[Baltimore Sun] Maryland’s quest for bowl eligibility begins by challenging No. 1 Oregon
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The initial vibe surrounding Maryland football’s game against No. 1 Oregon on Saturday is that the Terps have an opportunity to play spoiler to the Ducks’ perfect season thus far.
For sophomore outside linebacker DJ Samuels, the matchup is a chance to get one step closer to a higher prize: bowl eligibility.
“We’re coming out guns blazing,” he said Tuesday at SECU Stadium in College Park. “That’s kind of the initiative for every game at this point. At this point, we’re just trying to go bowling. So we’re just here to keep it rolling. We’re just going to treat everybody as if they’re the best.”
That’s probably a good approach for Maryland (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten), but especially against the Ducks (9-0, 6-0), who are one of only five NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision teams with an unblemished record at this point of the season. On Tuesday, Oregon was unveiled as the top team in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
As expected, the Ducks have few weaknesses. Senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (296.1) and completion percentage (.748) and is tied for first in touchdown passes (19). Junior running back Jordan James ranks third in rushing yards per game (101.9) and is tied for fourth in touchdown runs (nine). Sophomore outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei ranks second in sacks (7 1/2) and fourth in tackles for loss (9 1/2) and is tied for second in forced fumbles (two). Senior cornerback Jabbar Muhammad is tied for third in pass breakups (eight).
Terps coach Mike Locksley understands there are several reasons the Ducks are the top-ranked team in the nation under third-year coach Dan Lanning.
“The number in front, we don’t emphasize that,” he said. “We watch the tape, and they’re a good team. They’re good in all three phases, they’re well-coached. As I told our staff, they prepare the way we do. They have some of the same recipes of how to prepare and organize their programs — very similar to what we have. So It’s not going to come down to out-scheming them. It’s going to come down to players making plays and us putting them in the best position to make those plays.”
Although Oregon will miss senior wide receiver Tez Johnson (64 catches, 649 yards, eight touchdowns) because of a right shoulder injury that is expected to sideline him for a few more weeks, Maryland is still regarded as a 24 1/2-point underdog.
That view didn’t seem to bother Maryland redshirt junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.
“I think that’s something we find comfort in, having that chip-on-our-shoulder mentality,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we pay too much attention to outside noise. I think a lot of guys do a good job of just focusing on the task at hand Monday through Friday to give us a chance to be successful on Saturday, and that is the same for this week even though we’re playing the No. 1 team in the country. It’s a big deal, and it’s a big game, but I think we’re all focused on what we can do to give ourselves a chance to be successful against the No. 1 team in the country.”
Saturday’s game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene at 7 p.m. will mark the Terps’ first trip to the West Coast since Dec. 30, 2014, when that squad lost to Stanford, 31-20, in the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It will be the program’s first regular-season appearance in the Pacific time zone since Sept. 5, 2009, when they lost to California, 52-13.
In the new 18-team Big Ten, travel seems to be a significant factor. Teams that have had to play games at least two time zones away are 7-14 this fall.
Locksley said a truck with Maryland’s equipment was expected to arrive in Eugene on Wednesday. The team left College Park on Thursday (a day earlier than usual) and planned to practice Friday.
“We know how tough it’s going to be to go on the road to play the No. 1 team in the country, but I promise you this: nobody in Jones-Hill House is concerned about getting on a plane and going to play,” Locksley promised. “We have a good football team — still. I feel pretty confident that this team will show up and be heard.”
Still, the Ducks have been practically invincible at home. They have won 13 consecutive games in Eugene — including a 32-31 win over then-No. 2 Ohio State on Oct. 12 — and are 36-1 since 2018.
Meanwhile, the Terps have lost 16 regular-season matchups against ranked teams since upsetting No. 21 Syracuse, 63-20, on Sept. 7, 2019 — their second game under Locksley as coach. But they did rally for a 29-28 win against USC on Oct. 19, and Samuels likened Saturday’s game to another opportunity to differentiate football on the East and West coasts.
“We know what kind of team we are,” he said. “We know what we are at the end of the day. We feel as if we can compete with anybody in the country. We just need Saturday to prove that.”
Coming off its second bye of the season, Maryland has dropped its past 10 games after an open week. But with only four games remaining in the regular season, the team needs two victories to get to the six-win threshold that usually guarantees an invitation to a bowl, which would be the program’s first stretch of four straight bowl appearances since 1982 to 1985.
After Oregon, the Terps finish against Rutgers (4-4), Iowa (6-3) and No. 6 Penn State (7-1).
“I think we all know what’s at stake, and we all know that every game in November is even more important than the games earlier in the season,” Edwards said. “We’ve got four great opportunities staring in front of us, and I think everybody in the building, including myself, is focused on this one right in front of us.”
Maryland under Mike Locksley vs. ranked opponents
Date; Opponent; Ranking; Result
- Sept. 7, 2019; Syracuse; No. 21; Win, 63-20
- Sept. 22, 2019; Penn State; No. 15; Loss, 59-0
- Oct. 26, 2019; Minnesota; No. 17; Loss, 52-10
- Nov. 2, 2019; Michigan; No. 14; Loss, 38-7
- Nov. 10, 2019; Ohio State; No. 1; Loss, 73-14
- Nov. 28, 2020; Indiana; No. 3; Loss, 27-11
- Oct. 1, 2021; Iowa; No. 5; Loss, 51-14
- Oct. 9, 2021; Ohio State; No. 9; Loss, 66-17
- Nov. 6, 2021; Penn State; No. 22; Loss, 31-14
- Nov. 13, 2021; Michigan State; No. 8; Loss, 40-21
- Nov. 20, 2021; Michigan; No. 8; Loss, 59-18
- Sept. 24, 2022; Michigan; No. 4; Loss, 34-27
- Nov. 12, 2022; Penn State; No. 13; Loss, 30-0
- Nov. 19, 2022; Ohio State; No. 2; Loss, 43-30
- Dec. 30, 2022; North Carolina State; No. 23; Win, 16-12
- Oct. 7, 2023; Ohio State; No. 4; Loss, 37-17
- Nov. 4, 2023; Penn State; No. 9; Loss, 51-15
- Nov. 18, 2023; Michigan; No. 2; Loss, 31-24
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13.
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