Terps vs. Rutgers: Five Reasons to Be Concerned

Posted by SuckaFish

Before each game we’ll give Five Reasons to Be Concerned, Five Reasons to Feel Good, and The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction.* As always, we start with the bad stuff.

1. Cal
The Terps opened the season on the west coast playing a team they beat last year. Granted, the Golden Bears are a better team than they were a year ago, but a 52-13 loss was a horrible way for a young team to get started.

2. James Madison
Maryland needed a late TD to tie the game and then a field goal (one that snuck inside the left post before taking a harsh left turn and barely hit the net) to beat an FBS team 38-35 in overtime.

3. Middle Tennessee State
A revenge game against a team from the Sun Belt Conference that beat the Terps in ’08. Maryland got the early lead but couldn’t hold it. They had the lead and the ball in the final two minutes but couldn’t hold it. They needed one stop from the defense but couldn’t get it. MTSU kicks a field goal on the final play of the game and beats Maryland 32-31.

4. 122 and 2
Maryland’s defense has given up 122 points in three games. In the one game against a BCS conference team they allowed 52. In two games against an FBS team and a team from the Sun Belt Conference they’ve given up 35 and 32. Can the new defense stop anyone?

Maryland’s All-ACC running back Da’Rel Scott fumbled twice in the MTSU game. He spent the fourth quarter of a one-point game on the bench watching Davin Meggett get the carries. Coach Friedgen says he hasn’t lost confidence in Scott. Can Scott regain his own confidence and lead the Terps?

5. No One’s Going to See the Game
For the third time in four games the Terps are not on TV. Seriously, isn’t this 2009? How can the only real college football team in a top ten TV market never be on TV? And the Washington Post reports that no one is going to the games at Byrd either. You know things aren’t going well will local papers are calling an ACC school a mid-major.

* Guarantee not valid in Piscataway or anywhere else

SWAGLESS Tailgate Tweets

Posted by SuckaFish

We’re getting ready to head to College Park for the Maryland/MTSU game. We’ll be Tweeting from Byrd. Follow us at @SWAGLESSNetwork

Terps vs. Middle Tennessee: The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction*

Posted by SuckaFish

Before each game we’ll give Five Reasons to Be Concerned, Five Reasons to Feel Good, and The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction.* We gave you the bad stuff, then the good stuff. Now here’s this week’s pick.

Why MTSU Could Win
They play a spread offense that has been incredibly difficult for the Terps to stop. And now Maryland has to try to stop it without two starting DBs. The Blue Raiders beat Maryland last year and think they can do it again today.

Why Maryland Could Win
A steady diet of Da’Rel Scott with a side order of Morgan Green should lead to big yards and lots of time of possession. Last year MTSU kept the ball for long stretches and Maryland abandoned the running game. If that changes today the Terps are in good shape.

The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction*
There are plenty of reasons for Maryland to be worried coming into this game, but they do have the most talent and should win the game. Look for more than 200 yards rushing and a couple of TDs out of Scott and Green and a much happier result in College Park. The SWAGLESS prediction:
Maryland 31, MTSU 23.

* Guarantee not valid in Murfreesboro or anywhere else

Terps vs. Middle Tennessee: Five Reasons to Feel Good

Posted by SuckaFish

Before each game we’ll give Five Reasons to Be Concerned, Five Reasons to Feel Good, and The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction.* We gave you the bad stuff. Now here’s the good stuff.

1. A Dish Best Served Today
The revenge factor sure worked for Cal in week one. Now it’s the Terps turn to play the “we owe them” card. Last year in Murfreesboro, TN the Blue Raiders’ spread baffled Maryland from the start and MTSU got the 24-14 upset. No one would call it an upset if they did it again. Maryland has to play with a chip on their shoulder, and they will.

2. History 101
While the Terps have had their issues against smaller schools in the Ralph Friedgen era (Northern Illinois, MTSU), they haven’t lost home games. Under the Fridge Maryland is 19-2 against non-conference opponents with both losses coming against West Virginia.

3. Unless He Has H1N1 …
Early in last year’s game against MTSU, Da’Rel Scott ran for a 63-yard TD to tie the game 7-7. He finished with 123 yards and averaged more than 11 yards per carry. But he only got the ball 11 times. Last week he only had 72 yards against JMU but played the game with strep throat. If Scott is closer to 20-25 carries then things should be going well for the Terps.

4. They Get Hurt Too
Middle Tennessee State will play today without their top RB, Phillip Tanner.

Maryland should get an emotional boost from one of their injured players when Nolan Carroll plays the role of Willis Reed. Carroll, a senior captain who broke his leg last week against JMU, will join his fellow captains at midfield for the coin toss.

5. We’re in First Place in the ACC Atlantic
OK, we’re tied for first at 0-0 but still. Here are the standings entering today’s games.

B.C.                     0-0 .000 2-0 1.000
Maryland         0-0 .000 1-1 .500
NC State           0-0 .000 1-1 .500
Wake                  0-0 .000 1-1 .500
Clemson           0-1 .000 1-1 .500
Florida State    0-1 .000 1-1 .500

* Guarantee not valid in Murfreesboro or anywhere else

Terps vs. Middle Tennessee: Five Reasons to Be Concerned

Posted by SuckaFish

Before each game we’ll give Five Reasons to Be Concerned, Five Reasons to Feel Good, and The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction.* As always, we start with the bad stuff.

