Maryland has three games to decide whether their bowl reward is surf and turf or the subway and tokens.
The Terps can enjoy the South Beach sunshine or ride the metro over to RFK Stadium. They can enjoy bikinis on the sand or blustery cold weather rattling inside the ghost of Redskins past.
Talk about motivation as Maryland readies for Virginia on Saturday.
“We have everything we want — goals of this season — in front of us,” Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said. “We’re still in control of our destiny.”
The Friedgen watch is gone after a 6-3 start. The Terps are even in the ACC Atlantic Division race, a half-game back of Florida State. Maryland hosts the Seminoles on Nov. 20 before finishing against N.C. State on Nov. 27.
“At this point, I want to crank it up,” said Friedgen, despite a worn look of someone who has spent the last three months on the practice field, in the film room and on the recruiting trail — not to mention coaching nine games.
Fantasy talk is no longer about a coaching hire. Friedgen seems safe after securing the bowl minimum of six victories. With one year left on his deal and a young quarterback capable of challenging Boomer Esiason’s status as the Terps’ best quarterback over the last half century, the Friedgen countdown clock has been reset to 2012.
But every win means a better bowl stop. Get swept over the final three games and the Military Bowl at RFK Stadium is probable. Even a 7-5 mark might mean staying home.
Three wins will send Maryland to the ACC Championship Game, probably against Virginia Tech with the victor advancing to the Orange Bowl in Miami. Two wins likely will mean the Champ Sports Bowl in Orlando, Chick Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta or Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso. One win probably will equal Charlotte, Shreveport, Nashville or the District.
Don’t think young men aren’t motivated by the prospect of warm weather and room service. The lure of RFK means nothing since many of the Terps were born after the stadium’s 1980s heydays.
Quarterback Danny O’Brien concedes bowls are a hot conversation among players. “It’s three big games … meaningful,” the quarterback said of postseason prospects.
But there’s a growing whisper the Terps really aren’t as good as their 6-3 record indicates despite two 62-point efforts this season. Maybe Maryland simply picked a good year to be a decent team in a mediocre conference.
They’ll soon prove it either way. Losing 26-20 to Miami in the final moments on Nov. 6 wasn’t a respectable defeat. Miami was down to nothing at quarterback and running back because of injuries and the Terps couldn’t knock out a vulnerable team. The Hurricanes were faster, more confident and hungrier. That reflects the difference between the programs over the past decade.
Still, a strong finish against 4-5 Virginia and a pair of 6-3 teams will prove whether Maryland is ready for more than a postseason subway trip.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
