Maryland–West Virginia football rivalry

Maryland – West Virginia football rivalry

Maryland Terrapins West Virginia Mountaineers
Originated 1919
Most recent 2011
Next match 2012
Continuity Current
Series leader West Virginia (25–21–2)
Current champion West Virginia

The Maryland–West Virginia football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Maryland terrapins football team of the University of Maryland and the West Virginia Mountaineers football team of West Virginia University. The two teams first played in 1919 and the series ran uninterrupted between 1980 and 2007. West Virginia currently leads with an all-time record of 25–21–2. The longest streak in the series is tied at six. Maryland previously held the streak (six games, between 1949 and 1966), and was matched by West Virginia after the 2011 contest. The two teams met for the Gator Bowl for a re-match at the end of the 2003 season. Until the series lapsed in 2007, the game was the longest continuously running non-conference game for both schools.

Contents

Background

The Maryland–West Virginia rivalry is arguably more competitive than Maryland's other two historically important games: official ACC rival Virginia and the now-defunct Penn State series. For West Virginia, it may not be as emotional as the Backyard Brawl, but it is still an important game. Due to the game traditionally being played early in the season, both teams have historically viewed the game as a good measuring stick for the rest of the season.

ESPN personality and former Maryland assistant coach, Lee Corso said, that the Maryland–West Virginia rivalry during the 1960s "was really competitive because of the fact that they would sometimes come to Maryland and recruit our players, and we would try to go to West Virginia and recruit some of them ... That adds to the rivalry."[1]

This practice of poaching the opponent's areas of interest remains to this day. In recent history, Terps fullback Cory Jackson was a Morgantown native, while former quarterback Scott McBrien transferred from West Virginia after frustration over not starting. In McBrien's last college game, the 2004 Gator Bowl, he passed for a school bowl record 381 yards and three touchdowns during a 41–7 thrashing of the Mountaineers. Conversely, Heisman finalist Steve Slaton was originally offered a scholarship to Maryland but chose West Virginia when the offer was ultimately revoked. In the 2007 game Slaton exacted his revenge, running for 137 yards and three touchdowns against the Terps. Likewise, fullback Owen Schmitt from northern Virginia originally wished to play for Maryland, but when the school was uninterested, he walked onto the Mountaineers, from where he has since gone on to the NFL Draft.[2][3]

There was a two-year hiatus during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, in which Maryland played California and West Virginia played Colorado. The schools agreed to resume the series, scheduling games for each year from 2010 to 2013.[4] West Virgina won the first game after hiatus, 31-17 in Morgantown. On September 13, 2010 the two schools announced a deal to extend the series through 2017.[5] The 2013 game, designated a Maryland home game, will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. [6]

Notable games

1949

#15 Maryland: 47, West Virginia: 7

In the first game with one of the two ranked, #17 Maryland routed West Virginia 47–7. In the first half, head coach Jim Tatum guided the Terrapins to a 21–0 advantage, and kept the Mountaineers offense from advancing past midfield all but once. In the third quarter, Maryland scored three touchdowns in quick succession. Six Maryland players scored, including two different centers, and back Ed Modzelewski twice. With the win, Maryland improved its record to 8–1 to help its case for an eventual berth in the 1950 Gator Bowl. The Terrapins extended their season scoring total to 233 points, the most in school history.[7]

1951

#5 Maryland: 54, West Virginia: 7

In Maryland's season finale before an already-secured berth in the 1952 Sugar Bowl. At halftime, Maryland led, 35–7. In the second half, coach Tatum fielded mostly reserve players to prevent running up the score. Back Ed Modzelewski had 14 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns, which outgained the combined mark for the opposing team for the sixth time of the season. The Maryland defense stifled the West Virginia ground attack, which rushed only eight times for a net less of 21 yards. The win preserved Maryland's perfect record, which made it the first undefeated Terrapins team in 57 years.[8]

