COLLEGE PARK, Md. — It’s hard to believe but it has been ten years since the Maryland Terrapins football team has played the Virginia Cavaliers. Not since leaving the ACC for the Big Ten have the Terps faced their longtime foe.
At long last, the rivalry is back... at least for one week.
Friday night it’s the Terps and Cavs renewing acquaintances at SECU Stadium. Virginia is the most commonly played opponent in Maryland school history. The two teams have gone at it 78 times. But they haven’t played each other since 2013 when the Terrapins won 27-26 in College Park. That was the final Terps-Cavs contest before Maryland changed conferences.
Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley is well-versed in the rivalry. He grew up a Terps fan and spent eight years on a Terps coaching staff when they were part of the ACC.
"It was always one of those games that, it was competitive," he said. "It’s a rivalry. Give it the respect that it deserves. There has been a lot of history, a lot of years of that game. I’ve got respect for those type of games. There is no doubt that it’s still a rivalry, but more for our fans."
That’s because the current players have little to no recollection of any past Maryland-UVA matchup. It's time to be a part of one.
"We know it’s a big game. We know we haven’t played them in quite a while. So, they are going to come in hot," said Terps wide receiver Kaden Prather.
"I think it’s cool just to have that in our history and stuff like that," added Terps quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. "But, I see this game as just another game on our schedule."
This will be the non-conference finale for Maryland as they try to move to 3-0 for the third-straight season. The Cavs come into the game winless at 0-2.
The Terps are promoting this game as a “blackout”. They will debut their new black Terps script helmets and the new black uniforms. Fans are also encouraged to wear black. Kickoff on Friday is set for 7:05 p.m.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
