Purdue is in uncharted territory this week. The Boilermakers will be making their first trip to College Park, Md., to face undefeated Maryland (3-0) and will be opening conference play with a winning record (2-1) for the first time under Coach Darrell Hazell.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 P.M. Saturday at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. The Homecoming game will be televised by BTN. Plenty of tickets are available.
Purdue roster | Purdue Schedule/Results | Game Notes (including depth chart)
Maryland Roster | Maryland Schedule/Results
Here are three things you should know about Maryland:
1. Who will be the Terrapins quarterback?
Fifth-year senior Perry Hills dinged his shoulder in the second half of the double overtime win at Central Florida on Sept. 17. While the Terps enjoyed a bye last week, it is uncertain whether Hills will be ready for Saturday. So much so, that Vegas had not put a line on the Purdue-Maryland game as of Monday morning. Hill has completed passes to 14 players in three games, while connecting on passes at a 62-percent rate. Though not spectacular, Hills has done a good job managing the only Power 5 offense to not commit a turnover in 2016 after miscues were a huge problem for Maryland in 2015.
If it is not Hills, then Tyrrell Pigrome will take the reins. Pigome, a true freshman, made the most of his one snap against UCF with a 24-yard, game-winning rushing touchdown. He has only completed 5-of-8 passes in the team's first three games.
2. Maryland is still trying to figure out its offensive line
Coach DJ Durkin has used several combinations in the offensive line in the first three games. At times, the team struggled in pass protection in the first three games, giving up eights sacks combined against FIU, Howard and Central Florida. The Boilermakers showed it could pressure the passer last week with five sacks, and there may be some opportunity here.
Despite playing a relatively soft non-conerence schedule (though two of the three games were in Florida), the Terps ground game has been effective. It has rotated four backs, including true freshman Lorenzo Harrison, Ty Johnson, Trey Edmunds and Kenneth Goins Jr., averaging 6.7 yards per carry. The Terrapins currently rank second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally with 266.7 rushing yards per game. The trio of Harrison, Edmunds and Johnson have combined for 485 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and five rushing scores in three games. The run game could get a boost this week, too, with the return of Wes Brown, who has more than 1,000 career rushing yards and 11 touchdowns and will be back after a three-game suspension.
3. Likely III sets the tone on special teams and defense
Purdue will need to know where No. 4 is on the field at all times. Diminutive senior William Likely III, who stands just 5-foot-7, has been muffled in the return game so far this season simply for the fact that teams are not giving him a chance as they routinely kick short or out of bounds. Yet, he had a moment against UCF with a 64-yard kick return to open the second half. That resulted in squib kicks on each subsequent UCF kickoff. Last year, Likely ranked third in nation in combined return yards (1,197), despite playing only 11 games, and third nationally in punt return average (17.7), returning two punts for touchdowns.
Defensively, Likely is third on the team in tackles after a career-high 14-tackle performance at UCF and also ranks second on the team in tackles for loss (4.0).
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