Last season, Terrapin football fans griped about the team’s weak non-conference schedule. That shouldn’t be the case for the upcoming 2007 season.

Lightweights Villanova and Florida International are on the schedule, but so are heavyweights West Virginia and Rutgers – two teams that ended last season ranked in the top 15.

“We once again have a very difficult schedule, but an exciting one for our fans,” coach Ralph Friedgen said in a press release. “We play seven bowl teams [from last year], and our non-conference schedule is extremely tough with West Virginia and Rutgers.”

Four of the Terps’ first five games will be against non-conference opponents. The season-opener is Sept. 1 at home against Villanova, and the Terps will travel to Florida International a week later. Steve Slaton and West Virginia come to Byrd Stadium for a Thursday night game Sept. 13, and then the Terps will hit the road to play Wake Forest and Rutgers, rounding out a difficult first five weeks.

The Terps face Georgia Tech, Virginia, Clemson and Boston College at home and will play North Carolina, Florida State and N.C. State on the road. As if the schedule weren’t difficult enough, twice the Terps will play three road games in a span of four weeks.

-From staff reports