Opponent: No. 23 Texas Longhorns (0-0)
Location: FedExField, Landover, MD
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. (EST), Saturday, Sep. 1
Last Matchup: Sep. 2, 2017 in Austin, TX — Maryland 51, Texas 41
Odds: Texas -14, per Bovada
TV: Fox Sports 1 — Joe Davis (play-by-play), Brady Quinn (analyst), Bruce Feldman (sideline)
Streaming: Fox Sports Go
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), LaMont Jordan (analyst) — 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (DC)
Student Radio: WMUC Sports — Connor Newcomb and Justin Gallanty
Three things to watch for Maryland
1. Matt Canada’s first test
Not only is this game Matt Canada’s first as a head coach, but it is also his first game calling plays for Maryland. With so much going on around the program, there will be a lot of weight on Canada’s shoulders going into week one.
2. Run, Maryland, run
If Maryland is going to win more than six games this season, it could be up to the talented group of running backs to get it done. Maryland’s four leading rushers at the position — Ty Johnson, Lorenzo Harrison, Jake Funk and Javon Leake — all return to the backfield, and with the addition of Tayon Fleet-Davis and the highly-recruited Anthony McFarland, Maryland could run right over its opponent.
3. Quarterback health
Maryland has not named its starting quarterback yet, but we do know it will either be Kasim Hill or Tyrrell Pigrome, who both suffered season-ending knee injuries early last season. Whoever gets the start, it will be the first time Terps fans get to see if Hill or Pigrome is 100 percent healthy.
Three things to watch for Texas
1. A new running back
The Texas offense returns a lot of starters, but its newest weapon is graduate transfer running back Tre Watson, who came over from Cal this season. Watson missed most of 2017 with an injury, but did rush for 709 yards with the Bears back in 2016.
2. The right QB choice?
Texas had one of the more interesting quarterback battles in the country in camp this year, but sophomore Sam Ehlinger won the job. Ehlinger started six games last season, but did not play against Maryland. Junior Shane Buechele, who made one of his seven starts against the Terps in 2017, will be the backup. However, if Ehlinger struggles early, head coach Tom Herman could go to his more experienced arm.
3. The punter
That’s right, the punter. 2017 Ray Guy Award winner Michael Dickson made an unprecedented move as a punter and left after his junior year, and it worked out. Dickson, who was named the MVP of the Texas Bowl in the Longhorns win over Missouri, was drafted in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks. He then won the Seahawks starting job in camp over veteran punter Jon Ryan.
Now, Texas has to replace him, and the choice is freshman Australia native Ryan Bujcevski, who also happens to be Dickson’s cousin. Bujcevski was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 punter in the class of 2018, but he still has some big shoes to fill, especially if this game is close and comes down to special teams.