Maryland @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 30, 2010 ) Wake Forest 14, Maryland 62

THE STORY: Wake Forest’s ACC title hopes were crushed in cruel fashion last week, but the Demon Deacons can become bowl eligible by beating visiting Maryland. The Deacs fell 31-28 at Clemson last Saturday, blowing a 14-point, second-half lead. For the Terrapins, the entire season under first-year coach Randy Edsall has been miserable. In last week’s 45-21 loss to Notre Dame, QB Danny O’Brien broke his left arm. Sophomore C.J. Brown, more of an option QB, will start.

Maryland leads the series 42-16-1, including a 62-14 home win last year. But Wake Forest has won the last two meetings in Winston Salem.

TV: RSN. LINE: Wake Forest -11

ABOUT MARYLAND (2-8, 1-5 ACC): Brown has shown flashes of excellence, with two 100-yard rushing games in three starts this season. The Terps will lean heavily on senior RB Davin Meggett (71.4 ypg) and senior WR Quintin McCree (team-best 35 catches). Maryland has been decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (5-5, 4-3 ACC): Brandon Pendergrass rushed 20 times for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns at Clemson. QB Tanner Price has thrown for 2,326 yards and 16 TDs, with six INTs. The defense is led by S John Bush (six INTs) and LB Kyle Wilber, who had a career-high 13 tackles against the Tigers. K Jimmy Newman will try to bounce back from two missed field goals last week, including a 32-yarder in the fourth quarter.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Maryland DT Joe Vellano averages eight tackles per game, most among defensive linemen nationally.

2. The Terps' .724 winning percentage against Wake Forest is their best mark against any ACC school.

3. Wake Forest junior WR Chris Givens is 37 receiving yards away from tying Ricky Proehl's single-season record of 1,053, set during the 1989 season.

PREDICTION: Wake Forest 30, Maryland 17 – Price, a steady leader all season, will pick apart the Terps.