/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47268728/GettyImages-455382544.0.jpg)
Milan Puskar Stadium, the home of West Virginia Mountaineers football, will be loud and the fans will be primed and ready to see their team take on a Maryland squad who they defeated 40-37 last season. Quarterback Clint Trickett was at the helm last year in that game and put up career numbers (511 passing yards (10.4 yards per attempt), four touchdowns and an interception). Now the Mountaineers have gone in a different direction and Skylar Howard is under center.
The junior from Fort Worth, TX has led the Mountaineers to two back to back wins and the team has scored 85 points total in two games. West Virginia's offense brings a running attack that is dangerous but with the right schemes and pressure can be stopped. It all starts with the front seven, more specifically, the defensive line. Yannick Ngakoue, Quinton Jefferson and Roman Braglio are going to be deciding factors in how the battle in the trenches goes. If they can get consistent pressure on Howard and rattle him, the rest of the defense will have an easier time doing their jobs.
If the Terps can shut down one part of the Mountaineers' game, they can do just about anything.
Offensively for the Terps, they need to get the running game going early and often. Passing the ball will be difficult but doable despite the crowd noise that they will be faced with. It will be interesting to see how the Terps combat the it.
The numbers
Rankings and records:
Maryland: 2-1 (0-0)
West Virginia: 2-0 (0-0)
All-Time Record: West Virginia has the upper hand with a record of 27-22-2..
Vegas: West Virginia is favored by 17 points according to Vegas.
How to witness
Date, time and location: September 26th, 3pm (ET), West Virginia
TV: Fox Sports 1 - Justin Kutcher (Play by Play) and Petros Papadakis (Color)
(Update: The game starts on Fox Sports 2 and online.)
Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play), Tim Strachen (Color), Scott McBrien (Color); Flagships - WJZ-FM (101.9)/ ESPN 980 (D.C.) Sirius 113, XM 200, WMUC Sports