1977

West Virginia: 24, #11 Maryland: 16

West Virginia snapped #11 Maryland's 15-game regular season winning streak, and ended their opponents' hopes for a second undefeated season. The Mountaineers dominated the first half behind an efficient effort by quarterback Dan Kendra who completed six consecutive passes and led the team to a 24–0 halftime advantage. The third touchdown came on a 54-yard Kendra pass to wide receiver Cedric Thomas, who was open because of blown coverage by cornerback Jonathan Claiborne, Maryland coach Jerry Claiborne's son. The West Virginia defense stifled Maryland's comeback bid in the final minutes with a stop on the two-yard line.[9]

1983

#20 West Virginia: 31, #17 Maryland: 21

West Virginia quarterback Jeff Hostetler threw interceptions which resulted in Maryland taking an early 10–0 advantage. A touchdown by Mountaineers running back Ron Wolfley and field goal by kicker Ron Woodside equalized before halftime. In the second half, Hostetler completed a 42-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Bennett to extended the lead to 24–10, which helped put the game beyond Maryland's reach.[10] With the loss, Maryland was dropped from the Associated Press Top-20 Poll.[11]

1988

West Virginia: 55, Maryland: 24

The highest-scoring game of the series began with Maryland running back Mike Beasley rushing for two touchdowns in the first four minutes. The Terrapins scored the first by capitalizing on Anthony Browns' fumble on the first play of the game on the West Virginia 11-yard line. The Mountaineers, however, rallied to score 17 unanswered points in the first half, and their defense limited the Terrapins to just five first downs in the remainder of the opening half. In the second half, West Virginia expanded its lead to a rout, and took away its first victory of the series in five years.[12]

2004 Gator Bowl

#23 Maryland: 41, #20 West Virginia: 7

At the end of the 2003 season, #20 West Virginia and #23 Maryland met at a bowl game for the first time. Terrapins quarterback Scott McBrien, who had transferred from West Virginia, ran for one and threw three touchdowns. Explosive specialist and wide receiver Steve Suter returned a WV punt 76 yards for a touchdown, and all-time ACC scoring leader Nick Novak made good two field goal attempts. In what was a rematch from an earlier regular season game, which the Terrapins had won by a score of 34-7, the result was even more unbalanced with a Maryland win by 34 points.[13]

Statistics

Maryland West Virginia
Games played 47
Wins 21 25
Home wins 10 12
Road wins 9 12
Neutral wins 2 0
Consecutive wins 6 6
Most total points in a game 79 (1993 & 1988)
Most points in a win 54 55
Most points in a loss 37 20
Fewest total points in a game 8 (1943)
Largest margin of victory 47 31
Smallest margin of victory 3 1
Total points scored in series 1029 868
Shut-outs of opposing team 3 2
Source: [14]

Game results

Maryland victories are shaded in red. West Virginia victories are shaded in blue. Ties are shaded in gray.

