Maryland football is going bowling in Nashville later this month.
The Terps (7-5) were selected to participate in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 and will take on Auburn (6-6). It’s the first matchup between these two teams since 1983.
This is the third straight season with a bowl game appearance for Maryland as the Terps look to win a third straight bowl game for the first time in program history.
Following the Terps’ 42-24 win against Rutgers, quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa said he would play in the bowl game and his stance has not changed.
“It was my understanding that Taulia wants to and expects to play,” head coach Michael Locksley said.
A bowl game gives Maryland more practices to help develop talent in preparation for players to take a step forward during the 2024 season.
Locksley noted that the 2021 Pinstripe Bowl helped running backs Antwain Littleton II and Roman Hemby break on to the scene. In a 54-10 victory against Virginia Tech, Littleton racked up 45 yards on seven carries, while Hemby rushed for 26 yards on five carries.
The Terps will be without some of their best players for the bowl game, as some players have already announced they are entering the transfer portal. Those players include tight ends Corey Dyches and Rico Walker, linebacker Jaishawn Barham and defensive backs Gavin Gibson and Corey Coley Jr.
Dyches caught 49 passes for 491 yards and two touchdowns. Barham was the Terps’ top recruit in the 2022 class and had three sacks and an interception this past season.
No other players have announced they are opting out of the bowl game as of Dec. 3.
“Any time players make decisions to leave the program they all do it for their own selfish reasons or their own intentional reasons and we wish them well,” Locksley said.
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