The Terps play the first of 11 consecutive weeks of games beginning tomorrow against No. 18 West Virginia.
It’s no secret why most big-time college football teams front-load their regular-season schedule with middling opponents.
Early games serve as a preseason of sorts, an opportunity for teams and coaches to iron the wrinkles out of their game before entering the meat of their schedule.
But as one of just four BCS-conference teams to open their schedule with back-to-back BCS-conference opponents, the Terrapins football team wasn’t afforded that luxury this season.
After beginning their season with a physically and emotionally trying Labor Day victory over Miami, the Terps play host to No. 18 West Virginia tomorrow.
With an explosive offensive attack and an equally athletic defense, the Mountaineers are far from the type of cupcake most teams have come to expect this early in the season.
While it’s no easy task for the Terps (1-0, 1-0 ACC) to play the Hurricanes and Mountaineers in consecutive games, they do have one advantage: time.
The Terps will have had 12 days to prepare before kickoff against West Virginia (2-0), offering them ample time to both prepare and repair.
“That [time off] was big. I know a lot of guys were beat up,” cornerback Cameron Chism said. “I know I was beat up. But we got our legs back a little bit, got our bodies back.”
On top of getting healthy and rested, that time off offered the Terps a bigger plus: the chance to ready themselves for one of the strongest opponents they’ll face all season.
West Virginia’s high-tempo offensive attack, revamped by first-year coach Dana Holgorsen’s run-and-gun mentality, will test a Terps defense that was inconsistent against Miami.
With weapons like dual-threat quarterback Geno Smith and speedy wide receiver Tavon Austin, the Mountaineers will force the Terps to put together a 60-minute effort to remain undefeated.
And with an aggressive defense that features five defensive backs much of the time, the Terps’ hurry-up offense will likely face a far tougher test than they did against Miami, whose defense was crippled by suspensions.
Still, with the extra time to move on from their season opener and devote their full focus to their regional rivals, the Terps are confident they’ll be able to harness the momentum gained from beating Miami and knock off a top-20 opponent for the first time since 2008.
“The excitement around this program is pretty exciting to be a part of,” quarterback Danny O’Brien said. “We feel good. We’ve really buried [the] Miami [game]. It’s over, and it’s just one win, and that’s not going to make a great season.
“But I feel like this game is going to provide a lot of momentum for the rest of the season.”
The momentum from a win tomorrow could prove vital for the Terps. With their bye week falling far earlier in the season than usual, tomorrow marks the last game they’ll come into with the advantage of extra rest.
A win could easily thrust them into the national rankings for the first time since 2008.
A loss, though, could kill the post-Miami buzz and squander the opportunity of the weekend off as they enter a stretch of games on 11 consecutive Saturdays.
“I was pleased that we did have the time off,” coach Randy Edsall said. “I think our guys have had enough time to put that last game out of their minds and got to focus in on the task at hand, which is West Virginia.”
cwalsh@umdbk.com
