Miami Set to Visit Maryland For First Time Since 1985
Nov. 6, 2006
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MIAMI HURRICANES at (#24 Coaches/#23 AP) MARYLAND TERRAPINS
When: Saturday, November 11, 2006, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Byrd Stadium (natural grass; 51,000) in College Park, Md.
TV: The game will be broadcast live on ABC with Dave Lamont (play by play), Ray Bentley (analyst) and Jeannine Edwards (field reporter).
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 15.
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki (play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WRHC 1550 AM with Joe Pujala (play by play) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Maryland (www.umterps.com)
THIS WEEK’S GAME: The Miami Hurricanes will travel to College Park, Md. for the first time in more than two decades to face the Maryland Terrapins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Byrd Stadium. The game will be regionally telecast by ABC.
Miami is 5-4, having lost its last two games to ACC Coastal Division leaders Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes need one more victory to become bowl eligible and are fighting for a berth in a ninth consecutive bowl game. Miami is coming off a disheartening 17-10 loss to Virginia Tech last Saturday night in the Orange Bowl. The Miami defense held the Hokies to only 139 yards on offense, but the UM offense had three turnovers and managed to score just 10 points.
Maryland is 7-2 this season and tied for first place in the ACC Atlantic Division with Wake Forest at 4-1. The Terrapins are playing for a berth in the ACC Championship game, which is something the Hurricanes still have slim hopes of reaching. Maryland is ranked 24th in the Coaches poll but is unranked by the Associated Press. They are led by quarterback Sam Hollenbach, who has passed for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns, and running back Lance Ball, who has rushed for 589 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Hurricanes are 2-3 in the ACC. Following the Maryland game, Miami will face Virginia on the road before returning home for the regular-season finale in the Orange Bowl on Thanksgiving night against Boston College.
“We still have a lot ot play for,” said Miami head coach Larry Coker, whose team has lost two straight games. “Success breeds confidence. We have good players. But you have to execute. As coaches, we have to give them what they need for their confidence so they can execute. We have three games left and we can still have a good season.”
After nine games, the Hurricanes rank sixth in the nation in total defense, 14th in scoring defense, third in rushing defense and 41st in pass defense. Offensively, Miami ranks 76th in rushing, 53rd in passing, 77th in scoring and 74th in total offense. The Terrapins are 95th in total offense, 92nd in pass offense, 71st in rush offense and 66th (tied) in scoring offense. Defensively, they are 85th in total defense, 53rd in scoring defense, 60th in pass defense and 96th in run defense.
THE SERIES: The two teams have played 14 times, splitting the series evenly at 7-7. The last meeting was 19 years ago, when Miami defeated Maryland 46-16 on October 10, 1987 the Orange Bowl. The last time Miami went to Byrd Stadium was 1985, a 29-22 Hurricanes victory.
THE COACHES: Larry Coker is 58-13 in six seasons and has never faced Maryland. Ralph Friedgen is 48-22 in six seasons and faced Miami as an assistant at Georgia Tech in the 2000 Gator Bowl (UM, 28-13), as assistant at Maryland (1982, 1984, 1985) and as a graduate assistant at Maryland (1970, 1972). Friedgen’s teams have a combined 2-4 record against Miami.
A HURRICANES VICTORY OVER THE TERPS WOULD: Give them a 6-4 record. It would give them a 3-3 record in the ACC Coastal Division and it would also give them an 8-7 record in the series against Maryland. A victory would also make the Hurricanes bowl eligible for the ninth consecutive season.
