Virginia versus Maryland is a stapled rivalry of college football. The two teams first squared off in 1919 and have shared the gridiron 79 times, including annually from 1957 to 2013, when the Terrapins left the ACC for the Big Ten. Even after that departure, the bordering rivals found their way back to each other with a home-and-home agreement that started last year in College Park and will conclude Saturday night at 8 p.m. at Scott Stadium.
Much of Virginia fans’ attention should be turned towards the team’s 80th all-time matchup with Maryland that looms this weekend, when the Cavaliers will take aim at their first 3-0 start since 2019. But there should be no lack of heed paid to the eventful 79 games that came before, the more than century-long history characterized by winning streaks, last-second drama, a few mud-infested meetings and the occasional game in a baseball stadium.
If you are willing to hop in the time machine or maybe take a trip down memory lane, here are a few of Virginia’s best wins against Maryland over the years — starting in the 1920s.
Oct. 24, 1925 — Virginia 6, Maryland 0
Virginia’s first win against Maryland was perhaps its ugliest. In 1925, the Cavaliers hosted the Terrapins at Lambeth Field, where Virginia played its home games until moving to Scott Stadium in 1931. Rain poured down on the field throughout the contest, and players on both teams had trouble handling the slippery surface.
The two teams combined for 59 punts — 33 by the Terrapins and 26 by the Cavaliers — and the game had to be halted numerous times so players could get mud out of their eyes. Virginia got the upper hand in the second quarter after B. Winston Cardwell blocked a Maryland punt, allowing Paul Walp to rush for the game’s only touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Nov. 4, 1944 — Virginia 18, Maryland 7
Only two of the rivalry’s 79 games have been played outside of both College Park and Charlottesville, and Virginia won the first in 1944. The Cavaliers met the Terrapins for a neutral-site affair in Washington, D.C. at Griffith Stadium, a baseball park that doubled as a football stadium thanks to its left-field line that spanned more than 400 feet.
Rain once again drenched the field, leading to seven combined turnovers between the teams. In the end, Virginia used the elements to its advantage, rushing for 340 yards to Maryland’s 90 en route to an 18-7 win. James Walker III, William Hickman and Richard Davis scored the touchdowns for the Cavaliers, who evened the series at 9-9-2 with the victory — they have not been .500 or better all-time against the Terrapins since.
Nov. 25, 1961 — Virginia 28, Maryland 16
When Virginia hosted Maryland in 1961, there was no expectation they would give the home fans a win. The Terrapins had won the last three meetings by point margins of 38, 43 and 32. They were 7-2, in need of a win to clinch the ACC and secure a bowl game — the lowly 3-5 Cavaliers had nothing to play for, save for a sliver of dignity.
Nonetheless, Virginia stunned Maryland in a 28-16 victory as quarterback Gary Cuozzo and running back John Hepler connected for a trio of touchdown passes. With the Cavaliers ahead 21-10 in the fourth quarter, defensive back Ted Rzempoluch iced the game after intercepting a pass from Terrapins quarterback Dick Shiner and returning it 95 yards for a touchdown. Maryland lost out on the ACC and failed to qualify for a bowl game.
Nov. 20, 1999 — Virginia 34, Maryland 30
A few decades later, Virginia walked into College Park and broke Terrapin hearts again. In 1999, Maryland held an even 5-5 record when they hosted the Cavaliers in the final game of the regular season. Once again, a win for the hosts was necessary to secure bowl qualification for the first time in nine years.
Virginia toyed with the hopes of Terrapin fans, rushing out to an early 17-0 lead before blowing the advantage in the fourth quarter and then taking it back for good on an incredible game-winning drive in the final minute. Quarterback Dan Ellis led that charge, tossing a go-ahead touchdown pass to wide receiver Billy McMullen with 26 seconds remaining. The 34-30 win was the Cavaliers’ eighth in a row against Maryland, who came up short of a bowl game at the hands of Virginia for a second time.
“This has to be the worst loss I’ve ever been associated with because there was so much on the line,” Maryland Coach Rob Vanderlinden said after the game.
Nov. 6, 2004 — Virginia 16, Maryland 0
The Cavaliers were dominant in 2004, posting a double-digit margin of victory in each of their eight wins. Entertaining football paired with a home game against a fierce rival is a recipe for a buzzing gameday environment, and that is what took over Scott Stadium when the Terrapins came to town late in the season.
63,072 fans — then a Scott Stadium record and currently the fifth-highest attendance in the venue’s history — filled the seats to watch No. 12 Virginia take on Maryland. The Cavaliers did not disappoint, rushing for 295 yards and allowing only seven first downs to the Terrapins, who were shut out by Virginia for just the second time since 1945.
Overall, the Cavaliers have racked up 32 wins against Maryland — this list could be much longer than just five games. Honorable mentions include the Cavaliers’ 45-0 victory in 1997 that is still the biggest win in the rivalry’s history and a come-from-behind win in 2007 in which running back Mikell Simpson dove into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining. When the rivalry renews for the 80th time Saturday evening, Virginia will be looking for its 33rd win and first since 2011.
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