Coach Mike Locksley will face his alma mater when Maryland hosts Towson in season opener

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, file photo, Maryland head coach Mike Locksley gestures during the first half of an NCAA football game against Indiana in College Park, Md. In his first year at Maryland, Locksley has formed a close rapport with his players. Although the Terrapins (3-4, 1-3) have dropped four of five and appeared destined for a fourth consecutive losing season, no one has asked for a redshirt. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)(AP/Nick Wass)

Towson (0-0) at Maryland (0-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)

Line: No line, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Maryland leads 2-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Maryland coach Mike Locksley takes on his alma mater in this season opener between in-state opponents. Locksley was a defensive back at Towson and led the Tigers in tackles in 1991. Towson starts this season with a new coach after hiring Pete Shinnick in December.

KEY MATCHUP

Maryland’s wide receivers against Towson’s secondary. The Terrapins have one of the Big Ten’s top quarterbacks in Taulia Tagovailoa, but they lost some significant receiving talent in Rakim Jarrett and Dontay Demus. The Terps do still have Jeshaun Jones, their 2022 leader in receptions and yards receiving, and this opener should be a chance for them to show what kind of depth they might have this year at that position.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Towson: DL Jesus Gibbs was selected to the 2024 Shrine Bowl 1000, which is a list of the top 1,000 NFL draft-eligible players in the country picked by NFL scouts and college personnel. The South Carolina transfer has 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 24 games with Towson.

Maryland: RB Roman Hemby rushed for 989 yards last season and finished third among FBS freshmen with 1,287 yards from scrimmage.

FACTS & FIGURES

Tagovailoa is Maryland’s career record holder in yards passing (7,879), touchdowns passing (51), completions (665) and total offense (8,067). He also has the single-season records in yards passing (3,860), touchdowns passing (26) and completions (328). … Towson has not faced a Big Ten opponent since a 63-17 loss to Maryland in 2017. … The Terps went 8-5 last season and won four Big Ten games for the first time since 2014. … Maryland is 10-1 in nonconference games under Locksley, with the only loss coming in 2019 against Temple.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll