Maryland–West Virginia football rivalry

Maryland – West Virginia football rivalry
Maryland Terrapins	West Virginia Mountaineers
Originated	1919
Most recent	2011
Next match	2012
Continuity	Current
Series leader	West Virginia (25–21–2)
Current champion	West Virginia
Maryland (21) 2004 2003 2002 2001 1999 1995 1994 1990 1987 1986 1985 1984 1980 1976 1966 1960 1959 1951 1950 1949 1947	West Virginia (25) 2011 2010 2007 2006 2005 2004 2000 1998 1997 1996 1993 1992 1991 1989 1988 1983 1982 1981 1977 1973 1970 1969 1948 1943 1919
Ties (2) 1945 1944
Did Not Play 2009 2008 1979 1978 1975 1974 1972 1971 1968 1967 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1946 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920

The Maryland–West Virginia rivalry is the college football rivalry between the University of Maryland and West Virginia University. The two teams first played in 1919 and the series ran uninterrupted between 1980 and 2007. West Virginia currently leads with an all-time record of 25–21–2. The longest streak in the series is tied at six. Maryland previously held the streak (six games, between 1949 and 1966), and was matched by West Virginia after the 2011 contest. The two teams met for the Gator Bowl for a re-match at the end of the 2003 season. Until the series lapsed in 2007, the game was the longest continuously running non-conference game for both schools.

Background

The Maryland–West Virginia rivalry is arguably more competitive than Maryland's other two historically important games: official ACC rival Virginia and the now-defunct Penn State series. For West Virginia, it may not be as emotional as the Backyard Brawl, but it is still an important game. Due to the game traditionally being played early in the season, both teams have historically viewed the game as a good measuring stick for the rest of the season.

ESPN personality and former Maryland assistant coach, Lee Corso said, that the Maryland–West Virginia rivalry during the 1960s "was really competitive because of the fact that they would sometimes come to Maryland and recruit our players, and we would try to go to West Virginia and recruit some of them ... That adds to the rivalry."^[1]

This practice of poaching the opponent's areas of interest remains to this day. In recent history, Terps fullback Cory Jackson was a Morgantown native, while former quarterback Scott McBrien transferred from West Virginia after frustration over not starting. In McBrien's last college game, the 2004 Gator Bowl, he passed for a school bowl record 381 yards and three touchdowns during a 41–7 thrashing of the Mountaineers. Conversely, Heisman finalist Steve Slaton was originally offered a scholarship to Maryland but chose West Virginia when the offer was ultimately revoked. In the 2007 game Slaton exacted his revenge, running for 137 yards and three touchdowns against the Terps. Likewise, fullback Owen Schmitt from northern Virginia originally wished to play for Maryland, but when the school was uninterested, he walked onto the Mountaineers, from where he has since gone on to the NFL Draft.^[2][3]

There was a two-year hiatus during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, in which Maryland played California and West Virginia played Colorado. The schools agreed to resume the series, scheduling games for each year from 2010 to 2013.^[4] West Virgina won the first game after hiatus, 31-17 in Morgantown. On September 13, 2010 the two schools announced a deal to extend the series through 2017.^[5] The 2013 game, designated a Maryland home game, will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. ^[6]

Notable games

1949

#15 Maryland: 47, West Virginia: 7

In the first game with one of the two ranked, #17 Maryland routed West Virginia 47–7. In the first half, head coach Jim Tatum guided the Terrapins to a 21–0 advantage, and kept the Mountaineers offense from advancing past midfield all but once. In the third quarter, Maryland scored three touchdowns in quick succession. Six Maryland players scored, including two different centers, and back Ed Modzelewski twice. With the win, Maryland improved its record to 8–1 to help its case for an eventual berth in the 1950 Gator Bowl. The Terrapins extended their season scoring total to 233 points, the most in school history.^[7]

1951

#5 Maryland: 54, West Virginia: 7

In Maryland's season finale before an already-secured berth in the 1952 Sugar Bowl. At halftime, Maryland led, 35–7. In the second half, coach Tatum fielded mostly reserve players to prevent running up the score. Back Ed Modzelewski had 14 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns, which outgained the combined mark for the opposing team for the sixth time of the season. The Maryland defense stifled the West Virginia ground attack, which rushed only eight times for a net less of 21 yards. The win preserved Maryland's perfect record, which made it the first undefeated Terrapins team in 57 years.^[8]

