COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WDVM) – Saturday’s game is pretty simple for the Maryland football team. Win and you’re bowl eligible.
After Thanksgiving, the Terps (5-6), who have lost their last three and six of the last seven, will head up to New Jersey to face Rutgers (5-6).
“We’re still chasing that sixth victory. And we’re out of time,” Maryland football head coach Mike Locksley said. “This is one opportunity. It’s kind of like, I told our team it’s like being in a wildcard playoff game, it’s win or go home. You know for us, as we talked about taking the next step as a program. Obviously one of the first next steps is becoming a eligible team.”
A sixth win would automatically make the Terps eligible for a bowl game. A loss would not eliminate a bowl game possibility, but it would make it very unlikely and be a big disappointment for the program.
“Just taking the next step forward. Stuff like that,” Maryland junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa said. “It’s more so sending the seniors out, you know, the right way, giving them another opportunity to wear the Maryland jersey.”
Maryland has not made it to a bowl game since 2016 when they played in the Quick Lane Bowl. Maryland also made it to bowl games with seven win seasons (the last two winning seasons for the team) in 2013 and 2014. Maryland last bowl win was 2010, when they finished the season 9-4, defeating East Carolina in the Military bowl.
“I don’t think anyone on this team, even the seniors have been to a bowl game,” Maryland senior defensive back Jakorian Bennett said. “So you know doing it for those guys that haven’t been there and just kind of cap off the season in the right way.”