Minnesota vs. Maryland Prediction
Will Maryland and Minnesota get into a classic Big Ten physical football game when they meet up today at Noon ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Maryland is favored at home in this one, as the Terrapins are getting odds of -6.5 points against Minnesota. The over/under total for the game is listed at 49.5 points. These two have not met since Maryland joined the Big Ten.
Minnesota is coming off a 14-7 loss to Iowa last week to fall to 3-2 on the season and 0-2 in the Big Ten. The Gophers are 2-3 with the under this season, more due to their defense. Minnesota is giving up 23.6 points and 366.8 yards per game while the offense is putting up 30.4 points and 405.4 yards per contest. The Gophers face a big challenge on offense this week as Mitch Leidner, the team’s starting QB, is out with a head injury. Conor Rhoda gets the start today. He has thrown just one pass in 2016. The team is likely to turn to the run game and Rodney Smith, who has 446 yards and five touchdowns this year. As a team, Minnesota has 1,015 rushing yards in 2016.
Maryland is coming off a 38-14 loss at Penn State last week. The Terrapins are now 4-1 on the season and 1-1 in the Big Ten. They are 4-1 with the under this season as they also bring in a solid defense. The Terps are giving up 19.2 points and 365 yards per game this season. However, they are giving up 169.6 rushing yards per contest. Offensively, Maryland is putting up 37.4 points and 427 yards per game. The Terps rely heavily on their ground attack, as they average 274 rushing yards as a team. Lorenzo Harrison and Ty Johnson have combined for over 700 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Like Minnesota, Maryland has some injury issues at QB as Perry Hills is listed as questionable for today’s game with a shoulder injury. Hills has thrown for 622 yards and six touchdowns while running for 120 yards.
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This game is likely to be a grind for both offenses. Each team has a respectable defense and both teams are dealing with QB injuries. Minnesota isn’t likely to get great production from Rhoda and Hills is a good running option for Maryland when healthy, so not having him at 100 percent changes their dynamic a bit. The total is set low, but I think it goes under by quite a bit.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 7 PREDICTION: MINNESOTA/MARYLAND UNDER 49.5