1977

West Virginia: 24, #11 Maryland: 16

West Virginia snapped #11 Maryland's 15-game regular season winning streak, and ended their opponents' hopes for a second undefeated season. The Mountaineers dominated the first half behind an efficient effort by quarterback Dan Kendra who completed six consecutive passes and led the team to a 24–0 halftime advantage. The third touchdown came on a 54-yard Kendra pass to wide receiver Cedric Thomas, who was open because of blown coverage by cornerback Jonathan Claiborne, Maryland coach Jerry Claiborne's son. The West Virginia defense stifled Maryland's comeback bid in the final minutes with a stop on the two-yard line.^[9]

1983

#20 West Virginia: 31, #17 Maryland: 21

West Virginia quarterback Jeff Hostetler threw interceptions which resulted in Maryland taking an early 10–0 advantage. A touchdown by Mountaineers running back Ron Wolfley and field goal by kicker Ron Woodside equalized before halftime. In the second half, Hostetler completed a 42-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Bennett to extended the lead to 24–10, which helped put the game beyond Maryland's reach.^[10] With the loss, Maryland was dropped from the Associated Press Top-20 Poll.^[11]

1988

West Virginia: 55, Maryland: 24

The highest-scoring game of the series began with Maryland running back Mike Beasley rushing for two touchdowns in the first four minutes. The Terrapins scored the first by capitalizing on Anthony Browns' fumble on the first play of the game on the West Virginia 11-yard line. The Mountaineers, however, rallied to score 17 unanswered points in the first half, and their defense limited the Terrapins to just five first downs in the remainder of the opening half. In the second half, West Virginia expanded its lead to a rout, and took away its first victory of the series in five years.^[12]

2004 Gator Bowl

Main article: 2004 Gator Bowl

#23 Maryland: 41, #20 West Virginia: 7

At the end of the 2003 season, #20 West Virginia and #23 Maryland met at a bowl game for the first time. Terrapins quarterback Scott McBrien, who had transferred from West Virginia, ran for one and threw three touchdowns. Explosive specialist and wide receiver Steve Suter returned a WV punt 76 yards for a touchdown, and all-time ACC scoring leader Nick Novak made good two field goal attempts. In what was a rematch from an earlier regular season game, which the Terrapins had won by a score of 34-7, the result was even more unbalanced with a Maryland win by 34 points.^[13]

Statistics

	Maryland	West Virginia
Games played	47
Wins	21	25
Home wins	10	12
Road wins	9	12
Neutral wins	2	0
Consecutive wins	6	6
Most total points in a game	79 (1993 & 1988)
Most points in a win	54	55
Most points in a loss	37	20
Fewest total points in a game	8 (1943)
Largest margin of victory	47	31
Smallest margin of victory	3	1
Total points scored in series	1029	868
Shut-outs of opposing team	3	2
Source: [14]

Results

Maryland victories are shaded in red. West Virginia victories are shaded in blue. Ties are shaded in gray.

