Building the buzz

As disappointing as it would be for the Terrapins football team to open the 2011 season with a conference loss, Monday's showdown with Miami isn't dire from a standings perspective.

The importance of this game lies in what it means for the program and the athletic department. The matchup is the perfect stage for the launch of Randy Edsall's first season in College Park, and a loss would be a massive missed opportunity.

The Terps were originally slated to play Division I-AA squad Towson. Instead, they have a prime-time ESPN conference clash against a marquee opponent that happens to be in the middle of one of the biggest scandals in NCAA history.

Under the Byrd Stadium lights on Labor Day night, the Terps faithful and TV viewers the nation over will get their first glimpse of what this team will look like, against an opponent people care about.

Though Miami has been dormant for years, "The U" still has cachet, and the Hurricanes' booster scandal and subsequent suspensions brings even more national attention to the game. People want to see Miami's response to its debacle, meaning even more exposure for the Terps' program.

"That's what you want to play college football for. It's why I came to Maryland: to play in games like this, national TV, night game," quarterback Danny O'Brien said. "Hopefully it's packed and a great atmosphere. It's [against] a great team, and it's a conference game, so it means a lot to us. So we're going to embrace it and seize the opportunity.

"We feel like it's a big opportunity for us on the national level to say, here's where we are as a team. So it's a big proving ground, and we have to earn it Monday night."

No, one night won't define the season, and by no means is this game a must-win for the Terps. Early-season losses can doom a national championship campaign, but losing their first ACC game won't hurt the Terps terribly in the Atlantic Division race, especially considering Miami plays in the Coastal Division.

Beating a fully stocked Hurricanes team wouldn't be an enormous victory, and beating up on them while some of their best players stand in street clothes along the sideline won't prove much about how good the Terps really are.

What makes this game big is the fact that Edsall has the fanbase's attention. Will he be able to captivate them? A win will keep them tuned in. A loss in a game with such hype, though, could ultimately mean more and more empty seats at Byrd, an all-too-common sight last year. Even as the Terps proved their 2-10 team from 2009 was a thing of the past, few people bought in completely last season.

A loss would be a letdown for this school's students, many of whom expect big things from Edsall and would rather sleep late on Saturdays than head to North Campus for a middling football team.

"The only thing that we can do as a team is go out there and play our hearts out for 60 minutes. That's all we can do. Hopefully, people will enjoy the experience and they'll want to come. But the only thing that our guys can do is go out each week and just play as hard as they can," Edsall said. "You hope the people see that and they say, ‘Man, this is a great experience,' because there are some new things that are taking place this year before the game and all that.

"For the students, I know this: If I'm studying all week, I'd like to go and be able to just go crazy for about three-and-a-half hours."

Edsall seems to have energized that fan base momentarily, and he has a chance to start changing the culture with an impressive showing on Monday night. He desperately wants to show that he can take his program from the middle of the pack to national prominence.

The stage is set for the launch of the Edsall era. Now, he'd just better hope there's a show.

schneider@umdbk.com