The above picture is of me. Specifically, me at a Maryland football game. Even more specifically, me at the last Maryland football home game as a happy fan. This is a familiar feeling to start just about every season of Terps football. However, the feeling typically doesn’t stay long.
Last season Maryland started the year 3-0 and dropped their 4th game on the road in Anne Arbor. No shame in losing to Michigan, they are Michigan after all. One game later they rebound against Michigan State stirring up feelings of excitement among the Maryland faithful. Unfortunately, the team did what they always do and put up an absolute clunker of a performance just one week later against a Purdue team they should’ve beaten on their home turf.
Just two years ago, the Terps got off to a hot start, going 4-0 including a solid road win against Illinois. Excitement was at an all-time high along the beltway (at least in recent memory). Maryland was going into a Friday night blackout game against Iowa where college football pundits across several networks were looking at the Terps to pull off the upset.
They promptly got blasted on their home turf 51-41 by the Hawkeyes.
This is what happens seemingly every year with this football program. The season starts out showing a lot of promise only to come to a screeching halt before the train ever really leaves the station. Fans don’t really expect the Terps to take down the big three in Ohio State, Penn State or Michigan, but it’s the games against everyone else that the public at large feels the team should be able to grab a win in. Based on how this season has gone so far, Saturday is the day people like me point to and say, “this is where shit hits the fan.” It’s sad, but it feels like you can set your watch to it.
So why would I, a somewhat-rational human, decide to change my way of thinking and not only assume the Terps will take down Indiana this weekend, but also cover the 14.5 point spread? Oddly enough, it has absolutely nothing to do with Maryland.
Indiana just had to go to quadruple overtime to beat the Akron Zips. Don’t wipe your glasses or change your contacts, you read that correctly. Four overtimes… to beat Akron. The same Akron program that barely escaped Morgan State which plays in the *checks notes* FCS. That’s all I need to know.
Indiana has played a schedule that’s hard to judge. They lost to Ohio State (no surprise there) in their season opener, blasted Indiana State (also no surprise), and lost by one score to a Louisville program that seems to be getting its act together quickly. Hard to make a judgment off those three games. However, I am going all in the on the insanity that is taking four overtimes to beat the Akron Zips of all teams. This can’t be a football team. Maryland should have the upper hand on them all afternoon. They should cruise to an easy win Saturday.
Right?
With this team, you can never fully know because past history gives plenty of reason for doubt. That said, I am putting my heart, and my money, on the line and claiming TERPS BY A BILLION this weekend. I am ready to get hurt again, and if they put up another clunker, I can take solace in knowing college stadiums sell beer now.
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