BALTIMORE, Maryland September 29, 2014 - It's not much. In the latest AP football poll out today the Maryland Terrapins received some five points. Just five. You need at least 109 points in this week's poll to break into the Top 25. If you extend the poll out past the Top 25 - it isn't a ludicrous idea because the AP itself does it in the last column of the poll on their official website - Maryland is No. 34.
What does it mean for Maryland. Hard to say. It is more than possible that they could upset Ohio State on Saturday and still not crack the top 25. Why? The Buckeyes are only ranked No. 20 after losing to Virginia Tech and struggling against Cincin But if Maryland can win another three in a row, they would certainly crack the poll. For Terp coach Randy Edsall, it would be a tremendous boost. Edsall wasn't exactly on thin ice coming into the season, but he wasn't on solid ground either. It was time for him to show the team was improving, and coming into the season, a lot of people doubted he could do that. But so far, he has. I did not think Maryland would be 4-1 at this point in the season. I thought they would be 2-3 and gasping for air. I thought they would lose to Indiana when I saw the game on the schedule before the season. And after Indiana put it to powerful MIssouri, I really thought we would lose. But Maryland's only loss so far was against West Virginia, and the Moutaineers needed a long field goal on the last play of the game to beat Maryland.
Maryland's offense is just plain wonderful so long as they avoid turnovers. They flipped possession six times in the second game of the season, on the road at South Florida, but won anyway. They have improved every week since then, and at Indiana on Saturday they didn't commit even one. If they can duplicate that against the Buckeyes, they can stay in the game. I watched the Ohio State Cincinatti game on Saturday night and I was stunned at how poorly the Ohio State defense played. They were burned time and again with long passes, which is something Maryland does well. Maryland's offensive coordinator, Mike Locksley, has to be licking his chops today. I think Maryland can't wait to have at them.
If you think Maryland is being jobbed by the sportswriters who vote in the poll, you will find that, as Maryland fans or fans of other schools, you are hardly in a minority. The FBS people sponsor a column at their website which examines the cases of three major college schools that are currently undefeated and yet unranked. Georgia Tech, which just took down Virginia Tech in Blacksburg - the same Virginia Tech that took down Ohio State at Columbus - Marshall and Arizona are all undefeated and unranked. The story is at: http://www.fbschedules.com/2014/09/undefeated-and-unranked-three-cfb-teams-that-need-a-signature-win/
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