2008 Woodie Awards
Terps hope to build resumé, play spoiler
Quality of bowl Terps reach will hinge on result against No. 20 Boston College
Eric Detweiler
Issue date: 11/26/08 Section: Sports
Edwin Williams just wants to have fun.
After traveling to San Francisco and Orlando the last two seasons for bowl games, the Terrapin football center appreciates the fact that the Terps have already locked up a spot in some sort of postseason game.
"There's no such thing as a bad bowl," Williams said. "The only bad bowl is the toilet bowl, when you're not going anywhere."
But if the Terps (7-4, 4-3 ACC) want to have more fun in late December, or possibly even on New Year's Day, a win Saturday against No. 20 Boston College (8-3, 4-3) could go a long way.
A blowout loss against Florida State in their home finale bumped the Terps from the Atlantic Division lead and straight out of the ACC Championship picture. The Terps need a win Saturday to improve their bowl positioning and separate themselves from a mostly unimpressive cast of second-tier ACC teams.
"I don't think we want to be where everybody else is," coach Ralph Friedgen said, referencing the fact that 11 of the 12 ACC teams could finish with at least four conference wins. "There's a lot to play for."
A win would keep Boston College out of the Dec. 6 conference championship game and tie the Terps for the top spot in the Atlantic Division with the Seminoles, who would play the yet-undecided Coastal champ for a spot in the Orange Bowl.
After each loss this season, the Terps have responded by knocking off a ranked opponent. If the trend continues in Chestnut Hill, Mass., the Terps would finish the season 5-0 against ranked teams and with some momentum.
That's something Greg Creese, Champs Sports Bowl's director of communications, said his selection committee will be looking at. The Champs Sports Bowl picks fourth out of the ACC's nine bowl affiliations.
Cornerback Nolan Carroll said the Terps could even be picked for the ACC's No. 2 bowl - the Chick-fil-A Bowl - based on Clemson's appearance last season, despite not reaching the conference championship game.
After traveling to San Francisco and Orlando the last two seasons for bowl games, the Terrapin football center appreciates the fact that the Terps have already locked up a spot in some sort of postseason game.
"There's no such thing as a bad bowl," Williams said. "The only bad bowl is the toilet bowl, when you're not going anywhere."
But if the Terps (7-4, 4-3 ACC) want to have more fun in late December, or possibly even on New Year's Day, a win Saturday against No. 20 Boston College (8-3, 4-3) could go a long way.
A blowout loss against Florida State in their home finale bumped the Terps from the Atlantic Division lead and straight out of the ACC Championship picture. The Terps need a win Saturday to improve their bowl positioning and separate themselves from a mostly unimpressive cast of second-tier ACC teams.
"I don't think we want to be where everybody else is," coach Ralph Friedgen said, referencing the fact that 11 of the 12 ACC teams could finish with at least four conference wins. "There's a lot to play for."
A win would keep Boston College out of the Dec. 6 conference championship game and tie the Terps for the top spot in the Atlantic Division with the Seminoles, who would play the yet-undecided Coastal champ for a spot in the Orange Bowl.
After each loss this season, the Terps have responded by knocking off a ranked opponent. If the trend continues in Chestnut Hill, Mass., the Terps would finish the season 5-0 against ranked teams and with some momentum.
That's something Greg Creese, Champs Sports Bowl's director of communications, said his selection committee will be looking at. The Champs Sports Bowl picks fourth out of the ACC's nine bowl affiliations.
Cornerback Nolan Carroll said the Terps could even be picked for the ACC's No. 2 bowl - the Chick-fil-A Bowl - based on Clemson's appearance last season, despite not reaching the conference championship game.
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Taylor
posted 11/26/08 @ 2:14 PM EST
I would rather stuff my face inside Ralph's FUPA for 3 hours than watch his team get trounced by BC on Saturday. Bring on another "who gives a damn" bowl game. (Continued…)
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