1. Have You Seen Maryland Play This Year?
Two games into the season there’s not a lot to be happy about. In week one Maryland flew all the way across the country just to be blown out by Cal 52-17. In the home opener last Saturday they needed overtime to beat James Madison. It’s clear that no games on the schedule can be taken lightly.

2. Recent History
Last year the Terps had to travel to Murfreesboro, TN. The only thing worse than that, they actually lost to Middle Tennessee State 24-14. Now Maryland is one of the youngest teams in the country, 30 players are gone from the team that lost to MTSU a season ago. The game is in College Park this time but the Terps have no momentum and the Blue Raiders (bet you had no idea that’s was their nickname) will come in knowing they can win this game.

3. Spread ‘Em
Maryland’s defense is notoriously bad against the spread offense. Guess what MTSU runs. Last year the Blue Raiders used the spread to rack up more than 400 yards of offense and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes in their victory over the Terps.

But wait, Maryland has a new defensive coordinator and a completely different scheme you say. Valid, but last week the D struggled against James Madison, right? Guess what offense the Dukes run. A different type of spread, but still. JMU had 268 yards rushing and more than 400 yards in total offense. And now Maryland will be trying to stop a spread offense without two of its four starting d-backs. CB Nolan Carroll broke his leg against JMU and is likely done for the year. Safety Jamari McCollough will miss a second-straight game, coaches expect him back next week for Rutgers.

4. This One Time, at a Football Game …
Last week the inexperienced o-line committed two false starts, at home. Some Maryland fans were concerned that the band was playing too loudly as the Terps were about to snap the ball. The athletic department claims it was the JMU band. It’s hard to imagine that at any point in that game there was too much noise in College Park.

5. Three yards and a … Well, Another Three Yards
The Terps offense ran 70 plays against FCS school James Madison. Five of those plays gained more than 15 yards. Despite all the talk of the talent in the backfield and the seven-deep receiving corps The Washington Times thinks the coaches are admitting that they have to be a dink and dunk offense. Maryland will need big plays, not just to keep up with MTSU’s spread offense this week, but all year long.

* Guarantee not valid in Utah or anywhere else

Terps vs. James Madison: What the Hell Just Happened?

Posted by SuckaFish

Maryland escaped with a 38-35 OT win over James Madison. JMU missed a 41-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime, then Maryland got inside the 10 before new kicker Nick Ferrara won it with a 26-yarder.

Maryland led 21-6 in the second quarter but couldn’t score for the next 23 minutes. By then JMU had taken the lead 28-21. The Terps scored with 5:09 to go to force the OT.

On their first two plays in the extra session Maryland gave the ball to Da’Rel Scott. That equaled the amount of carries he had in the entire second half. Maryland cannot continue to abandon the run. Scott is an All-ACC runner and needs carries if Maryland is going to salvage this season.

The breakout star of the game was Torrey Smith. He had eight catches for 80 yards, an 81-yard kickoff return for a TD, and an eight-yard rushing TD.

On the offensive side our prediction was dead-on. We had the Terps scoring 34, and in regulation they put up 35. What we didn’t see coming was a second-straight disastrous game for the defense. Giving up 52 to Cal is bad, but it can happen. Giving up 35 to JMU is another story.

Up next, a revenge game against Middle Tennessee State, Saturday at 3:30 at Byrd.

Terps vs. James Madison: Five Reasons to Be Concerned

Posted by SuckaFish

Before each game we’ll give Five Reasons to Be Concerned, Five Reasons to Feel Good, and The Absolutely 100% Guaranteed Prediction.* As always, we start with the bad stuff.

1. Um, Did You See What Happened Last Week?
It was not pretty. We will not be watching film this week. Let’s look forward.

2. James Madison Is Very Good
Sure, they play in Division 1-AA (it’ll always be that to me) but they will not be intimidated. As always, they’re ranked in the top 10. In the last five years the Dukes have been in the playoffs four times and won a national championship.

3. They Are the Defending CAA Champs
Last year JMU was 8-0 in the CAA and was ranked #1 in the country headed into the playoffs. So what? Last week the CAA went 2-0 against the ACC. Richmond went to Duke and won 24-16. William and Mary traveled to Charlottesville and beat Virginia 26-14. Really? Maryland needs to win to save face for the ACC?

4. Our Offensive Line Just Got Worse
Of all the problems last week, the offensive line was the worst. And now starting left tackle Bruce Campbell is out for the JMU game with turf toe. Paul Pinegar will most likely take his spot. Last week Pinegar was the right tackle and he was beaten repeatedly. Now he’ll be at the most important spot on the line.

5. Recent History Does Not Inspire Confidence
Just last year Maryland lost to Middle Tennessee State. Seriously. And that was the week after they struggled to beat Delaware 14-7. In ’06 the Terps beat W&M by 13 and stopped Florida International in the red zone on the final play to escape with a 14-10 win. The ’05 season started with a 3-point win over Navy. In 2004 they beat Northern Illinois 23-20 and in 2003 they lost to NIU 20-13 in OT. Of course, in three of those five seasons the Terps went on to win a bowl game.

* Guarantee not valid in Utah or anywhere else