Maryland football will travel to Bloomington to face Indiana in a Big Ten showdown on Sept. 28 at noon.
The Terps have won their last two games after losing their opening Big Ten game against Michigan State, 27-24.
Maryland will look to continue its four-game win streak against Indiana and hand the undefeated Hoosiers their first loss of the season, but first here are three things to look for:
Can Tai Felton break the record?
Senior receiver Tai Felton has totaled 41 receptions, 604 yards and five touchdowns. These totals rank second, third and tied for fourth in the nation, respectively.
Felton is the first player to record four 100-plus receiving yards in four consecutive games at any point of a season since Jermaine Lewis in 1995.
Felton can set a program record with five consecutive such games after posting 157 yards on 14 catches in the Terps’ 38-20 victory against Villanova.
“Tai Felton is one of my favorite players,” head coach Michael Locksley said. “He’s one of my favorite players because seeing the way he has developed in our program. It’s a reflection [of] what we talk about — being a growth mindset, a developmental program. Tai embodies that.”
Can Billy Edwards Jr. remain efficient?
Junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. finished 28-for-32 with 328 yards in the win against Villanova. Edwards’ 87.5 percent completion rate is a new single-game school record, previously held by Taulia Tagovailoa.
Edwards is currently fifth in the league’s completion percentage (75 percent) and has thrown eight touchdowns and two interceptions thus far this season.
“I just try to stay on schedule and stay efficient as an offense, because regardless of how we play statistically, it’s going to give us the best chance to be successful in the long run,” Edwards said after the win against Villanova. “So that’s what going through my head on those first-and-10s, second-and-longs, just giving us a manageable third down to keep the drive going.”
Can Maryland’s defense generate pressure?
A tick above Edwards in completion percentage is Indiana senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke (75.5 percent). Granted, Edwards has attempted more passes (136) than Rourke (94), but Rourke has also taken care of the ball.
Rourke has also thrown for eight touchdowns and no interceptions to begin the season.
“He stays in the pocket well. He can throw and he’s accurate but it just comes down to us,” junior linebacker Caleb Wheatland said of Rourke.
Indiana is second in the Big Ten in scoring offense (50.5 points per game) and third in the Big Ten in total offense (513.8 yards).
“They can run the ball well,” Wheatland said, “but I think with us on the defensive side, we can change that.”
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