Maryland Terrapins: 5 Reasons Why Win over Miami Gives Terps ACC Title Hopes

Could the Maryland Terrapins be embarking on their first ACC championship season since 2001?

Head coach Randy Edsall made his debut count, as his Terps began the season with a victory over the University of Miami.

The flashy, new-look Terrapins had a strong showing in their season-opening game against Miami, topping their ACC rivals 32-24 in what was a thriller in College Park. Led by quarterback Danny O'Brien, the offense looked efficient and the wide receiving corps was right on cue with routes and blocks.

Not to mention a sold-out arena and new, colorful uniforms had the Terrapins boasting a swagger from the opening kickoff.

In what was a back-and-forth battle throughout, this Terrapins team showed it has the talent and tough, winning mentality that could have this team atop the ACC when it's all said and done.

Can Edsall and his Terps continue winning games on the bigger stages this season? Here are the five reasons why O'Brien and company have the team to get it done.

All-ACC Defender Kenny Tate Had Little Impact on the Game

A member of the ACC's All-Defensive team last season, senior linebacker Kenny Tate proved his worth once again in the victory over the Hurricanes.

Despite playing a sluggish three quarters of football, Tate still came up when the team needed it most, grabbing a last-second interception on a heave from Stephen Morris to close out the game and help give the Terps the win.

Last season with the team Tate had a big impact on the improved Terps defense, totaling 90 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one defensive touchdown last season. If the Terps expect to have continued success this year, Tate will have to be a leader on defense.

Cameron Chism Giving the Secondary Life

Over the last several seasons, if there has been a questionable area on this Terrapins team it most certainly has been the play of the secondary. After an impressive performance by senior defensive back Cameron Chism in the season-opening win over Miami, the Terps defensive backs had an impressive look to them.

Chism made what was the game-winning interception, as Miami was nearing field goal range and were down just two points. Chism returned the interception 54 yards for a touchdown to help put a win in the books for his Terrapins.

Chism was a significant factor throughout the game and came up when the team needed him most. After not recording an interception all of last season, Chism has certainly showed he has picked up his game.

Randy Edsall Makes the Right Calls

A fourth-and-eight conversion to open up the game, which later led to a touchdown, was one of the many clutch moves that has Maryland fans content to greet the new head coach with open arms.

From the second Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall was hired, he made it clear that he was there to take this Terps team to the next level and to contend for an ACC title.

The win over the Miami Hurricanes was one step in the right direction for the former UCONN coach.

In the victory, it was evident that Edsall had the Miami defense on its heels for most of the game, as he and newly hired Gary Crowton helped the offense get off to a quick start. Crowton was an important addition this offseason from LSU, as his knowledge for the game and strategy proved to be too much to handle for the Hurricanes.

In the first half, a hurry up-style offense led by Danny O'Brien had the team nearly up 14-0 through the first quarter and a half of football. This offensive strategy helped the team get off to a solid start, as it played a big role in the win.

A Team That Is Resilient

The victory was a grind it out-type of game for the Terps, as the two teams battled back and forth, switching leads throughout the contest.

This type of a win might not have been as convincing as it probably should have been, yet the team kept fighting back and came up the strongest in the fourth quarter of play. There were also several players that had sluggish starts and showed improved play later in the game.

Kenny Tate, Danny O'Brien and Cameron Chism all had sluggish periods throughout the game and seemed to clean up the mistakes further into the contest. O'Brien, unlike the other two, had a hot start, went through a tough second and third quarters, and had an effective fourth quarter.

This will be as important a factor as any if the Terps are hoping to win an ACC title, as they say resilience is a quality of a champion.

Danny O'Brien

Sophomore stud quarterback Danny O'Brien proved he will be a force to reckon with this season in the ACC, throwing 348 yards on 31-of-44 passing and a touchdown in the victory.

Last season as a freshman, O'Brien was the offensive rookie of the year in the ACC, as the win showed he is an even more sound quarterback this season.

In the first several drives of the game, O'Brien had the Hurricane defense searching for answers, as his hurry up-style offense was working well and his receivers were blocking effectively. The speed and athleticism surrounding O'Brien will help him further improve as a quarterback and will likely be the biggest factor in taking this Terrapins team to the next level.

If the Terps want to win games, there are plenty of areas in which the team needs to keep up the strong play. Yet if they want to become ACC champions, O'Brien will be that player that can get the team where it needs to be. As he showed in the win over Miami, he is more than capable of getting it done.

Follow B/R Featured Columnist Luis Batlle on twitter @lbatll1