Saturday, Maryland upset No. 21 Syracuse 63-20 for their second straight blowout win. Now the Terrapins are ranked No. 21 themselves in the Associated Press Poll.
Maryland opened the season with a 79-0 beating of Howard of the Football Championship Sud-division. In the game their offense scored 10 touchdowns. If the quality of opponent kept critics skeptical, drubbing a ranked Power 5 opponent by 43 surely got voters attention.
First year head coach Mike Locksley returned to College Park, MD with hopes of transforming the Maryland program in due time. After outscoring two non-conference opponents 142-20, the process appears ahead of schedule.
Locksley is considered an offensive guru, who help guide Alabama to three straight National Championship Game appearances, including a national title in 2017. Now at Maryland, Locksley’s offensive system is guided by Virginia Tech-transfer Josh Jackson.
Jackson has completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 541 yards and seven touchdowns against one interception. He is aided by a rushing attack that averages 335.5 yards and 5.5 touchdowns per game thru the first two games.
Maryland was also ranked in the USA TODAY Amyway Coaches Poll at No. 25.
The Terrapins will get their first road test of the season when they travel to Philadelphia to face Temple. The pesky Owls upset Maryland last year 35-14 at Maryland Stadium. So, the Terrapins will be looking to exact revenge.
