Game Preview: UVA, Maryland set to meet in prime time on Saturday night

Maryland, picked 11th in the Big 10 preseason poll, lost at home to Michigan State, picked 16th, 27-24 last week.

That game had the feel of the UVA-Wake Forest game from last weekend that also involved two teams projected to be in the bottom half of the ACC.

Difference being, Maryland lost at home, giving up a touchdown with 4:11 to go, and a field goal on the final play, and Virginia won on the road, rallying from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit, taking the lead for good on a 1-yard TD run by third-string QB Grady Brosterhous with 2:07 left.

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ICYMI: UVA Football

• UVA Football: The offense needs Chris Tyree to get things going in the slot
• UVA Football: Seriously gotta fix that issue with getting punts blocked
• UVA Football: Tony Elliott updates on Kam Robinson, McKale Boley, Corey Thomas
• Report Card: Grading UVA Football in the 31-30 comeback win at Wake Forest

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The Terps forced three turnovers, but surrendered 484 total yards. Spartans QB Aidan Chiles was 24-of-38 for 363 yards, three TDs and two INTs, and his top target, Nick Marsh, a 6’3”, 209-pound freshman, had eight catches for 194 yards.

If you’re thinking along with me here, you’re thinking, Virginia wideout Malachi Fields, a big (6’4”, 220) target who has had back-to-back 100-yard games to start the 2024 season, could be in line to have some fun.

Maryland’s new starting QB, Billy Edwards Jr., a redshirt junior from Northern Virginia, has been solid in the first two games this season, going for 311 yards and two TDs in the 50-7 win over UConn in the opener, and 253 yards, two TDs and one INT last week.

The top target is another Northern Virginia kid, 6’2”, 186-pound senior Tai Felton, who had seven catches for 178 yards in the UConn game, and 11 catches for 152 yards against Michigan State.

The UVA D, you may remember, had a time trying to get stops in the Wake game. Deacs QB Hank Bachmeier passed for 403 yards, and the Wake ground game put up 165 sack-adjusted yards.

Details

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GameDay: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ACCN)

Series: Maryland leads series, 45-32-2

Last meeting: Maryland, 42-14 (2023)

ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)

SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 119 / SiriusXM 138 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 196

SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 955 / SiriusXM 958

Line: Maryland -3

Over/under: 57.5

Projected score: Maryland 30, UVA 27