Maryland @ Florida International preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2013 ) Florida International 10, Maryland 43

Coach DJ Durkin’s debut couldn’t have gone much better at Maryland last week and the challenge gets much more difficult when the Terrapins visit Florida International on Friday night. Durkin, who took over for Randy Edsall after serving as defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2015, watched his team roll up 315 yards and six touchdowns on the ground during a 52-13 victory over Howard in the opener.

“It felt really different,” Maryland senior quarterback Perry Hills told the Washington Post of Durkin’s first game. “I mean, it almost felt like back in freshman year, seeing everything for the first time.” The Terrapins, who went 3-9 in 2016, hope to continue that kind of excitement and play just as disciplined (two penalties, zero turnovers) as they did in the opener when their show goes on the road for two straight in Florida. Maryland, which plays at UCF on Sept. 17, first takes on a Golden Panthers squad that led Indiana by a point entering the fourth quarter before losing 34-13 on Sept. 1. FIU has plenty of experienced and productive players on offense to test the Terrapins, led by junior quarterback Alex McGough.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Maryland –10.5

ABOUT MARYLAND (1-0): Hills completed 14-of-19 passes for 126 yards in the opener after finishing last season with eight touchdown tosses and 13 interceptions while talented freshman Tyrrell Pigrome could continue to get snaps. Ty Johnson, Kenneth Goins Jr. and Trey Edmunds are all list as No. 1 running backs on the depth chart with Wes Brown suspended for the first three games and receiver DeAndre Lane (five catches, 73 yards) is probable after experiencing concussion-like symptoms. Terrapins linebacker Shane Cockerille told the Washington Post of the team’s lack of mistakes last week: “It felt very satisfying to get that win for (Durkin) in this fashion.”

ABOUT FIU (0-1): Golden Panthers coach Ron Turner told reporters he was disappointed in the team’s offensive execution last week against Indiana as they were held to one touchdown and missed several opportunities. McGough went 23-of-36 for 263 yards and was picked off three times - two brought back for touchdowns - while senior tight end Jonnu Smith caught eight passes and freshman receiver Stantley Thomas had three receptions for a team-best 91 yards. FIU will have to get its ground game going after managing 63 yards on 21 carries and junior Alex Gardner, who rushed for 1,342 yards his first two seasons, had 23 of those.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Maryland won all four meetings, including 43-10 in 2013, and the Golden Panthers are 0-10 all time against Big Ten teams.

2. Smith has caught at least one pass in 33 consecutive games and is the all-time leader among TEs at FIU with 144 receptions.

3. Maryland DB JC Jackson sat out the opener because of what the school termed “an academic issue” and his status for the FIU contest is uncertain.

PREDICTION: Maryland 34, FIU 21