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| Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen beat Virginia last year and will likely need to do so again this season. (John McDonnell -- The Washington Post) |
After a trip to Georgia Tech, the Terrapins travel for a crucial matchup against longtime rival Virginia.
With a victory against the Cavaliers, Maryland could have at least four victories with winnable games remaining against Wake Forest and North Carolina State.
With a second-half schedule that includes Florida State, Clemson, Miami and Boston College, the Terrapins need a win here to preserve some sort of margin for error as they try to end a two-year bowl drought. The Cavaliers also are in the midst of transition with the departure of quarterback Marques Hagans and likely will be viewing this game in the same manner.
Maryland's offense clicked against the Cavaliers last season, racking up season highs in rushing yards (250), total offense (570) and first downs (35) on the way to a 45-33 victory.
• Saturday, William & Mary, 6
Believe it or not, the Tribe leads the series 2-1, though the last meeting was in 1946. Ralph Friedgen served as the Tribe's offensive coordinator in 1980.
• Sept. 9 Middle Tennessee, 6Blue Raiders finished 4-7 while going 3-4 in the Sun Belt Conference last season. Their only meeting with the Terps came in 2000, a 45-27 loss.
• Sept. 14 at West Virginia, 7:45It seems that these two programs have gone opposite directions since their meeting in the 2004 Gator Bowl, a big Maryland win.
• Sept. 23 Florida International, 6Longtime Miami Dolphins quarterback and Virginia Tech grad Don Strock coaches the team, which started up in 2002. Aside from the Terps, this year's schedule includes Miami and Alabama.
• Oct. 7 at Georgia Tech, TBAMaryland hasn't won at Georgia Tech since 2001, when the Terps needed overtime to prevail in Ralph Friedgen's return to the school where he served as offensive coordinator.
• Oct. 14 at Virginia, TBAThe big game.
• Oct. 21 North Carolina State, TBAA bitter 20-14 loss last year sealed Maryland's second-straight sub-.500 season. Place kicker Dan Ennis missed two field goal attempts and the Terrapins turned over the ball four times.
• Oct. 28 Florida State, TBAAfter posting 21 points in the second quarter, Maryland looked headed for the upset last season. Instead, Florida State outscored the Terps 21-6 in the second half.
• Nov. 4 at Clemson, TBAThe Tigers seem prone to the ACC upset (Wake Forest in 2005 and Duke in 2004). Maryland nearly joined the group last year, forcing Clemson to rally from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
• Nov. 11 Miami, TBAThe Hurricanes come to Byrd Stadium for the first time since 1982. This is the teams' first meeting since Miami joined the ACC.
• Nov. 18 at Boston College, TBAMaryland turned over the ball four times with a lost fumble leading to a 94-yard touchdown return that keyed the Eagles' 31-16 victory.
• Nov. 25 Wake Forest, TBAMaryland owns a seven-game winning streak against the Demon Deacons and might need to make it eight to qualify for a bowl.
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| Vernon Davis |
"He's a special player," Coach Ralph Friedgen said of Davis, who was drafted sixth overall in this year's NFL draft, making him the highest Terrapin taken since 1975 and equaling the earliest a tight end had been selected since 1972.
With specialization increasingly taking hold even in the college game, Davis brought extraordinary versatility. It's only appropriate that the Terrapins will need at least four players to provide the services Davis delivered on his own.
Sophomore Dan Gronkowski (6-6, 266 pounds) and junior Joey Haynos (6-7, 267) will use their size as blockers. Meanwhile, junior Jason Goode is a stronger pass catcher.
Drew Gloster, a highly touted freshman who has the body of a junior, could emerge as a Davis-type multiple threat.
- Bottom Line: New defensive coordinator Chris Cosh takes over a unit that gave up 25 points per game last season, the most in Coach Ralph Friedgen's five seasons.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
