Thursday night college football games have a way of defining seasons, particularly for the University of Maryland.
In their Atlantic Coast Conference championship season of 2001, the Terps turned the corner with a 20-17 overtime win at Georgia Tech on a Thursday night in October.
“I think that game was a defining moment in that team,” said Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, who was in his first season with the Terps at the time. “I don?t know when that moment is going to come for this team ? but we?ll see when it happens.”
This year?s team has a chance to determine its fate a bit earlier, visiting hostile Morgantown to battle No. 5 West Virginia before a national television audience.
“I think if we can come out with this victory ? it can show the college football world that we can play with top-ranked teams,” junior tailback Keon Lattimore said.
“It?s huge,” senior quarterback Sam Hollenbach said. “This is kind of a dream for me ? playing on national TV on ESPN.”
While the task is daunting at first glance, the Terps could catapult themselves into the ACC season with a victory.
“I think we can win this football game,” Friedgen said. “I see it as an opportunity. This team is going to have to win a game like this to develop. It?s going to happen, and if it doesn?t happen this time, we are going to get some more opportunities.”
The atmosphere provides an extra impetus for the Terps. If the opportunity to upset a top-ranked team isn?t enough, the 60,000 screaming fanatics at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium will remind them.
“Its definitely easier to get up when you play a high-ranked team like West Virginia,” Lattimore said. “And they?ve got some crazy fans down there. I?m definitely looking forward to the atmosphere.”
What?s more, West Virginia is 15-4-2 in home night games since 1980. That won?t change how the Terps approach the contest, but Lattimore thinks that fans might see a little bit more of the Terps? offense Thursday night.
“I don?t think [Friedgen] pulled out everything. We?ve got so many plays that we run in practice that we didn?t run in [the Middle Tennessee] game,” Lattimore said. “Thursday night, I think you?ll see a little bit more from our offense.”
