Prime-time football brings an early season microscope to one’s team. The little things, good and bad, get amplified in ways they ordinarily wouldn’t. Maryland and James Madison both have games Friday night, and if they succeed or fail, it’s in front of a much bigger audience that doesn’t forget as easily.
For Maryland, the microscope is already fixed on one stat: the Terps were penalized 14 times in their season opener, tied with Mississippi State for the most in FBS, and their 100 yards penalized was second most to the Bulldogs’ 119.
More than a few of those flags were pre-snap penalties, including false start, offsides and encroachment. Since leading the Big Ten in penalties and penalty yards in 2022, the Terps have had a reputation as an undisciplined team that racks up flags. But discipline might not be the proper word here.
“Let’s not misconstrue it, it’s a focus issue. Because when you say discipline, there’s very few parts of our program that players aren’t disciplined. You look at how we dress: we don’t come out with T-shirts hanging out of our jerseys, we don’t have a bunch of guys with different-colored socks and stuff on,” head coach Mike Locksley said.
“Typically when you’re dealing with 18- to 22-year-old males with a lot of testosterone, focus is a hard thing to coach.”
Discipline is making your bed consistently, while focus is not forgetting your wallet, keys or cellphone. You know what also takes discipline and focus? Taking care of the football, and Maryland’s offense behind a true freshman quarterback had zero turnovers in week one.
Friday’s games
James Madison (1-0) at Louisville (1-0), 7 p.m., ESPN2
Since moving to FBS in 2023, the Dukes have been difficult to deal with in nonconference play, going 10-1 outside the Sun Belt Conference and 4-1 away from Harrisonburg. The only loss? A 34-10 thumping at the Cardinals in 2022. But after last year’s 70-50 win at North Carolina, JMU won’t be sneaking up on anybody.
Louisville picked up votes in the rankings after hanging 51 points on Eastern Kentucky and is led by USC transfer Miller Moss at quarterback. While he threw for over 3,000 yards last year, Moss also piloted the Trojans to five one-possession losses (including a defeat at Maryland) in nine starts.
Presto’s pick: Dukes are unable to shock the world in a 35-17 loss.
Maryland (1-0) vs. Northern Illinois (1-0), 7:30 p.m., on BTN
Special teams supplemented the Terps’ week one effort as transfer kicker Sean O’Haire drilled three field goals, including a 49-yarder. The Huskies were saved by special teams last week, as Holy Cross missed multiple field goals and a kickoff return for a touchdown gave NIU the lead for good in a 19-17 squeaker.
But the Huskies will be exactly one year removed from the best win in program history, a 16-14 upset of then No. 5 Notre Dame. The quarterback who directed that victory (Ethan Hampton) is now a backup at Illinois, although sophomore Josh Holst has a Famous Idaho Potato Bowl victory under his belt (not exactly small potatoes).
He’ll face a Terps defense that tallied six takeaways in its opener against Florida Atlantic and put eight of the team’s first 12 points on the board. While freshman Malik Washington looks to make strides in his second career start, a running game that went aground early and often last Saturday (3.7 yards per carry) needs to improve for the Terps to not repeat their 5-17 showing on third down.
Presto’s pick: Terrapins triumph, 27-16.
Saturday’s games
Virginia (1-0) vs. NC State (1-0), noon, ESPN2
Blame divisional play for this onetime annual ACC showdown going dormant. The two schools met every season from 1960-74 and 1977-2003, but have squared off just three times since 2012. The Wolfpack have won five of the last seven matchups, including three straight in Charlottesville.
The Cavaliers will try to contain 6-foot 6-inch sophomore CJ Bailey, who completed 71% of his passes for 318 yards in a season-opening win over East Carolina (not as close as the 24-17 score looks). They’ll also try to reignite the connection between quarterback Chandler Morris and Cam Ross (seven connections for 124 yards and a touchdown).
Kippy and Buffy are in a conundrum this week (not to be confused with Conundrum, a blend that was originally made by Caymus Vineyards): they drink red for ACC games and the Wolfpack are a conference foe, but they pour white for nonconference games and this meeting does not count toward their league total (it’s an accounting thing).
What to do? Thankfully they have a bottle of Chateau O’Brien rose.
“Bright, subtly floral in aroma, this shows an almost surprising weight and texture in the mouth feel,” the winery website reads. “A stylish Rose that would happily be paired with seafood of all stripes.”
Presto’s pick: Cavaliers show their true stripes in a 31-24 victory.
Navy (1-0) vs. UAB (1-0), 3:30 p.m., CBSSN
Fire up the jets! The Midshipmen kick off conference play by facing a team they’ve outscored 72-24 the previous two years, and the Blazers coughed up 42 points last week in a victory over Alabama State.
Navy’s defense will have a tougher test this week as it will try to contain senior Jalen Kitna (son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna), who has completed 63% of his passes for 273 yards per game since transferring from Florida. The trend is there for an offensive extravaganza, as the Mids’ last five conference openers have hit the over. The trend also does not favor UAB, who have lost their last five road openers.
Presto’s pick: Mids blast the Blazers, 42-18.
Virginia Tech (0-1) vs. Vanderbilt (1-0), 7:30 p.m., ACCN
The Hokies don’t need to be convinced that these Commodores actually have a little bite, as they lost to the “Harvard of the South” in overtime last year and the SEC’s “academic school” topped that by beating No. 1 Alabama later in the season.
Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia made his debut for the school against VT last year, throwing for 190 yards and two touchdowns while running for 104 yards and another score. Pavia also doesn’t beat himself, throwing just four interceptions in 2024.
Kyron Drones (two interceptions in the opener against South Carolina) needs to recover from a rough day in Atlanta where the Hokies were held out of the end zone.
Presto’s pick: Hokies on the night shift hit the Commodores like a brick house in a 21-17 win that’s far from easy.
Howard tumbles at Temple, Georgetown wins over Wagner, Richmond edges Wofford, William & Mary over Maine, Towson tops Morgan State.
Last Week: 7-3.
Dave Preston is an AP Top 25 voter. Read his preseason ballot here.
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