Terps welcome Rutgers Football for Homecoming game

When: Saturday October 13th

 

Where: Maryland Stadium in College Park, Maryland

 

Time: 12 pm ET

 

TV: BTN (Big Ten Network)

 

 

 

HOMECOMING 2K18

 

When Maryland takes the field on Saturday against Rutgers, it would be a chance for a bounce back win and right the ship after a disheartening loss to Michigan last weekend.

Rutgers comes in with just one victory on the season and are simply one of the very worst teams in all of Power Five football.

This is a game Maryland MUST win if they hope to become bowl eligible this season.

Last season, a struggling Rutgers team managed to pull out a victory against a Maryland team that started their 4th string walk on quarterback at the time due to injuries and ineffectiveness.

Maryland would look for some major pay back this time around.

The Scarlet Knights have been horrendous on both sides of the ball so far this season after having suffered loses to both Kansas and Illinois.

Both of those programs went winless during their individual conference seasons last year while Kansas ended a historic losing streak against Power Five opponents against Rutgers.

This is a game the Terps can use to correct issues that popped up during that Michigan game last weekend.

Rutgers is bad and the Terps should be able to have their way with them on both sides of the ball.

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

 

Rutgers comes in with a 0-3 conference record and 1-5 overall.

Their offense comes in struggling mightily and are about dead last in offensive points per game with only 15.5.

Their passing (170.3/gm) and running (128.3/gm) game are equally as bad ranking dead last in the Big Ten conference in both areas.

Maryland’s speedy defense should have plenty of chances to make big plays in terms of tackles for loss and cause turnovers.

If there’s one area the Scarlett Knights have been good at this season is special teams.

They’re in the middle of the pack in the conference at both return yardage and stopping returns.

They play fast and hard on special teams but give up plenty of huge plays on defense to opposing offenses to remain in games.

Rutgers gives up almost 40 points a game on defense at 36.3/gm and with a struggling offense no wonder their record.

 

 

THEY ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY ARE

 

If the opening line is any indicate this is a game Maryland cannot afford to lose.

The Terps would head into the game being over 22 points favorites, their highest such totals a Maryland team has been favored by over a Power Five opponent in over 15 years.

Rutgers is bad and Maryland should be able to do everything they want on offense.

Terps fans should able to see the huge explosive plays they’ve been accustomed to when the offense is rolling that simply dried out against Michigan’s top ranked defense last week.

We should see the return of Anthony McFarland dazzling speed and a few Ty Johnson long runs.

The Scarlett Knights simply do not have the depth of talent to match up with Maryland.

Terps have the physical edge in this one and should be able to established the line of scrimmage with ease on both fronts.

Rutgers coach Chris Ash seat is only getting hotter each passing week as the losses pile up and the result keeps getting more embarrassing for the Scarlett Knights faithful and high end boosters.

Beating Maryland would certainly help cool off that seat significantly as their fan base would see that as huge positive even if they fail to win another game this season just as long as they in Rutgers beat Maryland.

This game is their Superbowl as their remaining schedule looks more like certain loses on paper.

 

 

NO LETTING DOWN

 

Being favored by so much against a rival as many Rutgers fans hoped this game would become would give some a cause for pause.

Could the Terps be in for a huge let down game and s stunning upset?

I for one do not believe so especially after Rutgers beat Maryland last season and pretty much ended the Terps seniors hopes for a bowl game.

The Terps would be out to prove that loss last season was fluke and I do not expect Maryland to sleep on this Rutgers team.

Also, the Terps themselves had just come from an embarrassing showing against Michigan last week with many now calling their week 1 upset victory over Texas as a fluke.

The Longhorns are now ranked in the top 10 national in the AP polls after beating rivals Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout.

The Terps will be out to prove they are for real this season and that they’re more like the team that beat Texas than the one that loss to Michigan 42-21 last Saturday.

Another cause for optimism is that all of the Terps strengths align perfectly with Rutgers weaknesses which should create some exciting results for a Maryland offense that struggle finding its footing last weekend.

 

 

RUTGERS KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

 

Artur Sitkowsi   True Freshmen QB

 

Raheem Blackshear Soph RB

 

Bo Melton Soph WR

 

 

 

FINAL PREDICTION/SCORE

 

Rutgers is a very young team on paper and plays like it on film.

They make a lot of mistakes on both sides of the ball that have been costly.

I expect a few more missed key tackles that leads directly to explosive plays for the Terps and a few blown coverages by their defense that’ll result in more scores.

Their defense does have talent led by their two senior corners however opposing teams have been able to gashed them for huge gains on both the run and passing games.

Maryland fans should see more Jet Sweep fun this game and a return of true freshmen Jeshaun Jones to the end zone.

Maryland have the speed and athletic edge and unlike last week against Michigan the Terps should not have much troubles staying on schedule on offense with down and distances to go.

Look for Kasim Hill to have his most productive passing game thus far this season.

I simply just don’t see how Rutgers with their poor offense and even porous defense can manage keep this game close.

The Scarlett Knights would come out pumped up and make it close early but Terps would ROLL after the 1st quarter.

 

 

SCORE

Maryland 48 Rutgers 10

 

**NOTE

Terps Senior Defensive linemen Brett Kulpa would miss the remainder of the season due to a leg injury.

However Senior running back Ty Johnson did return to practice and is FULL go for Saturday after being carried off the field with what looked at the time to be a serious injury.

Also more good news with Terps Junior workhorse running back Jake Funk returns to practice as well but on limited bases as he is still nursing his hand injury that have kept him out since the Texas game in week 1.

BOTH Cornerback Rayshad Lewis and Linebacker Tre Watson would miss the first half of the Rutgers game due to being ejected during the second half of the Michigan game last week for questionable illegal hits.

 

#GOTERPS