By Mariana Smithfield

GAME NOTES

https://umterps.com/documents/2023/12/13/Maryland_Football_Game_Notes_–_Music_City_Bowl.pdf

COLLEGE PARK, MD – The University of Maryland football team will make its 30th all-time bowl appearance when it meets Auburn in the 2023 TransPerfect Music City Bowl on December 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.  The game is set to be broadcast on ABC at 2:00 p.m. EST.

MUSIC CITY BOWLING

• Maryland is playing in a bowl for the third season in a row for the first time since 2006-08, as the Terps take on Auburn in the 2023 TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.  The Terps have won each of their previous two bowl games, the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in 2021 and the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in 2022. Maryland will look to win a bowl game in three straight seasons for the first time in program history this year.
• The TransPerfect Music City Bowl is the 21st different bowl the Terps have played in. It will mark the first time the Terps play an SEC team in a bowl since they beat Tennessee 30-3 in the 2002 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
• Maryland is 7-4 (.636) in bowl games since 2002, the best record by any current Big Ten team entering this year’s bowl season. The Terps are coming off bowl victories over Virginia Tech (2021) and North Carolina State (2022).
• The Terps are 3-0 against non-conference opponents this season and have won 11 straight non-conference games, the second-longest streak in the country (Georgia). In the Locksley era (2019-pres.), Maryland’s average of 41.5 points per game in non-conference play is fifth in the nation, only trailing Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama and LSU. The Terps’ have scored 30-plus points in 12-of-14 non-conference games under Locksley.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS

• QB Taulia Tagovailoa has helped ascend the Terps’ passing game to new heights during his four-year career. The quarterback has set Maryland career records for passing yards (11,256), passing touchdowns (76), total touchdowns (89), completions (955), completion percentage (67.1), 300-yard passing games (15), passing efficiency (146.1) and total offense (11,473).
•  Earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors for the second consecutive season, Tagovailoa has been one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten through 12 games, currently leading the conference and standing top-20 in the country in passing yards (3,377), passing touchdowns (25), completions (290), points responsible for (182). He leads the Big Ten and stands top-25 in the nation in total offense (282.9).
• In the Terps’ last game of the regular season against Rutgers (11/25), Tagovailoa became the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader, passing Purdue’s Drew Brees (10,909), Minnesota’s Adam Weber (10,917) and Purdue’s Curtis Painter (11,163). Tagovailoa stands 93 yards ahead of Painter for the most yards by any quarterback in the history of the illustrious conference. Tagovailoa’s current career completion percentage (67.1) is the fourth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time. He is also seventh in career passing touchdowns (76) and total offense (11,473) in Big Ten history.
• The redshirt senior is one of only two FBS quarterbacks with at least 2,500 passing yards in each of the last three seasons, along with Memphis’ Seth Henigan. He’s also thrown at least one touchdown in 34 games, tied for the second-most among FBS quarterbacks in that time with Sam Hartman (Notre Dame). Seth Henigan (Memphis) has thrown a TD in 35 games over the last three seasons.
• The Ewa Beach, Hawaii native has now thrown multiple touchdown passes in 24 career games, the most of any active Big Ten player. Maryland has gone 16-8 in those games.
• Tagovailoa currently stands top-15 among all FBS QBs in career completion percentage (fifth), completions (eighth), passing yards (10th) and total offense (11th).

