Maryland vs. Texas Total Pick
Will No. 23 Texas be able to put on an offensive showcase when it takes on Maryland this afternoon at Noon ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Texas is the favorite in this game, as the Longhorns are getting odds of -19 points against the Terrapins. The over/under total for this game is listed at 56 points. These two will meet from Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. The contest will air live on FS1.
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Texas is coming off a 5-7 record last season which led to the firing of Charlie Strong and the hiring of Tom Herman from Houston. The Longhorns were 8-4 with the under last season, which is somewhat surprising considering they averaged 31.9 points per game a year ago while also giving up 31.5 points per contest. Shane Buechele is set to step into his sophomore season and lead the Texas offense after he threw for 2,958 yards and 21 touchdowns as a freshman. Buechele has a lot of familiar faces to work with in the passing game, but the Longhorns have a big hole at running back entering the season. Establishing a reliable back to take the pressure off Buechele will be key for the offense.
Maryland is coming off a 6-7 record in the 2016 season in which the Terrapins were 8-5 with the under. It was the team’s first season under coach D.J. Durkin. Maryland posted just 25.8 points per game in 2016 while allowing 29.5 per game on defense. This year’s offense is set to be led by Tyrrell Pigrome. He threw for 322 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in limited action last season, but has earned the starting job through the spring and fall. Ty Johnson will be the focal point of the offense while Pigrome gets comfortable in his starting role. Johnson rushed for 1,004 yards and six touchdowns in 2016. Pigrome also has some running ability, which could make Maryland tough to defend at times.
While Texas returns 10 starters on defense, the unit still was poor a year ago and now they have to learn a new system under Herman. That should open the door for Maryland to have some success on offense. I expect Texas to be able to move the ball as well, as Maryland won’t have the athletes to compete with the Longhorns on that side of the ball. Look for Buechele to show a lot of improvement from his freshman season. I expect plenty of offense in this game and plenty of points to go with it.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: MARYLAND/TEXAS OVER 56