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The Maryland football team's game against Iowa on Oct. 18 will kick off at 12 p.m. on ESPN2, Iowa announced Monday morning.
Iowa FB at Maryland will be on ESPN2. Kick time is 11 a.m. CT. Iowa and Maryland will meet for the first time. #IowaFootball #Until
— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) October 6, 2014
The Hawkeyes are 4-1 after consecutive 24-10 wins over Pitt and Purdue. They did not play last weekend, but they will host Indiana on Saturday before traveling to College Park a week later.
Maryland, coming off a loss to Ohio State, has a bye week ahead – and considering the Iowa defense's performance so far, the Terrapins could use it. Iowa ranks 15th in FBS in yards allowed per game (310) and 16th in points per game (17.2). However, Iowa ranks 52nd in ESPN's defensive efficiency, suggesting it has gotten better defensive results than the underlying metrics would suggest are deserved.
On offense, the Hawkeyes have underwhelmed. They slot 94th in FBS in yardage per game (372) and tied for 96th in points per game (22.6). Coach Kirk Ferentz has used two quarterbacks in spots this year, but the primary signal-caller is junior Jake Rudock, who averages 200 yards per game with a 5-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
No one on the roster averages more than 46 rushing yards or 40 receiving yards. The entire team only runs for 131.5 yards per game. That should be a welcome change of pace for a Maryland defense that has faced star runners Tevin Coleman and Ezekiel Elliott, among other talented backs, in its last few games.