Maryland versus Buffalo Preview

This Saturday the Maryland Terrapins football team will host the Mid-American Conference Buffalo Bulls at Capital One Field at high noon. The Terrapins will enter the game as a heavy double-digit favorite according to most gambling sites as Davey O’Brien watch list candidate Taulia Tagovailoa rides into his third season at Maryland.

Buffalo head coach Maurice Linguist will enter his second year with the Bulls after Lance Leipold decided to take his talents to Kansas the season before. While providing a lot of fight early, Linguist could not find the words to guide Buffalo to a winning record, and finished the year 4 – 8 including losing its final four games.

Maryland head coach Mike Locksley is entering his third season in College Park and while there have been signs of success, patience is beginning to wear thin with the results on the field. With little room for error in the Big 10 conference, Maryland is expected to throw the ball early and often throughout the game with one of the nation’s top wide receiver rooms and an experienced offensive line.

Buffalo meanwhile lost leading rusher Dylan McDuffie and Quarterback Kyle Vantrease this past offseason. The Bulls return a solid offensive line and will likely attempt to rely on the legs of Senior Matt Myers as a duel threat Quarterback who will get the ball quickly to speedster Ron Cook for big chunks of yards.  

On the defensive side of the ball look for Buffalo to try and force the Terps into obvious passing downs with Daymond Williams stuffing up the middle of the line and linebacker James Patterson to roam freely as one of the best players in the Mid Atlantic Conference. If Maryland abandons the run and is forced to throw the ball, Buffalo might be able to create turnovers that will allow them to stay in the game.

Conversely, if Maryland is able to keep within third and manageable situations or give Tagovailoa time in the pocket, Maryland will sling the ball all over the field as there are no answers in Buffalo’s secondary for all of Maryland’s offensive weapons.

Prediction

This is not the same Buffalo team from the past few seasons who was a potential nightmare on the schedule. While Linguist needs time to develop his program, coach Locksley is in a “prove it” year for Maryland. Also, Locksley is known to eviscerate the early parts of his schedule to create as much buzz around this team as possible.

Maryland 34 – Buffalo 13

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