Free Saturday Play for Week 1 in College Football features the season opener for the Maryland Terrapins and the Buffalo Bulls in College Park Maryland.
The story of Saturday for me is simple. It’s Taulia Tagovailoa and the Terrapins offense. Tagovailoa will be referred to as TT for the rest of the article as my fingers refuse to type that name correctly and it sure doesn’t come up in autocorrect. TT set bunches of records last season on the way to putting up the 6th highest passing yard total in Big Ten history tailing only the likes of Dwayne Haskins, CJ Stroud, Curtis Painter and Drew Brees. He set the Maryland record for passing yards, completions, completion percentage and 300-yard passing games and tied the mark for touchdowns with 26. Along with TT the Terps feature 8 other returning players who have earned Big ten awards over the last two seasons. The entire starting Offensive Line returns along with possibly the most talented receiving core in the nation. Rakim Jarrett is a Biletnikoff candidate this season and Dontay Demus Jr. was one last year and returns after missing the last seven games in 2021 with injury. They are joined by Jarrett Copeland a talented Florida transfer. Combined they have 254 Career receptions and are going to give fits to even the best secondaries in the Big Ten. The running game should improve with the whole line back and I think Colby McDonald could become a real star this year with teams playing to stop the pass.
The questions for the Terps come on defense where they were were 81st allowing 5.7 Yards per play last season. They were also 99th in the nation in pass defense. Hopefully returning all three starting corners and 4 other starters will help them move forward. They suffered through some injuries especially at linebacker and should improve there in a big way. Defensive Coordinator Brian Williams took over play calling duties to end the season and they allowed just 10 points in a bowl game romp over Virginia Tech. I think this unit can get into the Top 40 in 2022.
As far as Buffalo goes, well they’re kind of a mess. Maurice Linguist couldn’t continue the momentum from the departed Lance Leipold and the Bulls finished 4-8 in 2021. The offense wasn’t awful last year putting up 396 YPG, but they will have a new starting QB under center in Rutgers transfer Cole Snyder. If you aren’t good enough to start at Rutgers, I’m not sure you are good enough to start in the MAC either. Snyder was one of 22 total transfers into Buffalo to help fill the holes left behind including 7 offensive starters. The rushing attack will likely feature speed back Ron Cook as they look to break off some big plays. That could be tough behind an offensive line featuring 4 new starters. Leading receiver Quinn Williams will return along with solid No. 2 Jamari Gassett. The question will be can someone get them the ball?
Buffalo’s defense returns 6 starters anchored by a strong defensive line featuring behemoth Nose Tackle Daymond Williams. Buffalo will likely rock a 4-2-5 with James Patterson a possible draft pick in the middle at linebacker. This could be one of the best front sevens (sixes) in the MAC. He’s going to need some help from transfers in the secondary where they snagged two corners from Power Five Schools. My biggest question here is whether or not they will be able to gel early in the season.
So for me, as I said it’s all about TT and the Terps offense. They are by far the best unit on the field. While I don’t have a ton of faith in the Maryland defense, they have performed admirably the last two years against subpar offensive opponents and that is what I think they are looking at Saturday. Last year Maryland went 4-0 against the spread and straight up in Non-conference games including a 37-16 win over Kent State who was a much better MAC opponent than this Buffalo squad. Expect TT and the Terps to get out and score early and often and run away with this one. My early season rankings have this at Maryland -27 so I am in on the Terrapins.
I got it at -23.5 early this week and it’s currently sitting at -24.5. Take the Terps -24.5 for 1.5 Units.
