Touchdowns and turnovers: Mixed bag for Caleb Rowe in Terps’ win

Three of West Virginia’s first four conference games will be on the road, and all four are against ranked teams.

Rivalry. When college football fans hear that word their mind may take them to “The Iron Bowl”, “The Red River Showdown”, or even “The Seminole War Canoe”.

That Saturday at Byrd Stadium more than a year ago filled with drenching rains, big plays, and heartbreak remained a stark memory for Maryland as it worked to get ready for its matchup with West Virginia on Saturday.

West Virginia leads the series 27-22-2 which has been going on since the year 1919. It’s only been two games against two inferior opponents, but West Virginia has yet to turn the ball over and came up with five takeaways against Georgia Southern. After two games, he has completed 73% of his throws for 622 yards and five scores with no picks, making big play after big play averaging over 12 yards per throw. They also are doing well at tackle with (Lucas) as a returning starter and (Cajuste) as a freshman.

Maryland has bounced back after a 1-1 start to become 2-1.

Since we’re talking about a Maryland team that couldn’t keep up with a (1-2) Mid-American team (Bowling Green’s only win is against UM), I expect a lot more complaining from Edsall after Dana Holgorsen lets his team lose on Saturday. Though Holgorsen prefers not to interfere with kickers – that part of the comment was true – coaches have had to put Lambert on a kick count in practices to make sure he doesn’t tire out his leg or injure himself in his relentless pursuit of preparedness.

Maryland coach Randy Edsall is taking a different approach.

-DT Adam McLean, a top local recruit, is no longer enrolled at Maryland because of an “initial NCAA eligibility issue”. Through three games, Likely has six punt returns of 20 yards or more.

Davis’ leaping interception was the most impressive play during an afternoon full of them. Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown, who rushed for 161 yards and a 75-yard touchdown, graduated. They also have 23 tackles for loss.

In the passing game they find themselves in an interesting match up with a secondary that has given up 771 passing yards through only 3 games but is very experienced. It was a great bounce-back for Nixon and his cohorts after a humbling effort against Bowling Green.

If West Virginia learned anything from last year’s nail-biter against Maryland, it was that 694 yards of offense is not always enough. This year stopping Likely is just as important especially with the hot start he is off to. Edsall hasn’t forgotten last year’s loss in College Park.

On defense the name of the game is turnovers. They will need to stop a couple of brothers that are starting to add value to the Terrapin’s this season in Tavion and Levern Jacobs.

Texas got out to a fast start early against the Mountaineers, streaking out to a 10-4 lead behind two kills apiece from junior middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and senior outside hitter Amy Neal. He will be the key to this defense getting back on track. Rowe, who has the best arm among the QBs, threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns, one a 70-yarder to Jacobs, and Moore had three catches for 47 yards, as Maryland made more plays, kept the beleaguered defense off the field a little more and rang up 411 total yards.