| Maryland coach Randy Edsall hopes to turn things around in his second year. (US Presswire) |
William & Mary at Maryland
Kickoff: Saturday, 3 p.m. (ESPN3)
Spread: No line
Watchability: Maryland coach Randy Edsall has already had a rough start to his second season. Starting QB C.J. Brown is out for the year with a torn ACL, and Edsall will turn to true freshman QB Perry Hills. Edsall is also dealing with injuries on defense, and that means William & Mary might have a chance in this one.
Shining Stars: Maryland: TE Matt Furstenburg (6-4, 245 pounds) was a preseason all-conference selection. He caught 31 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns in 2011. Furstenburg should be a reliable target for Hills. DT Joe Vellano had 94 tackles last year and was named first team All-ACC. William & Mary: Senior CB B.W. Webb has been named first team all-conference each of the last two seasons. He had 40 tackles and two interceptions in 2011. S Brian Thompson was named to the preseason All-CAA team. He had 68 tackles with five tackles for loss last year.
Who could steal the show: Maryland: True freshman WR Stefon Diggs was a highly touted recruit who could be a gamebreaker. He will return kickoffs and punts Saturday, but it remains to be seen how involved he will be this early in the season in the passing game. William & Mary: QB Brent Caprio started the final three games last season and takes over as the starter for his junior season. He threw for 795 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions last year.
You going? Ranking the road trip: Maryland has not been drawing a big crowd, and after a 2-10 season, that will probably continue on Saturday. Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times reported earlier this week that season ticket sales are down 18 percent from last year.
Magic number for Maryland: 10. Maryland’s first depth chart was absent of ten potential starters because of injury, including seven on defense.
Magic number for William & Mary: 3. In three of William & Mary’s last four games against ACC competition, the Tribe have stayed within 10 points of their opponent. William & Mary beat Virginia 26-14 in 2009, and it lost 34-24 at NC State in 2008 and 21-17 at North Carolina in 2010.
The game comes down to: Whether Maryland can recover from its injuries. The Terrapins have suffered injuries at crucial positions. If Hills isn’t ready and the defense is too decimated to perform, Maryland will struggle on Saturday.
Prediction: Maryland 27, William & Mary 17
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from ACC bloggers Shawn Krest and Sean Bielawski, follow @CBSSportsACC.