Opponent: Bowling Green (0-1)
Location: Doyt L. Perry Stadium, Bowling Green, Ohio
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. (EST), Saturday, Sept. 8
Last Matchup: Sept. 12, 2015 in College Park — Bowling Green 48, Maryland 27
Odds: Maryland -16, per Bovada
TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Dan Gutowsky (play-by-play) and Bobby Carpenter (analyst)
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), LaMont Jordan (analyst) — 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (DC)
Student Radio: WMUC Sports — Noah Gross and Eddie Hobbs
Three things to watch for Maryland
1. Coming out strong
The Terps got off to a hot start against Texas and have to do the same with Bowling Green. The Falcons have an offense capable of making big plays, something Maryland knows all too well from their 2015 matchup. Bowling Green did the same against No. 23 Oregon last week, jumping out to a 10-0 lead before the Ducks responded. If the Terps can get on the board early, they’ll be able to control the game like they did with Texas.
2. Kasim time
Although Kasim Hill split time with Tyrrell Pigrome last week, Hill is listed as the lone starter at quarterback on this week’s depth chart. He had a strong game against a much tougher defense in Texas, so you can expect him to come out firing against Bowling Green.
3. Turnover battle
Maryland and Texas had very similar stats across the board last week, but turnovers put the Terps over the top. Bowling Green quarterback Jarret Doege threw two interceptions last week, allowing Oregon to pull away. If Maryland can put pressure on the Bowling Green offensive line, they can hope for the same.
Three things to watch for Bowling Green
1. Stopping the run
Oregon ran for a cool 212 rushing yards against Bowling Green, averaging a pretty strong 5.0 yards per carry. Maryland will look to enjoy similar success running the ball with their talented group of running backs as well as the always looming threat of a jet sweep from Matt Canada’s offense. If the Falcons can slow down Maryland’s multi-faceted run game, their chances of a win will increase.
2. Young offensive stars
Bowling Green is breaking in a lot of new players on either side of the ball, but none are more important than the quarterback. Sophomore Jarret Doege threw for three touchdowns last week but struggled at times against Oregon’s quick defense. In 2015, the Terps allowed six passing touchdowns to Matt Johnson. Doege has shown a lot of potential as the Falcons’ quarterback of the future, so he’ll try to follow in Johnson’s footsteps.
3. Turnover battle
Just like the Terps, Bowling Green will rely on forcing turnovers to create a spark. While the Falcons lost to Oregon by 34 points, they could’ve lost by even more points if it wasn’t for the fact they grabbed a pair of interceptions and recovered a fumble. When you’re a double digit underdog, getting turnovers can be a way to stay in the game, so a few interceptions from Hill or Pigrome could be just what the Falcons need to swing the game.