2011 Maryland Terrapins Football: Maryland @ Florida State

While Clemson and Wake Forest have risen in the ACC Atlantic Division, other teams have fallen. Two of those teams will try to make the climb up the ladder this weekend, locked in a struggle to salvage seasons that are slip-sliding away.

This is a matchup of the two most disappointing teams in the ACC. Florida State was expected to win the conference for the first time in many years and perhaps challenge for a national championship after a couple of elite recruiting classes under head coach Jimbo Fisher. Maryland returned a load of skill players from a team that went 9-4 last season and was expected to be a darkhorse contender in the ACC Atlantic.

FSU enters the game with a disappointing 3-3 record after consecutive losses to Oklahoma, Clemson and Wake Forest, while Maryland suffered a stunning 38-7 blowout loss to Temple, along with losses to ranked teams in West Virginia, Georgia Tech, and Clemson, to fall to 2-4 in coach Randy Edsall’s first year.

Maryland nearly knocked off top-10 resident Clemson last week after replacing the defending ACC Rookie of the Year, quarterback Danny O’Brien. Athletic signal caller C.J. Brown brought a spark to Maryland’s offense against Clemson, though he is not yet a decent passer. He was 17 of 35 for 177 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, but he is a difference maker because he can run, and he did against Clemson. He busted loose for 22 rushes that produced 162 yards on the ground. He had run for 124 yards on 9 carries the week before against Georgia Tech after replacing O’Brien early in that contest.

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Florida State’s defense will be facing an athletic quarterback for the second time this year. Against Clemson, the Seminoles struggled to stop the Tigers’ offense and quarterback Tajh Boyd, though the Seminoles were able to hold Boyd to only 19 yards on 16 carries. Brown isn’t nearly the passer that Boyd is, so if the Seminoles can contain Brown on the ground, they should be able to stop the Terrapins’ offense. Florida State’s outstanding defensive line, anchored by ends Bjorn Werner and Brandon Jenkins, have generally been able to stop interior runs. It is the pass defense that has been a disappointment for the Seminoles, and Maryland has yet to show an ability to pass the ball this season.

On the offensive side, FSU has struggled. Quarterback E.J. Manuel sustained a shoulder injury during the Oklahoma game on Sept. 17. He has played tentatively since he came back during the Wake Forest game on Oct. 1. He is not the same runner that he was before the injury, though he can still hurt teams with his legs. Against Duke last weekend, he was able to connect on some long passes to his outstanding young receivers in the early going, and the Seminoles were able to play conservatively afterward. Duke’s corners were not able to cover FSU’s receivers, and if Maryland is going to slow the FSU offense, it will need to play well in the secondary. Maryland’s defense has struggled this year though, giving up nearly 30 points per game after being torched for 56 against Clemson last week.

Florida State’s defense will likely try to pressure Brown and contain the Terps’ ground game, including Davin Meggett, the Terps’ primary running back. If the Seminoles can force Brown to beat them through the air, that would figure to favor FSU. Maryland needs to show that it can throw downfield or at least connect on some passes early to force FSU to respect the passing game.

Maryland Terrapins @ Florida State Seminoles Football Preview