Saturday will mark the 57th and final ACC meeting between the Maryland and Virginia football teams. The two programs have met 77 times dating back to 1919 and were among the eight conference founders in 1953. The Terrapins have played no teams as many times as they have the Cavaliers, while Maryland is Virginia’s fourth-most common opponent.
For many Virginia players — including the 15 hailing from Maryland — the final conference iteration of the rivalry at Byrd Stadium carries extra significance.
“These Maryland-Virginia games are very physical, very fun to play in,” said junior running back Khalek Shepherd, an Upper Marlboro, Md. native. “The fact that it’s probably going to be the last time we play them — we have to treat this game like any other game … But it’s a bittersweet thing … being around the Maryland team a lot growing up and watching them play. So it’ll just be fun to go out and play in front of my family and friends one more time.”
Maryland announced in Nov. 2012 that it would be leaving the ACC for the Big Ten beginning in the 2014-15 season, putting the series on hold for the foreseeable future. Conference realignment has attracted a considerable amount of criticism, but Maryland President Wallace Loh and Athletic Director Kevin Anderson saw the move as necessary to save the Terrapins’ athletic department. The school had cut seven of its 27 sports in 2011 to trim a $4 million deficit and $80 million debt.
The decision engendered hostility between Maryland and the ACC. After the school refused to fork over the conference’s $52 million exit fee on the grounds that the payment constituted an illegal penalty, the ACC sued the university and has withheld upwards of $15 million in shared revenue as it continues to demand payment. As a result, the Maryland athletic department operated at a $21 million deficit during the past academic year.
Despite the bitter dispute between the ACC and one of its founding members, coach Mike London left open the possibility of playing the Terrapins in the future.
“There’s no stigma,” London said. “Just the fact that they are going into another conference and their first obligation will be their conference play … I’m not in the mix of making that decision as far as how or when we play them. But you know, if it happens later on down the road — for the powers that be as far as the scheduling is concerned — then it happens.”
The Cavaliers (2-3, 0-1 ACC) have won the last three meetings in College Park and are pining to close out the series with a win to pay the Terrapins back for a 27-20 defeat in Charlottesville last season.
Then-freshman receiver Stefon Diggs sucked the life from Scott Stadium right out of the gate, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. He also caught a 60-yard pass later in the first quarter that eventually led to a field goal, as the Terrapins leapt out to a 17-0 lead. Down 27-13 in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers replaced struggling sophomore quarterback Phillip Sims with junior Michael Rocco, who wasted no time in leading the team 81 yards for a touchdown.
That scoring drive proved to be all Rocco could muster, however, as Virginia dropped its fifth straight game in frustrating fashion.
“That was a tough pill to swallow — we were close to beating those guys,” Shepherd said. “But I’ve always been the type that throws things away if it really isn’t having a positive effect on me mentally, so that game is in the past. Just the fact that I’m going back home to play in front of my family and friends, that’s all I really need in order for me to get ready for this game.”
Last week, Maryland (4-1, 0-1 ACC) entered the top 25 for the first time since ending the 2010 season ranked No. 23. Although the Terrapins were blown out 63-0 by No. 6 Florida State last weekend and dropped from the rankings, this year’s defense still ranks as one of the best in the country on third down, and at getting after the quarterback, ranking third in the ACC and fourth nationally with 18 sacks. The unit is also No. 2 in the ACC and No. 25 nationally in rush defense, allowing just 115 yards per game, and could prove particularly vexing to Virginia’s run-heavy offense.
The Terrapin offense is also much improved from 2012, averaging 445.6 yards per game — the highest in program history through five games — and 31.8 points per game. Senior quarterback C.J. Brown, healthy after missing all of 2012 with a torn ACL, has formed a potent partnership with Diggs.
Brown is a dual-threat who has thrown seven touchdowns and just one interception this season, while rushing for six more — good for fourth in the ACC and first among quarterbacks. He suffered a concussion against the Seminoles and his status is uncertain for Saturday’s game, but the Cavaliers are preparing as if he is going to play. Sophomore Caleb Rowe will start for the Terrapins if Brown is unavailable.
Diggs is arguably Maryland’s most dynamic offensive playmaker, leading all Terrapin receivers with 424 yards and three touchdowns and supplementing the rushing and return games as well. Diggs currently averages an ACC-best 21.2 yards per catch — fourth nationally — and is a threat to break a game open at any moment.
“You have to respect [Diggs] … he’s a great player,” junior linebacker Daquan Romero said. “But at the end of the day, he’s just one of 11 … he’s not the only good player on the team. So we’re still respecting his talent, but we’re also looking at the other players that bring a big dynamic to the game.”
The teams kick off their final ACC meeting at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
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