Date Site Winning team Losing team Series
17 September 2011 College Park, MD West Virginia 37 Maryland 31 WV 25–21–2
18 September 2010 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 31 Maryland 17 WV 24–21–2
13 September 2007 College Park, MD West Virginia 31 Maryland 14 WV 23–21–2
14 September 2006 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 45 Maryland 24 WV 22–21–2
17 September 2005 College Park, MD West Virginia 31 Maryland 19 Tied 21–21–2
18 September 2004 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 19 Maryland 16 MD 21–20–2
1 January 2004 Jacksonville, FL
(2004 Gator Bowl)
Maryland 41 West Virginia 7 MD 21–19–2
20 September 2003 College Park, MD Maryland 34 West Virginia 7 MD 20–19–2
5 October 2002 Morgantown, WV Maryland 48 West Virginia 17 Tied 19–19–2
29 September 2001 College Park, MD Maryland 32 West Virginia 20 WV 19–18–2
16 September 2000 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 30 Maryland 17 WV 19–17–2
18 September 1999 College Park, MD Maryland 33 West Virginia 0 WV 18–17–2
19 September 1998 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 42 Maryland 20 WV 18–16–2
11 October 1997 College Park, MD West Virginia 31 Maryland 14 WV 17–16–2
28 September 1996 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 13 Maryland 0 Tied 16–16–2
16 September 1995 College Park, MD Maryland 31 West Virginia 17 MD 16–15–2
17 September 1994 Morgantown, WV Maryland 24 West Virginia 13 Tied 15–15–2
18 September 1993 College Park, MD West Virginia 42 Maryland 37 WV 15–14–2
19 September 1992 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 34 Maryland 33 Tied 14–14–2
21 September 1991 College Park, MD West Virginia 37 Maryland 7 MD 14–13–2
8 September 1990 Morgantown, WV Maryland 14 West Virginia 10 MD 14–12–2
9 September 1989 College Park, MD West Virginia 14 Maryland 10 MD 13–12–2
17 September 1988 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 55 Maryland 24 MD 13–11–2
19 September 1987 College Park, MD Maryland 25 West Virginia 20 MD 13–10–2
20 September 1986 Morgantown, WV Maryland 24 West Virginia 3 MD 12–10–2
21 September 1985 College Park, MD Maryland 28 West Virginia 0 MD 11–10–2
22 September 1984 Morgantown, WV Maryland 20 West Virginia 17 Tied 10–10–2
17 September 1983 College Park, MD West Virginia 31 Maryland 21 WV 10–9–2
18 September 1982 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 19 Maryland 18 Tied 9–9–2
19 September 1981 College Park, MD West Virginia 17 Maryland 13 MD 9–8–2
20 September 1980 Morgantown, WV Maryland 14 West Virginia 11 MD 9–7–2
17 September 1977 College Park, MD West Virginia 24 Maryland 16 MD 8–7–2
18 September 1976 Morgantown, WV Maryland 24 West Virginia 3 MD 8–6–2
15 September 1973 College Park, MD West Virginia 20 Maryland 13 MD 7–6–2
28 November 1970 College Park, MD West Virginia 20 Maryland 10 MD 7–5–2
20 September 1969 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 31 Maryland 7 MD 7–4–2
15 October 1966 College Park, MD Maryland 28 West Virginia 9 MD 7–3–2
17 September 1960 Morgantown, WV Maryland 31 West Virginia 8 MD 6–3–2
19 September 1959 College Park, MD Maryland 27 West Virginia 7 MD 5–3–2
24 November 1951 College Park, MD Maryland 54 West Virginia 7 MD 4–3–2
18 November 1950 Morgantown, WV Maryland 41 West Virginia 0 Tied 3–3–2
24 November 1949 College Park, MD Maryland 47 West Virginia 7 WV 3–2–2
27 November 1948 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 16 Maryland 14 WV 3–1–2
1 November 1947 Washington, D.C. Maryland 27 West Virginia 0 WV 2–1–2
27 October 1945 Morgantown, WV Maryland 13 West Virginia 13 WV 2–0–2
14 October 1944 College Park, MD Maryland 6 West Virginia 6 WV 2–0–1
16 October 1943 Morgantown, WV West Virginia 6 Maryland 2 WV 2–0
18 October 1919 College Park, MD West Virginia 27 Maryland 0 WV 1–0

Source: [15]

See also

References

  1. ^ Marc Carig, One for the Border, Washington Post, 13 September 2007.
  2. ^ Marc Carig, One for the Border, Washington Post, 13 September 2007.
  3. ^ Slaton scores 3 TDs to lead West Virginia past Maryland, ESPN, 13 September 2007.
  4. ^ Maryland-West Virginia football added in 2012 and 2013, The Washington Times, May 20, 2009.
  5. ^ http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/201009130485
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Maryland Tips West Virginia, Daytona Beach Morning Journal, November 25, 1949.
  8. ^ Maryland Whips West Virginia; Mo Modzelewski Outgains Opponent, Toledo Blade, November 24, 1951.
  9. ^ West Virginia Surprises Maryland, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 19, 1977.
  10. ^ 'Dogs tie one on against Clemson, The Times-News, September 19, 1983.
  11. ^ Cavs gun for fourth straight, Evening Herald, September 22, 1983.
  12. ^ COLLEGE FOOTBALL: East; Pitt Overwhelms Ohio State, 42-10, The New York Times, September 18, 1988.
  13. ^ Another lopsided win for Maryland, ESPN, 1 January 2004, accessed 15 November 2008.
  14. ^ University of Maryland Terrapins Football 2001 Media Guide, accessed 13 November 2008.
  15. ^ Stassen College Football Information, accessed 11 November 2008.

External links