Date	Site	Winning team		Losing team		Series
17 September 2011	College Park, MD	West Virginia	37	Maryland	31	WV 25–21–2
18 September 2010	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	31	Maryland	17	WV 24–21–2
13 September 2007	College Park, MD	West Virginia	31	Maryland	14	WV 23–21–2
14 September 2006	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	45	Maryland	24	WV 22–21–2
17 September 2005	College Park, MD	West Virginia	31	Maryland	19	Tied 21–21–2
18 September 2004	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	19	Maryland	16	MD 21–20–2
1 January 2004	Jacksonville, FL (2004 Gator Bowl)	Maryland	41	West Virginia	7	MD 21–19–2
20 September 2003	College Park, MD	Maryland	34	West Virginia	7	MD 20–19–2
5 October 2002	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	48	West Virginia	17	Tied 19–19–2
29 September 2001	College Park, MD	Maryland	32	West Virginia	20	WV 19–18–2
16 September 2000	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	30	Maryland	17	WV 19–17–2
18 September 1999	College Park, MD	Maryland	33	West Virginia	0	WV 18–17–2
19 September 1998	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	42	Maryland	20	WV 18–16–2
11 October 1997	College Park, MD	West Virginia	31	Maryland	14	WV 17–16–2
28 September 1996	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	13	Maryland	0	Tied 16–16–2
16 September 1995	College Park, MD	Maryland	31	West Virginia	17	MD 16–15–2
17 September 1994	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	24	West Virginia	13	Tied 15–15–2
18 September 1993	College Park, MD	West Virginia	42	Maryland	37	WV 15–14–2
19 September 1992	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	34	Maryland	33	Tied 14–14–2
21 September 1991	College Park, MD	West Virginia	37	Maryland	7	MD 14–13–2
8 September 1990	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	14	West Virginia	10	MD 14–12–2
9 September 1989	College Park, MD	West Virginia	14	Maryland	10	MD 13–12–2
17 September 1988	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	55	Maryland	24	MD 13–11–2
19 September 1987	College Park, MD	Maryland	25	West Virginia	20	MD 13–10–2
20 September 1986	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	24	West Virginia	3	MD 12–10–2
21 September 1985	College Park, MD	Maryland	28	West Virginia	0	MD 11–10–2
22 September 1984	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	20	West Virginia	17	Tied 10–10–2
17 September 1983	College Park, MD	West Virginia	31	Maryland	21	WV 10–9–2
18 September 1982	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	19	Maryland	18	Tied 9–9–2
19 September 1981	College Park, MD	West Virginia	17	Maryland	13	MD 9–8–2
20 September 1980	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	14	West Virginia	11	MD 9–7–2
17 September 1977	College Park, MD	West Virginia	24	Maryland	16	MD 8–7–2
18 September 1976	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	24	West Virginia	3	MD 8–6–2
15 September 1973	College Park, MD	West Virginia	20	Maryland	13	MD 7–6–2
28 November 1970	College Park, MD	West Virginia	20	Maryland	10	MD 7–5–2
20 September 1969	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	31	Maryland	7	MD 7–4–2
15 October 1966	College Park, MD	Maryland	28	West Virginia	9	MD 7–3–2
17 September 1960	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	31	West Virginia	8	MD 6–3–2
19 September 1959	College Park, MD	Maryland	27	West Virginia	7	MD 5–3–2
24 November 1951	College Park, MD	Maryland	54	West Virginia	7	MD 4–3–2
18 November 1950	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	41	West Virginia	0	Tied 3–3–2
24 November 1949	College Park, MD	Maryland	47	West Virginia	7	WV 3–2–2
27 November 1948	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	16	Maryland	14	WV 3–1–2
1 November 1947	Washington, D.C.	Maryland	27	West Virginia	0	WV 2–1–2
27 October 1945	Morgantown, WV	Maryland	13	West Virginia	13	WV 2–0–2
14 October 1944	College Park, MD	Maryland	6	West Virginia	6	WV 2–0–1
16 October 1943	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia	6	Maryland	2	WV 2–0
18 October 1919	College Park, MD	West Virginia	27	Maryland	0	WV 1–0
Source: [15]

See also

• Maryland Terrapins football
• West Virginia Mountaineers football
• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

1. ^ Marc Carig, One for the Border, Washington Post, 13 September 2007.
2. ^ Marc Carig, One for the Border, Washington Post, 13 September 2007.
3. ^ Slaton scores 3 TDs to lead West Virginia past Maryland, ESPN, 13 September 2007.
4. ^ Maryland-West Virginia football added in 2012 and 2013, The Washington Times, May 20, 2009.
5. ^ http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/201009130485
6. ^ [1]
7. ^ Maryland Tips West Virginia, Daytona Beach Morning Journal, November 25, 1949.
8. ^ Maryland Whips West Virginia; Mo Modzelewski Outgains Opponent, Toledo Blade, November 24, 1951.
9. ^ West Virginia Surprises Maryland, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 19, 1977.
10. ^ 'Dogs tie one on against Clemson, The Times-News, September 19, 1983.
11. ^ Cavs gun for fourth straight, Evening Herald, September 22, 1983.
12. ^ COLLEGE FOOTBALL: East; Pitt Overwhelms Ohio State, 42-10, The New York Times, September 18, 1988.
13. ^ Another lopsided win for Maryland, ESPN, 1 January 2004, accessed 15 November 2008.
14. ^ University of Maryland Terrapins Football 2001 Media Guide, accessed 13 November 2008.
15. ^ Stassen College Football Information, accessed 11 November 2008.

External links

• Bring on the West Virginia "rivalry", The Baltimore Sun, June 9, 2009.