Saturday, September 25 -- 3:30 p.m. ET
Maryland Stadium – College Park, Maryland
By EVAN MEYER
Saturday’s game is the first-ever meeting between the two schools. For Kent State, it marks the first time since 2018 it has faced two Big Ten Conference opponents on the same schedule (at Illinois, at Penn State).
Here's more on the two teams . . .
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (3-0, 1-0 BIG TEN):
Last Friday, Maryland opened its Big Ten Conference play traveling to Illinois and defeating the Fighting Illini 30-27. That raised UM's overall record to 3-0 for the first time since 2016.
>> Maryland scored 10 points in the final 4:50 to win the game on a 32-yard field goal from senior PK Joseph Petrino as time expired.
The Terps held a 10-3 halftime lead. However, Illinois scored two touchdowns to take a 17-14 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. Led by junior QB Taulia Tagovailova, the visitors tied the score 17-17 with 2:33 remaining.
The defense forced a three-and-out then a short punt gave UM possession on the Illini 45-yard line with 47 seconds remaining. Maryland moved the ball to the 21, setting up Petrino, who was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
>> Maryland opened the season with home wins over West Virginia, 37-6, and Howard, 62-0. At 3-0, the Terps have surpassed their win total in the pandemic season of 2020 (2) and matched their win total for 2019 (3). The Terrapins also recorded their first Big Ten opener since 2018 at Minnesota.
>> Maryland's head coach is Mike Locksley, who is in his third season at UM is 11-43 overall as a head coach First game against Kent State and against Sean Lewis. Locksley was named head coach in December, 2018 coming from Alabama where he was the Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers coach for the Crimson Tide.
His second head coaching position he was head man at New Mexico for three seasons with an 8-17 mark. He was on the Maryland staff from 1997-2002 and 2013-15 before being named interim head coach when Randy Edsall was relieved in 2015.
>> The Maryland offense is averaging 37.3 yards and 512.0 yards (one of the best in all of the FBS).
>> At the controls is Tagovailova, who is completing 75.5 percent of his passes (80-of-106) for 956 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. His younger brother is Tua (Alabama and Miami Dolphins), and he played with his brother for two seasons with UA.
>> The running game is led by fifth year senior Tayon Fleet-Davis, who has gained 251 yards on 37 carries with two touchdowns.
>> The receivers are led by senior Dontay Davis Jr, with 20 receptions for 338 yards and two scores.
>> The UM defense has allowed 13.7 points and 268.7 yards through the first three games with 11 sacks and four interceptions.
>> Freshman LB Brandon Jennings has 14 total tackles (nine solo) and a forced fumble
>> In its history, Maryland is 9-4 lifetime against the MAC, with the last game in 2018 at Bowling Green when UM defeated the Falcons 45-14
UP NEXT: The Terps return to Big Ten play next Saturday when they entertain the Iowa Hawkeyes in College Park.
Iowa is 3-0 coming into their home game against the Colorado State Rams (Mountain West) this week.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (1-2):
>> Last Saturday, KSU played its second nationally-ranked opponent in the first three weeks, losing to the Iowa Hawkeyes 30-7 in Iowa City.
>> The game was close at halftime, with the home team holding a 16-7 advantage. However, the Hawkeyes pulled away, scoring a touchdown in both the third and fourth quarters. Kent State’s lone touchdown came late in the first quarter on a 23-yard touchdown strike from QB Dustin Crum to WR Keshaun Abram.
>> Through the first three games of 2021, KSU is averaging 25.6 points and 432.7 yards of total offense. Last Saturday, the Flashes managed just 264 yards -- their lowest of the season.
>> RB Marquez Cooper leads the Flashes in rushing with 199 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown.
>> Crum is completing 60.6 percent of his passes (40-of-66) for 454 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions (those coming in the season opener at Texas A&M).
>> Abram leads the receivers with 10 catches for 167 and the touchdown he scored against Iowa.
>> The defense allowed 30 points and 418 yards, failing to get an interception for the first time this season although they did have six tackles for losses, and a fumble recovery.
>> DB Dean Clark tops the defense with 20 total tackles (12 solo), while DB Elvis Hines and Montre Moore led the MAC with three interceptions each.
>> In their history, KSU is 1-23 against the Big Ten (0-1 this season), with the lone win coming in 2012 at Rutgers.
UP NEXT: KSU opens Mid-American Conference play next Saturday when the Bowling Green Falcons come to Dix Stadium. BGSU is 1-2 on the season as they travel to Minnesota to play the Golden Gophers.