Both the Seminoles and the Terrapins are looking to get on track Saturday and recover from sluggish starts after successful seasons a year ago. The Seminoles were picked by many as the ACC's premier team and the favorite to win the ACC Championship. But after losing to Clemson and Wake Forest in conference, the Seminoles are just fighting to get back to the ACC title game at this point.
Despite being a pre-season top-10 pick, the 'Noles sit at 3-3 (1-2) after a 41-16 win over Duke last week. Beating Maryland would be a step in the right direction for the Seminoles, as a loss would all but eliminate them from a conference championship.
The Terrapins lost an 18-point second half lead last week to No. 8 Clemson, as the Tigers rallied back to win 56-45 on the road. Sophomore quarterback C.J. Brown provided the fireworks for the Terrapins, totaling almost 400 total yards and four touchdowns in his first career start. The loss dropped Maryland to 2-4 (1-2), so they like the Seminoles need the win to stay alive in the ACC Atlantic Division.
The game might come down to Florida State's rushing game. So far the Seminoles have been abysmal running the ball, and if they could get it going it would be big for their chances in this one. Likewise, if the Terrapins make the Seminoles one-dimensional, they can concentrate on slowing down Florida State QB E.J. Manuel.
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