2013 Virginia Tech Football: Maryland Game Guide

Virginia Tech Hokies (7-3) vs. Maryland Terrapins (5-4)

Time: 12:30 p.m. EDT
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013
Place: Blacksburg, Va.
Stadium: Lane Stadium/Worsham Field
(Cap: 65,632, Open: 1965, Field: Bermuda)
TV: ACC Network/Raycom Sports
Radio: VT IMG, XM 191, Sirius 136
Spread: Virginia Tech -15
Weather: High of 63, 20% Chance of Rain

Maryland: In their last game against the Syracuse Orange in College Park Saturday, a 20-3 loss, the Terrapins were gashed on the ground, losing the battle in rushing yardage 242-81. Jerome Smith ran for a 1-yard touchdown midway through the first to give the visitors a 7-0 lead. The Orange then added two Ryan Norton field goals in the second and third quarters, upping their advantage to 13-0. Just before the end of the third, Maryland was able to get on the board with a Brad Craddock field goal to cut the deficit to 10. But the only score remaining would come from Syracuse on a 21-yard Smith run to provide the final margin, 20-3.

Trends: Virginia Tech won the last game in the series, in 2009, 36-9 in College Park. The Hokies got on the board first, courtesy of a 1-yard Ryan Williams plunge to put the visitors up 7-0 early in the first quarter. Then, minutes later, Tyrod Taylor found Andre Smith on a 3-yard passing score to make it 14-0 Hokies. After a Maryland field goal just seconds into the second quarter, the Hokies scored on a 10-yard pass from Taylor to Dyrell Roberts minutes later, extending the lead to 20-3, though Tech did not convert the two-point conversion attempt. Three minutes later, the Hokies scored again, this time on a 64-yard pass from Taylor to Jarrett Boykin to put the good guys (saying this because of the "good guys wear white" campaign designed by Nike, as Tech wore their first Nike Pro Combat uniforms in response to Maryland's Under Armour sponsored military-themed combo). There were no more scores until late in the third quarter when Matt Waldron added a field goal, pushing the advantage to 27 points and a 30-3 lead. Less than a minute into the fourth, Waldron would connect on another, giving the Hokies the 33-3 lead. Maryland would score on a fumble return/recovery on the next Tech drive, but failed the two-point conversion, leaving it 33-9. Waldron would add another field goal before time expired to provide the final margin, a 36-9 Virginia Tech victory. The Hokies out-gained the Terps 484-236 and produced 6 sacks. Williams ran for 126 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Taylor threw for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns. No current Virginia Tech played recorded a stat in the game.

History Lesson: The following information is all provided via Hokiesports.com. The all-time series is tied at 15 apiece, and 13-13 in conference. The Hokies are also 3-0 against Maryland at Lane Stadium. The Hokies won their last game over the Terrapins, 36-9 in 2009, making it five wins in a row in the series. Beamer has never faced third-year Maryland coach Randy Edsall at Maryland, but was 2-0 against him when Edsall was at UConn. The Hokies are 2-5 in the series when they are unranked. Virginia Tech won the first game of the series in 1919, a 6-0 win in College Park. The average score of the series is a 14-13 Virginia Tech advantage. The Terrapins have been shut out six times in the series by the Hokies, but the Hokies have been shut out seven times by the Terrapins. Tech is 61-17 all-time in ACC conference games, including a 22-11 record against Atlantic Division opponents and a 31-8 mark in ACC home games (12-6 against Atlantic Division opponents at home) (rankings data dates back to 1950, the earliest year of Hokiesports' poll of choice, the Coaches' Poll).

What to Expect

• Maryland runs a 3-4 formation defensively
• The Terrapins rank No. 59 nationally in total offense with 415.6 yards per game. They are also scoring 25.1 points per game, which ranks No. 85 nationally.
• Maryland ranks No. 32 in passing offense with 273.6 yards per game through the air.
• The Terrapins rank No. 90 nationally with 142 yards per game on the ground.
• Defensively, the Terrapins are giving up 378.1 yards per game, good for No. 44 nationally. They also are No. 52 in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 24.9 points per game.
• In rushing defense, Maryland is No. 47 nationally, allowing 149.3 yards per game. Through the air, they've allowed 228.8 yards per game, good for a No. 59 ranking in the nation.
• C.J. Brown has passed for 1,473 yards with 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions so far this season in seven games.
• Running back Brandon Ross is the Terrapins leading-rusher at 512 yards and 4 touchdowns in eight games.
• The Terrapins lost their top-two receivers for the season several weeks back, Stefon Diggs and Deon Long, who had accounted for over 1,000 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Their leading remaining receiver is Levern Jacobs with 428 yards receiving on 27 passes with 2 touchdowns.

Hokies Win If: They are able to avoid a challenge from an injury-depleted Maryland team.

Terrapins Win If: They are the only team taking the other seriously, and put together their best effort to stun the Hokies.

Dot-dot-dots: The triple-overtime win over Marshall was win No. 700 for the program. The Hokies are one of only 15 teams in the FBS to have that many wins. Frank Beamer is in sixth place all-time in wins among FBS coaches with 265. He needs 34 more to pass Joe Paterno, who now stands at 298 wins after 111 wins were vacated from his record. Individually, Logan Thomas is now the all-time leading-passer in Virginia Tech history in passing attempts (1,177), completions (658) and career passing yardage (8,518 yards). Thomas became the all-time leader in passing yards in Virginia Tech history against North Carolina, passing Tyrod Taylor. In the win over Georgia Tech, Thomas moved into third place all-time at Virginia Tech in wins for a quarterback with 22. He now has 25 and needs one more wins to move into a tie for second place all-time with Bryan Randall with 26 wins. Thomas is also now the all-time leader in total yardage in Tech history after passing Tyrod Taylor in the loss to Boston College, and stands at 9,871 yards. If he produces another 130 yards (according to Hokiesports), he will be the school's first 10,000-yard player in total offense. In the loss to Duke, Thomas also moved passed Tyrod Taylor for first place all-time in rushing touchdowns among Virginia Tech quarterbacks, with 24. In the win over Miami, Thomas also moved into sole possession of the passing touchdown record at Virginia Tech with 50, passing Bryan Randall whom he had previously been tied for with 48. With his next start against Maryland, Thomas will tie Randall for the all-time consecutive starts record for a quarterback at Virginia Tech with 38. A.J. Hughes leads all ACC punters with a 18 punts of 50-yards or more. The Hokies defense is No. 4 in the nation with 17 interceptions. The Hokies are 11-4-2 all-time on November 16.