| Matt Brown rushed for 145 yards in last week's win over Villanova. Brown hopes to replicate the performance against the Terrapins. (Baltimore Sun) |
Maryland (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Temple (1-0, 0-0 Big East)
Kickoff: Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Spread: Temple by 10
Watchability: While it doesn’t appear to be the most intriguing game on paper, the Terps will try to avenge a deflating 38-7 loss to the Owls from last season. Temple looks to start a season 2-0 for the third straight year. Maryland coach Randy Edsall has not lost faith in his team despite losing more than two dozen transfers since arriving from UConn in 2011.
Shining stars: Temple: Chris Coyer. The Owls are 5-0 since Coyer assumed the starters’ role at the end of the 2011 season. The junior quarterback ran the read-option flawlessly in last week’s win over Villanova. At 6-3, 230 pounds, Coyer is difficult to drag down when he gets into the open field. Maryland has a pair of NFL prospects at linebacker in Kenny Tate and Demetrius Hartsfield. The duo will be tested by a quarterback who can scramble as well as any quarterback in the ACC. Maryland: Stefon Diggs. The electrifying freshman scored three touchdowns in an August scrimmage -- two of them on returns. Before last week’s 7-6 win over William & Mary, Edsall hoped to get Diggs at least 10 touches. Diggs only received eight, as the Pride kicked it over his head on kickoffs. Temple kicker/punter Brandon McManus would be wise to do the same.
Who could steal the show: Temple: Matt Brown. The diminutive senior had 145 yards in the opener against Villanova, as heralded transfer Montel Harris was limited by a hamstring strain. Harris has practiced this week, but Owls coach Steve Addazio has not indicated how many carries the senior running back will receive. The Owls dominated up front in last season’s win. It enabled former Temple running back Bernard Pierce to run wild against the Terps (32 carries for 149 yards; 5 TDs). If Brown receives similar running lanes, he may be able to match the performance. Maryland: Justus Pickett. The sophomore running back appears to have emerged as the lead back in a crowded backfield. Pickett had 11 carries for 45 yards in last week’s opener. If Pickett can rush for the first 100-yard game of his career the Terps may be able to keep the ball away from the Owls’ productive backs.
You going? Ranking the road trip: It’s a short drive from College Park to Lincoln Financial Field for Terps’ fans. It should be a nice day in Philadelphia with forecasts calling for temperatures in the mid 80s if the rain holds off.
Magic number for Temple: 21. Points scored by the Owls in the first quarter last season against Maryland en route to a 31-0 halftime lead. After rushing for 301 yards in last week’s opener, the Owls are confident they can pound the ball on the ground again.
Magic number for Maryland: 4. Turnovers committed by Maryland in last week's win over William & Mary. Maryland finished 37th in FBS last season with a plus-4 turnover margin.
The game comes down to: Rushing. Though Maryland struggled to stop Temple on the ground last season, the Terps have a new defensive coordinator in Brian Stewart and return eight starters on defense. Maryland will likely suffer another double-digit if Edsall and Stewart can’t find a way to contain Temple’s run.
Prediction: Temple 31, Maryland 13
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