2022 (117.6) after finishing 88th the year prior (140.2). In the second half of games, Maryland allowed only a 102.8 QB rating to opposing passers, the fourth best in the FBS. In 2021, the Terps ranked 105th in that category (147.4).
The Maryland defense has gone 132 minutes without allowing a touchdown dating back to the 12:36 mark of the fourth quarter against No. 2 Ohio State on November 19. The Terps didn't allow a touchdown in the final two games of the season against Rutgers and #23 NC State.
In 2022, the Maryland defense allowed the least amount of points per game since 2010 (23.2), the least amount of touchdowns given up since 2010 (33) and the least amount of rushing yards (133.8) and total yards per game (357.1) since 2012. The Terps held seven of 13 opponents to under 24 points.

Maryland's defense saw a drastic turnaround in 2022.

the roman empire

A College Football News Freshman All-American last season, RB Roman Hemby was one of the best running backs in the nation, standing top six in the Big Ten in both rushing touchdowns (10) and yards per carry (5.26). Hemby totaled 989 rushing yards, the 12th-most in program history and second-most ever by a Maryland freshman, on 188 carries and caught 33 passes for 298 yards in 2022.
Hemby stood third among all FBS freshmen in yards from scrimmage with 1,287 (989 rushing, 298 receiving), only trailing Ole Miss' Quinshon Judkins (1,697) and Ohio's Sieh Bangura (1,304). Against SMU, Hemby became the first Terrapin in the last 25 years to have 150+ rushing yards and 50+ receiving in a game (151 rushing, 62 receiving).
The Edgewood, MD native had three rushes over 50 yards this past season, tied for the eighth-most in the nation and third-most in the Big Ten (Donovan Edwards, Michigan & Nicholas Singleton, Penn State). His two rushes over 70 yards was tied with 11 other players for the most in the FBS.
In 2023, Hemby aims to join LaMont Jordan (1999-00) and Rick Badanjek (1984-85) as the only Terps to record 10+ rushing touchdowns in multiple seasons. Only three Big Ten players have accomplished that feat in their freshman and sophomore seasons over the last 15 years – Wisconsin's Braelon Allen and Jonathan Taylor, and Indiana's Stevie Scott III.

Roman Hemby was a 2022 College Football News All-American

season opener success

The Terps have won 11-straight non-conference openers heading into the 2023 season, tied for the second-longest streak in the Big Ten, only trailing Michigan State who has won 12-straight. Maryland's streak dates back to 2010 when the Terps beat Navy 17-14 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore and includes two wins over ranked Texas teams.
Maryland has gone 12-1 (.923) in all season-opening games from 2010-22, with the only loss coming in the shortened 2020 campaign. Only three FBS teams have a better opening-game record than the Terps in this span – Air Force, Alabama and Ohio State (all 13-0).

DJ Glaze helped lead the Terps to a season-opening win over West Virginia in 2021.

non-conference success

The Terps have won eight-straight games against non-conference opponents, with the last loss coming on September 15, 2019 against Temple. Under head coach Michael Locksley, the Terps are 10-1 in non-conference games with wins over Power Five teams Virginia Tech, West Virginia, #23 NC State and #21 Syracuse.
In the Locksley era (2019-pres.), Maryland's average of 43.5 points per game in non-conference play leads the nation. The Terps' have scored 30-plus points in nine-of-11 non-conference games under Locksley, and seven of the last eight.

Maryland Terrapins vs. NC State for the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins

Terps celebrate a bowl win against NC State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl

History vs. towson

Maryland is 2-0 all-time against Towson, winning meetings in 2011 and 2017.
The 2017 game saw D.J. Moore score three touchdowns, true freshman Kasim Hill excelled in his starting debut and Maryland got two long TD runs from Ty Johnson in a 63-17 rout.
Head Coach Michael Locksley played football at Towson, graduating in 1992.