Predicting Every Maryland Terrapins Game in 2011

The Maryland Terrapins will begin their pursuit of the ACC crown this fall under first-year head coach Randy Edsall and second-year quarterback Danny O'Brien.

The Terps surprised college football fans around the nation in 2010, finishing 9-4, winning five games in the conference and losing only one home game all season.

Maryland will kick off the new season unranked once again, but will still be expected to compete for the ACC Atlantic division with No. 5-ranked Florida State.

Edsall and the Terps will have a bowl game in their sights in 2011 as their schedule only boasts four true road games, including an October 22 matchup with the Seminoles in Tallahassee.

Join Bleacher Report as we look into the crystal ball and predict every game for the Terps this season, beginning with Maryland's Monday night season-opening contest against the Miami Hurricanes.

Week 1: Vs. Miami Hurricanes

Maryland will open its season at home against ACC opponent Miami in what is sure to be a classic.

The contest in College Park will be featured on ESPN (8:00 p.m.) on September 5.

The Hurricanes are coming off of a disappointing 2010 season in which they won seven games and failed to play for the conference title.

The 'Canes will be led by head coach Al Golden, former Temple head man in his first season with the team, and will hope to recreate the magic they made last year in South Florida, when they scored a touchdown with 37 seconds left to take the lead over Maryland for good, winning 26-20.

This season however, Maryland takes care of business at home in front of a rowdy crowd at Byrd Stadium.

Prediction: Maryland 27, Miami 21

Record: 1-0 (1-0)

Week 2: Bye

Sorry Terps fans, Maryland is on a bye the second week of the season.

The NFL will have to suffice on the weekend of the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

Week 3: Vs. West Virginia Mountaineers

The Terps will play host to rival West Virginia in Week 3 of the college football season.

Danny O'Brien and company will try to score more than 17 points this time around, as they attempt to avenge a 14-point 2010 loss on the road to the Mountaineers.

The previous meeting between the two teams saw West Virginia jump out to a lightning-quick 21-0 lead before the halftime whistle.

The Mountaineers will most likely be unranked this time around, but the Terps will have their hands full with Geno Smith and company. Did I mention Maryland hasn't beaten WVU since 2003?

Terps lose a tough one in front of a shocked College Park crowd.

Prediction: West Virginia 34, Maryland 13

Record: 1-1 (1-0)

Week 4: Vs. Temple Owls

The Terps will again play host on September 24 to the visiting Temple Owls, a team they should beat handily.

Temple should be poised for a promising campaign in 2011, as they went 8-4 a year ago, including a solid five-win conference mark.

Unfortunately for Owls fans, the Terps are wide awake after playing rival WVU just a week earlier.

Maryland wins easy at Byrd Stadium.

Prediction: Maryland 45, Temple 24

Record: 2-1 (1-0)

Week 5: Vs. Towson Tigers

First-year head coach Randy Edsall will get his first taste of an in-state rival on October 1 when the Terps host FCS opponent Towson (my school).

The Tigers have been absolutely dreadful over the past few seasons, failing to win more than one conference game in the past four campaigns, including a win-less conference mark in 2010.

The game should be nothing more than a tune up for Edsall's group though, as well as the Terps faithful who will gain some bragging rights on fellow Marylanders.

The October contest will be the first ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron, and the Terps will dominate at home with the game being over by halftime.

Prediction: Maryland 51, Towson 10

Record: 3-1 (1-0)

Week 6: At Georgia Tech

The Terps will hit the road for the first time in 2011 on October 8, when they meet up with the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.

Maryland has not played Georgia Tech since a 28-26 Terps win in College Park back in October 2007.

The Yellow Jackets were 6-7 a year ago and will try to upset the Terps with their unique triple-option offense which led all of college football in rushing in 2010, averaging more than 323 yards per game on the ground.

The Maryland defense proves too much for Georgia Tech's predictable offensive approach though, Terps win first road contest of 2011.

Prediction: Maryland 17, Georgia Tech 13

Record: 4-1 (2-0)

Week 7: Vs. Clemson Tigers

The Clemson Tigers will come into Byrd Stadium beaten and bruised on October 15, after already having played Auburn, Florida State and Virginia Tech in previous weeks.