ALL-BIG TEN TERPS

• Maryland had 16 All-Big Ten selections this season, the most the Terps have had since they joined the Big Ten in 2014. The Terps had nine offensive selections and six defensive selections and one special team selection, led by Second Team selections QB Taulia Tagovailoa and CB Tarheeb Still
• Second Team: QB Taulia Tagovailoa leads the Big Ten in nearly every passing category, standing atop the league in passing yards (3,377), passing touchdowns (25), completions (290), points responsible for (182) and total offense (3,395). Maryland’s all-time passing leader in every category, Tagovailoa became the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader this past weekend against Rutgers, now with 11,256 career passing yards.
• Third Team: OL DJ Glaze has started every game at left tackle for the Terps this year, anchoring an offensive line that has blocked for the third ranked offense in the Big Ten (393.8 yards per game). Glaze is the second-rated pass blocking tackle in the Big Ten via Pro Football Focus with an 83.1 grade and the fourth-rated tackle overall (over 750 snaps).
• Third Team: WR Tai Felton leads the Terps and stands seventh in the Big Ten with six touchdown receptions this season, while ranking second on the team with 723 yards and third with 48 receptions. The big play threat averages 15.1 yards per reception, the third-highest in the Big Ten.
• Third Team: WR Jeshaun Jones leads the Terps in both receptions (53) and receiving yards (747) and is one of only two Maryland receivers to start in all 12 games this season. His 747 yards and 53 receptions are both the 14th-most in a single season in program history and Jones stands fifth all-time in career receptions (146) and touchdowns (14), and eighth all-time in program history with 2,000 career receiving yards.
• Second Team: CB Tarheeb Still currently ranks third nationally in interceptions per game (0.5) and fifth nationally in total interceptions (5). The senior had a pair of interceptions in each of Maryland’s wins over Virginia and Nebraska, making him one of only three FBS players to have two games with two interceptions. Still declared for the NFL Draft on December 4.
• Third Team: LB Ruben Hyppolite II stands second on the team with 62 tackles this season, tallying 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. One of the leaders of the Maryland defense that allowed only 23.2 points per game this season, Hyppolite has six games with at least six tackles including 10 stops in a huge performance against No. 2 Michigan.

DEFENSIVE PROWESS

• Maryland’s defense is one of seven FBS units that have generated at least 30 sacks and 15 interceptions entering the 2023 bowl season (App State, Bowling Green, Michigan, NC State, Texas, Tulane). The last time the Terps accomplished this during the regular season was 2001 (36 sacks, 24 INTs)
• Maryland’s defense has 15 interceptions this year, the 11th-most in the nation and second-most in the Big Ten, behind only Michigan (16). The Terps have intercepted three or more passes in three different games this season (Virginia, 9/15, Michigan State 9/23 & Nebraska, 11/11), tied with Notre Dame and Coastal Carolina for most such games this season in the FBS. It is the Terps’ first season with three such games since having three in 2002.
• DL Donnell Brown is the third-highest rated edge defender in the FBS in pass coverage (92.0 grade) and the highest in the Big Ten. He is also the third-highest rated in the Big Ten overall (84.4 grade).
• The senior is one of only three players in the FBS to have two games with two interceptions this season (Virginia, 9/15 & Nebraska, 11/11), joining Elijah Jones (Boston College) & Xavier Watts (Notre Dame).
• Still’s five interceptions this season are the most by a Terp since Tre Watson in 2018 (also five). With one more interception, he’d have the most in a season by a Terp since Will Likely had six in 2014.
• S Dante Trader Jr. also had two interceptions in Maryland’s win over Nebraska, marking the first time this season an FBS team had two players with at least two interceptions in the same game.
• Maryland’s defense has intercepted three or more passes in three different games this season (Virginia, 9/15, Michigan State 9/23 & Nebraska, 11/11), tied with Notre Dame and Coastal Carolina for most such games this season in the FBS. It is the Terps’ first season with three such games since having three in 2002.
• Maryland’s defense has intercepted three or more passes in three different games this season (Virginia, 9/15, Michigan State 9/23 & Nebraska, 11/11), tied with Notre Dame and Coastal Carolina for most such games this season in the FBS. It is the Terps’ first season with three such games since having three in 2002.

OFFENSIVE TIDBITS

• As a team, Maryland ranks top-three in the Big Ten in team completion percentage (65.9), total offense (393.8), passing offense (284.2) and team passing efficiency (142.5).
• WR Tai Felton ranks third in the Big Ten in yards per reception (15.1), trailing only Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michigan’s Roman Wilson. A Third Team All-Big Ten selection, Felton has the 16th-most 3 yards ever in a single season by a Terp with 723.
• Maryland has four players with at least 40 receptions and multiple receiving touchdowns this season, tied for the most in the FBS (Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon). Roman Hemby could make it five with at least three more catches.
• Dating back to last season, Maryland has attempted at least 30 passes in 15 consecutive games. The only FBS team with a longer such active streak is Washington State (21).