Remember that this was a team which was up and down in 2007, finishing the regular season 6-6 before losing a tight game in the Emerald Bowl to Oregon State.  They had their moments of dominance in wins over eighth-ranked Boston College and tenth-ranked Rutgers, but they also lost to a mediocre North Carolina team and looked just okay against Villanova and Florida International.

This year the Terps return eight starters on offense, including four on the line, which to be fair dealt with a number of injuries last season.  In addition, they get five starters back on defense, including middle linebacker Dave Philistin, an absolute beast who should be on track for all-conference honors.

Nevertheless, the Terps have questions in the secondary with the loss of three starters, and will have to answer them in a hurry against what is traditionally one of the best passing attacks in the FCS.

Talent-wise the Terps are better than people give them credit for, but just like South Carolina their offense will only go as far as their up-to-now inconsistent quarterback play will take them, especially with the loss of their top two running backs from last season.

Delaware is coming off yet another successful season under head coach K.C. Keeler, in which the Blue Hens went 11-4 and made it all the way to the National Title game before falling to Appalachian State.

Offensively UD was among the Nation’s very best in 2007, finishing sixth in the country at 460 yards per contest.  They do lose an outstanding quarterback in Joe Flacco to the NFL, but they get another potential NFL prospect via transfer Rob Schoenhoft, who spent last year as the backup for Ohio State.

Schoenhoft is a former four-star quarterback out of high school who happens to be a perfect fit for Coach Keeler’s offense with his 6'6" frame and strong arm, and he should adapt well with a veteran cast of pass catchers around him (including former Pitt transfer and NFL prospect Robbie Agnone at TE).

While UD does have to replace three offensive linemen, there is a tradition of developing solid O-lines here, and I don’t see any reason for that not to continue in 2008.  A talented group of running backs waits in the wings, including Wisconsin transfer Jerry Butler, who sat out 2007 with a leg injury.

Defensively Delaware should be much improved, as nine starters return to a defense which ranked 50th in the nation last year, including former Notre Dame DE Ronald Talley.  In case you haven’t gotten the picture by now, this is a team and a program which thrives off getting FBS transfers.

I think the perception out there right now is that Delaware will be in a rebuilding year with the loss of a quarterback like Flacco and a runner like Omar Cuff.  I don’t totally disagree with that notion, but you have to remember that K.C. Keeler is very good at getting his teams fired up to play FBS opponents, and that the Blue Hens remain one of the most talented squads in the FCS.

Delaware put up 581 yards of total offense in a win at bowl-bound Navy last year and typically bring a large number of fans to mid-Atlantic contests (Maryland, in contrast, does not usually draw well for OOC games.)

While Maryland does return eight starters on offense, they have been a traditional slow-starter under Friedgen and haven’t shown great offensive production early in the year.

I’m not sold on any of the quarterbacks here.  Even though they do get Josh Portis back, he hasn’t taken a “live-fire” snap since 2005, and he’ll have to do against a Delaware defense which returns nine starters.

Maryland’s heavy losses in the secondary are the most concerning aspects of this game, as the Blue Hens return three starting wide receivers and a legitimate NFL prospect in tight end Robbie Agnone.  If the Blue Hens can protect Shoenhoft up front, he may very well be the next Flacco, as he has the size, arm strength, and accuracy to play on the next level.

Because of Keeler’s track record and the overall talent on Delaware’s roster, I give them a good chance against the Terrapins, who will likely struggle out of the blocks offensively with continued questions at the quarterback and running back positions.

Check back tomorrow for my seventh through fifth most likely upsets!

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