The Maryland Terrapins are at 4-5 and in a must-win game today to get back to .500. Yes, the Terps are back home at SECU Stadium to face Rutgers in a Big-Ten showdown of East Coast teams.
Not to look ahead, but after today’s game, the Terps have just two games remaining against Iowa and the the No. 4 ranked Penn State team to finish the football season. Yes, the Terps have to win at least two-of-the-final-three games to get to at least six wins to be bowl-eligible.
Redshirt junior QB Billy Edwards Jr. is now 7-5 as a starter at Maryland across three seasons, with wins over Northwestern, NC State, Auburn, UConn, Virginia, Villanova, and USC. Edwards Jr.currently ranks No. 5 among all FBS quarterbacks and No. 1 in the Big Ten in completions per game (26.22). Edwards Jr., who was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25 on Oct. 7, ranks No. 11 nationally and No. 3 in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (280.0). He has thrown for at least 200 passing yards in each of his last nine games, tied with USC’s Miller Moss for longest active streak by a Big Ten QB. The last Big Ten quarterback with a longer such streak was C.J. Stroud (13 straight ended in September 2022).
For Edwards, his favorite receiving target is Tai Felton who is looking NFL ready. Through nine games, Felton has 80 receptions, 979 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. With seven catches against Oregon last week, the Fred Biletnikoff Award Watch List member tied D.J. Moore (2017) for the most catches in a single season (80).
With Felton’s next catch, he will set the single-season record for receptions at the University of Maryland. Felton leads the Big Ten in receptions and receiving yards and is tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns. His 80 receptions are the most among power conference players and his 907 receiving yards rank fourth. Felton has 214 more receiving yards than the next closest Big Ten receiver, Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith. Similarly, Felton has 16 more receptions than the next closest Big Ten receiver, Oregon’s Tez Johnson. Felton is one of just two Big Ten players this century to have 900+ receiving yards and 80+ receptions through nine games (Purdue’s Charlie Jones – 2022).
RB Roman Hemby, as the main back, has to get the ground game going for the Terrapins. He surpassed 2,500 career scrimmage yards and eclipsed the 2,000 rushing yard mark for his college career at Maryland. He is one of just nine active FBS players who have recorded 1000+ scrimmage yards in each of the last two complete seasons.
Maryland’s nine interceptions have come from Glendon Miller (three), Jalen Huskey (three), Dante Trader Jr., Ruben Hyppolite II, and Lavain Scruggs. Maryland has also recovered six fumbles this season, tied for the second-most in the Big Ten (Wisconsin-7) and tied for the 32nd-most in the nation. Six different Terps have recovered a fumble and Kellan Wyatt leads the way with two forced fumbles.
Sophomore LB DJ Samuels made history against Minnesota, becoming one of just five FBS players since 2012 with both a receiving touchdown and three tackles for loss in the same game. Of that group, only one is a power conference player (UCLA’s Datone Jones in 2012).
Maryland returned five starters on the offensive side of the ball in 2024, including All-Big Ten selections in running back Roman Hemby and wide receivers Tai Felton and Kaden Prather. OL Kyle Long and TE Preston Howard also return. Howard caught his first career touchdown pass in Maryland’s win over Auburn in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.
Last week, Maryland’s defense held UConn to just 88 rushing yards and forced either a punt or turnover on 11 of 15 UConn drives. Seven starters returned for Maryland’s defense, including Third-Team All-Big Ten selection Ruben Hyppolite II and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection Quashon Fuller. Other returners include defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Tommy Akingbesote, linebacker Kellan Wyatt and defensive backs Dante Trader Jr. and Glendon Miller.
“This is an important game for us. This is playoff football for us. We win [at least two more games], and we advance.”
— head coach Michael Locksley said at Tuesday’s presser
With the Terps’ win against Villanova in their non-conference game earlier this season, it was the 15th-straight non-conference season win. Also that win extended the Terps’ non-conference win streak to 15. Coach Locksley so far is 16-1 in non-conference games.
Maryland had won eight games in back-to-back seasons, and that is a testament to the team’s consistency and improvement, especially given the historical context since their last such achievement was in 2002-03.
Maryland’s record: 4-5 1-5 Big Ten
Rutger’s record: 5-4, 2-4 Big Ten
All-time series: 7-3 in favor of Maryland
BetUS Sportsbook : Maryland are favorites at -4.5, O/U 54.5
Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, 3:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. ET
Stadium: SECU Stadium • College Park, Maryland
TV: FS1 — Play-By-Play: Chris Myers, Analyst: Spencer Tillman
Streaming TV: FOX Sports
Radio: Audacy Radio App / SiriusXM 136; 105.7 FM (Balt.) / 980 AM (D.C.) — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Steve Suter (analyst), LaMont Jordan (sideline)
