Marshall @ Maryland preview
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN STORYLINES
1. Marshall narrowly missed out on a Conference USA crown with a loss in its last game but can still count the season a success with a bowl win. The Thundering Herd will attempt to post a 10-win campaign when they face Maryland in the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman in Annapolis, Maryland on Dec. 27. The Terrapins struggled to 3-5 in the ACC and dropped four of their last six games but ended the regular season on a high note with a win at North Carolina State.
2. Marshall plays wide open on offense and was one of the top scoring teams in the nation at 43 points per game. The Thundering Herd averaged 53.8 points during a five-game win streak that put them in line for the C-USA title before losing 41-24 at Rice in the conference championship game.
3. Maryland is playing close to home but proximity to its own fans did not help much this season, as the team lost its last three home games. The Terrapins utilize dual-threat quarterback C.J. Brown in a balanced offensive attack.
TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Marshall -2.5
ABOUT MARSHALL (9-4, 7-1 C-USA): The Thundering Herd are returning to bowl play after missing out last season and are thriving offensively behind quarterback Rakeem Cato, who has passed for 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. Cato was at his best during Marshall’s five-game win streak, tossing 19 touchdowns and two picks. Cato’s only multiple-interception game came at ACC foe Virginia Tech on Sept. 21, when he threw for two scores and two picks in a 29-21 triple-overtime loss.
ABOUT MARYLAND (7-5, 3-5 ACC): The Terrapins played their own tight game at Virginia Tech, getting 122 rushing yards, 135 passing yards and three total TDs from Brown in a 27-24 overtime win Nov. 16. Brown went over 100 yards rushing in two of the last three contests and had one of his best passing days with 259 yards and a pair of scores in the regular-season finale at NC State. Maryland was left out of bowl season in each of coach Randy Edsall’s first two seasons at the helm, last appearing in the 2010 Military Bowl and earning a 51-20 win over East Carolina.
PREDICTION: Marshall 35, Maryland 24