The Tigers were a mediocre 6-7 in 2010 and will attempt to play the role of an upset-minded underdog on the road.

Maryland gets caught up in the three-game win streak and can't avoid the trap at home.

Clemson escapes with the victory and takes the conference bout with a nail-biting last-minute field goal.

Prediction: Clemson 20, Maryland 17

Record: 4-2 (2-1)

Week 8: At Florida State Seminoles

In what will no doubt be the Terps' toughest test of 2011, Maryland will travel to Tallahassee to battle the No. 5-ranked Seminoles in a game that could decide the ACC Atlantic division.

Maryland blew a shot at winning the conference a season ago when it fell to Florida State at home in November by 14 points.

The Seminoles are ready to contend for a national championship and the Terps are not, the difference is simple.

FSU wins comfortably at home.

Prediction: Florida State 31, Maryland 21

Record: 4-3 (2-2)

Week 9: Vs. Boston College Eagles

After a tough couple of weeks for the Terps, Maryland returns home on October 29 to take out its frustration on a wounded Boston College team fresh off two consecutive road games against Clemson and Virginia Tech.

Maryland squeaked out a three-point win on the road against the Eagles a season ago, but it won't be so close in College Park on Halloween weekend.

The Terps get back on track with a much-needed conference win.

Prediction: Maryland 28, Boston College 17

Record: 5-3 (3-2)

Week 10: Vs. Virginia Cavaliers

The lowly Virginia Cavaliers will make their way into Byrd Stadium on November 5 in a border battle against the Terps.

Maryland last lost to Virginia in 2009, a 20-9 home loss at College Park, the Terps would win two games that season.

The Terps avoid another embarrassing conference loss at home in 2011, and edge the Cavaliers by two touchdowns in College Park, adding another win to their total and staying in the hunt for the ACC's Atlantic division.

Prediction: Maryland 21, Virginia 7

Record: 6-3 (4-2)

Week 11: Vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Maryland will meet Notre Dame at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on November 12 to take on the No. 19-ranked Fighting Irish.

The late season game will be the Terps' last non-conferene matchup of 2011, and will have no bearing on the team's ACC title hopes, but a great opportunity to showcase the program's growth in front of a national audience.

Notre Dame hasn't returned to glory just yet, but they prove to much for Randy Edsall's Terps.

Prediction: Notre Dame 23, Maryland 14

Record: 6-4 (4-2)

Week 12: At Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Maryland will travel to one of the ACC's worst teams in mid-November to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who went 3-9 in 2010.

The Terps annihilated Wake Forest last season in College Park, winning 62-14.

The loss was yet another bump in the road during the Demon Deacons nine-game losing streak in 2010.

Danny O'Brien keeps his solid sophomore season going on the road, leading the Terps to an overtime win over Wake Forest.

Prediction: Maryland 24, Wake Forest 17 OT

Record: 7-4 (5-2)

Week 13: At North Carolina State Wolfpack

Maryland and NC State met in a shootout in College Park one season ago, won by the Terps 38-31.

Terps' quarterback Danny O'Brien was fantastic in that game, hooking up with former Maryland wideout Torrey Smith several times for big scoring plays.

The Wolfpack, 9-4 in 2010, will have revenge on their minds at home, and the Terps will be in desperate need of a win to stay within reach of ACC Atlantic favorite Florida State.

Edsall falls just short in his first season with the Terps, Maryland falls by 10 to NC State on the road, and FSU takes the division in 2011.

Prediction: NC State 38, Maryland 28

Record: 7-5 (5-3)

Bowl Game: Vs. Connecticut Huskies

Despite missing out on a shot at the ACC championship and a berth in the Orange Bowl, Maryland makes the most of 2011 with an invite to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina against Randy Edsall's former team, the Connecticut Huskies.

The Huskies will survive a tough Big East schedule to stay bowl eligible at 6-6.

The matchup of Edsall's new team versus his former comes as a can't-miss opportunity for college football postseason matchmakers, and the Terps pounce at the chance to make 2011 worthwhile.

Maryland wins the late-December contest on the arm of Danny O'Brien.

Prediction: Maryland 31, Connecticut 19

Record: 8-5 (5-3)

Patrick Clarke is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow on Twitter @_Pat_Clarke