With an eye on the Atlantic Coast Conference title, the Maryland football team knows Saturday?s game against N.C. State at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium Saturday is a must-win situation. With road wins a hot commodity in the ACC and Saturday being Maryland?s homecoming, coach Ralph Friedgen has stressed how important this weekend is.
“If you are going to win in the conference, you have got to hold through at home and win on the road,” Friedgen said.
When Friedgen coached the Terps to the ACC championship in 2001 they did just that, winning al four conference home games and losing one road game at Florida State. Historically, only twice ? the last time being 1965 ? has an ACC team suffered two losses in conference play and still won the ACC championship.
“That gets a little tougher these days,” Friedgen said. “We have got to come home, and we have got to play well at home. We have got to get our crowd behind us. I just hope the student body gets behind us this week and the weeks to come.”
Last year, the Terps went 1-4 at home. But junior defensive back Wesley Jefferson said that specter is not haunting this year?s team.
“This is a different year, and already we have won more at home than all of last year,” he said. “We don?t really think about that.”
Maryland (4-2 overall, 1-1 ACC) is 3-0 at home this season, but Saturday will be its first ACC home game. Playing a homecoming game against N.C. State (3-3, 2-1) ? a team the Terps have had a tumultuous history with ? gives Maryland more incentive to come out with a victory.
“You always want to beat N.C. State at home,” junior running back Keon Lattimore said. “It is crazy down at their stadium, but it is our homecoming so that is even more special. The crowd is going to be even more into it.”
Homecoming is special for the Terps, but they are trying to not let it distract them from their goal.
“We want to reach our goal, which is the ACC championship,” offensive lineman Andrew Crummey said. “Homecoming is great ? you come home and win in front of everyone who cares ? but more importantly, it is another game towards our goal.”
HOME AT BYRD
» Coach Ralph Friedgen, a 1970 Maryland alumnus, has a 4-1 record on homecomings for the Terps.
» The Terps have a tendency to run wild on homecoming. Since 2001, Maryland has had an average margin of victory of nearly 24 points.
» Maryland hosted N.C. State for homecoming in 2004 and fell to the Wolfpack, 13-3, ending a four-game win streak over the Wolfpack.
