What You Need To Know: Maryland Preview

By: Kris Wright |

Virginia HelmetMaryland Helmet

Game Essentials

Game Nuggets

  • This is the 78th meeting between Virginia and Maryland. It is the 57th and final meeting between the teams in ACC action as Maryland leaves for the Big Ten in 2014.
  • Maryland owns a 43-32-2 record in the series, including a 20-13-2 record in College Park.
  • Virginia has won 4 of the last 6 meetings, including 3 straight wins at Byrd Stadium.
  • Since 1937 the team with the most rushing yards is 57-7. The only years the loser had more rushing yards occurred in 1987, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2009, and 2012.
  • Virginia has 15 players from the state of Maryland on its roster.

Match-ups To Watch

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Demetrious Nicholson and the secondary have a tough match-up with Stefon Diggs. – Mike Ingalls/Sabre

Maryland’s Stefon Diggs vs. Virginia’s DBs and Special Teams. UVa coach Mike London called Diggs “very explosive” and with good reason. He’s a dynamic athlete with great speed and wiggle in the open field. He can run with the ball or focus on his speciality as a receiver. He’s a threat on special teams as the Hoos know all too well after he returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown last season. Diggs averages 21.2 yards per reception with 20 catches, 424 yards, and 3 touchdowns to his credit this season. The Terps also do a nice job of using Diggs as a decoy then attacking the holes exposed by defense’s attention to him.

Virginia’s David Watford vs. Maryland’s Dexter McDougle. Normally when a defensive back appears in the match-ups section, it is opposite of a receiver. In this case, however, Watford has the honor because of Maryland’s take-away success on defense. The Terrapins have 8 interceptions this season, which is tied for 15th in the nation. McDougle leads the way with 3 INTs (including a pick-6). He has shown an ability to diagnose short passes and undercut the route in particular. Watford, meanwhile, has thrown 7 interceptions already this season.

Maryland’s Marcus Whitfield vs. Virginia tackles Morgan Moses and Eric Smith. Whitfield really has emerged for the Terps this season and he’s one of the key players when they bring pressure on passing downs. He has posted 5.5 sacks on the year, good enough for a seventh-place tie nationally. Moses and Smith will draw the blocking responsibility against Whitfield when he comes off the edge. Ball State’s Jonathan Newsome gave Moses trouble last week so keep an eye on Whitfield’s impact in this contest.

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