With Maryland's 31-24 homecoming win over Northwestern last week, the Terps moved to 6-2 and became bowl eligible the earliest date on the calendar since 2001 and for the first time after eight games since 2010.
“We’re 6-2, something for our team to be really proud of, becoming bowl eligible,” Maryland head coach Mike Locksley said following Saturday’s win over the Wildcats. “This team and fan base should be really proud of being able to get that accomplished. What it does now is, it earns us an opportunity every week to take the next step and the opportunities get better and better.”
With a bowl bid no longer in doubt, TSR takes a look at where the Terps are projected to go bowling as they look to win bowl games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2002-2003 under Ralph Friedgen.
USA TODAY: Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. Duke (played Dec. 30 in Charlotte, N.C.)
While the Maryland-Duke ACC basketball rivalry of the early 2000's is a thing of the past, Terp fans will always have a special hatred in their hearts for the Blue Devils. Here is guessing many Maryland alum would enjoy a post-Christmas trip down Tobacco Road (and memory lane) to see the Terps play the Blue Devils.
CBS Sports: Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. NC State
Ah, another trip down ACC memory lane. Only this time, the Terps would play the slightly less hated Woofies. Older Maryland fans will always remember the 1974 ACC Tournament championship game, in which the No. 4 Terps lost to the No. 1-ranked Wolfpack in one of the greatest college basketball games of all-time. Of course, the slightly younger crowd will always remember Maryland going 4-0 against PhiLLLLiph Rivers.
ESPN's Kyle Bonagura: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Notre Dame (played Dec. 29 in New York, N.Y.)
Considering the Terps just won the Pinstripe Bowl last season, this projection seems pretty lazy. That said, I think many Terp fans would love another trip to the Bronx, especially to play the Under Armour sponsored Irish of Notre Dame. The last time these two schools met, the Terps were in the midst of Randy Edsall's first season in College Park.
ESPN's Mark Schlabach: TransPerfect Music City Bowl vs. South Carolina (Played Dec. 31 in Nashville, Tenn.)
Another matchup versus an Under Armour sponsored team, this time the Gamecocks of South Carolina. I think it goes without saying, most Terp fans would likely be thrilled with a trip to NashVegas to play an SEC opponent and spend New Year's Eve bar hopping the Honky Tonk Highway (aka Lower Broadway).
Sporting News: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. LSU (Played Jan. 2 in Tampa, Fla.)
The bowl formerly known as the Outback Bowl, this would be a heck of a landing spot for the Terps, playing an elite SEC program in LSU after the CFP semi-finals and on the same day as the Cotton Bowl and Rose Bowl. The Terps have never played in the prestigious Tampa-based bowl which began as the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1986. Some Terps trivia: Did you know Outback Steakhouse co-founder Bob Basham is a University of Maryland graduate?
Bleacher Report: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Mississippi State
Now this could be a really fun matchup Terp fans would likely flock to! Taulia Tagovailoa, Mike Locksley and Maryland's high-powered offense versus The Pirate (aka Mike Leach) and his Air Raid offense. This is likely a much more winnable matchup than the possible one versus LSU and the Bulldogs finish the SEC regular season with games versus top-ranked UGA and at Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. Bleacher Report has the Terps as a team on the rise following their win over Northwestern and we would agree.
The Athletic: Quick Lane Bowl vs. Toledo (Played Dec. 26 in Detroit, Mich.)
Here's one projection which most Maryland fans aren't likely to get very fired up about. Doubtful many Terp fans are interested in spending Christmas in Detroit to see their favorite team play a non-P5 opponent in Toledo that has already lost to Buffalo and got boat-raced by the Ohio State Buckeyes, 77-21. The good news about this projection? It was made before the Rockets lost to Buffalo and before the Terps beat Northwestern. These two programs appear to be headed in different directions with the Terps on the rise.
CollegeFootballNews.com: Quick Lane Bowl vs. Eastern Michigan
Again, don't see Terp fans getting excited for this matchup for all the reasons already mentioned above. Like Toledo, Eastern Michigan has lost to Buffalo, who the Terps easily defeated to open the season. They have also lost to 2-6 Northern Illinois. Throw in the fact that Maryland lost to Boston College in the Quick Lane back in 2016 and this is pretty much worst-case scenario.
