After months of ready, the Maryland soccer season has lastly arrived.

Of their season opener, the Terps welcome the Buffalo Bulls to School Park for what they hope might be their eleventh straight win in a nonconference opener and their sixth consecutive dwelling win over a nonconference opponent.

“I like this time of yr as a result of for me as a coach, as I stated, it’s the place we get to determine and discover out simply what sort of workforce we now have going into this yr,” Maryland head coach Michael Locksley stated.

With the return of star redshirt junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and an elite broad receiver group that features All-Large Ten alternatives Dontay Demus Jr. and Rakim Jarrett — plus the addition of Florida switch Jacob Copeland and the return of senior Jeshaun Jones — Maryland’s offense enters the 2022 season with excessive expectations. Moreover, Maryland returns its complete beginning offensive line, which ought to present ample safety for Tagovailoa to ship the ball to his weapons.

Extra questions lie on the defensive facet of the ball for the Terps, however higher harm luck might result in enchancment. Senior Jakorian Bennett and juniors Tarheeb Nonetheless and Deonte Banks needs to be strong items on the cornerback place, and a linebacker room that noticed a number of starters go down with accidents final season ought to obtain a lift. Maryland can have its first alternative to point out its growth towards the Bulls, a workforce with a number of query marks on offense.

Saturday’s kickoff is scheduled for midday and the sport might be broadcast on Large Ten Community.

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Terps are 24-point favorites and have -2400 odds to win the sport outright. The sport has an over/beneath of 65 complete factors.

Buffalo Bulls (0-0)

2021 document: 4-8 (2-6 MAC)

Head coach Maurice Linguist is getting into his second season at Buffalo, his first leading to a 4-8 document. Linguist took over for six-time Division III nationwide championship coach Lance Leipold, who achieved bowl eligibility in every of his remaining three seasons at Buffalo. However, with Leipold’s departure for Kansas, Linguist inherited a program that has skilled its justifiable share of roster turnover.

Seven offensive starters are gone from final season, together with the quarterback and working again. On the defensive facet, holes appeared, particularly within the secondary. However, Linguist retooled his roster with 22 transfers, bringing within the MAC’s prime switch class, per 247Sports.

“I’ve obtained a number of respect for Maurice Linguist,” Locksley stated. “To see how he was capable of, in a brief time frame, to place collectively a roster, particularly with a number of the attrition they’d, you recognize, it’s a testomony that these guys purchased in.”

In response to DraftKings Sportsbook, Buffalo has +2000 odds to win the MAC, +550 to win its division and has an over/beneath of 5.5 common season wins.

Gamers to observe

James Patterson, fifth-year linebacker, No. 8 — A Maryland native and brother of former All-American Bulls working again Jaret Patterson, James Patterson has developed a status as among the finest gamers within the MAC after two consecutive seasons as a First Group All-Convention honoree. He has began at center linebacker each sport over the past two seasons after two years enjoying on the surface. Final season, Patterson racked up 116 tackles and 13 tackles for loss — each team-highs — together with 4.5 sacks. He was included on watch lists for the Butkus and Bednarik Awards this season.

“I do know the Patterson child that performs linebacker — whose brother is also over there with the Washington Commanders — has been a star over there for a very long time and he performs large time soccer,” Locksley stated.

Daymond Williams, senior defensive deal with, No. 95 — Daymond Williams led Buffalo with 6.5 sacks and was named to the All-MAC second workforce in 2021. He additionally added double-digit tackles for loss, proving that he can disrupt each the go and the frenzy. Williams, the Bulls’ prime inside defensive lineman, was named to the preseason watch record for the 2022 Outland Trophy and can give opponents suits this fall.

Quian Williams, graduate broad receiver, No. 3 — Quian Williams is essentially the most proficient participant returning to the Bulls’ offense. After transferring to Buffalo from Jap Michigan, he burst onto the scene in 2021 and established himself as a harmful menace within the passing sport, main the workforce with 64 catches for 835 yards en path to an All-MAC third workforce choice. He was named to the Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch Record, however might want to develop chemistry with a brand new signal-caller to repeat final yr’s efficiency.

Cole Snyder, sophomore quarterback, No. 15 — With beginning quarterback Kyle Vantrease gone to Georgia Southern, a void appeared on the quarterback place for Buffalo — a place that had beforehand been thought-about one in every of energy. Rutgers switch Cole Snyder beat out senior Matt Myers for the week one beginning job, though Locksley prompt it’s attainable each will get snaps towards the Terps. Snyder, whose first profession snap got here towards Maryland in 2019, appeared in simply 9 video games with the Scarlet Knights, finishing 21 passes. He’s unproven as a starter and has large footwear to fill at Buffalo, however the Bulls hope that he’ll blossom in his new function nearer to his hometown of Jamestown, New York.

Power

The entrance seven. The energy of Buffalo’s protection — and possibly its workforce — is its entrance seven, which is likely one of the finest models within the MAC. Along with the presences of Patterson and Williams, the Bulls boast a handful of proficient gamers alongside them. Some of the intriguing tales on Buffalo’s roster is that of Nebraska switch Damian Jackson, who performed 5 years with the Cornhuskers after 4 years of obligation as a Navy SEAL. The 30-year-old can play each defensive finish and linebacker. Fortunately for Maryland, its offensive line is proficient and skilled, which ought to assist towards a difficult rush from Buffalo.

“I feel they’re good at defending the run,” Maryland redshirt senior offensive lineman Spencer Anderson stated of the Bulls’ entrance seven. “I feel so long as we will get good [double-teams] on the down linemen… they’ve a man on the inside that’s fairly good as their finest returner, so I really feel like so long as we get him lined up we’ll be alright.”

Weak point

Expertise on the offensive line. Not like the Terps, the Bulls solely return one starter on the offensive line this yr. Senior Gabe Wallace is again for what’s going to doubtless be his remaining season, however All-MAC gamers in left deal with Jake Fuzak and proper guard Jack Klenk graduated, and starters Bruce Polgar and Deondre Doiron transferred to Missouri and Kansas, respectively. Just a few transfers ought to assist fill the gaps and put collectively a succesful offensive line, however the lack of expertise enjoying collectively might result in some rising pains for the Bulls.

Three issues to observe

1. How successfully will Maryland’s protection defend the run? Operating again Dylan McDuffie transferred to Georgia Tech after speeding for over 1,000 yards for Buffalo final season, leaving a emptiness at a key place for the Bulls. Junior Ron Cook dinner Jr. will substitute him, however he has largely performed as a kick returner throughout his profession — albeit a two-time All-MAC choice on the place. Buffalo has relied on an efficient run sport lately, and with inexperience on the quarterback place that will ring true as soon as once more. If Maryland is ready to seal off gaps and deny the Bulls’ speeding assault, it could possibly be a protracted day for the guests.

2. How will Maryland substitute at working again and tight finish? Sophomore tight finish CJ Dippre and redshirt freshman working again Roman Hemby had been listed because the starters at their respective positions on the primary depth chart of the autumn for the Terps. On a number of events, Locksley has referenced his need to play a number of gamers on the tight finish and working again positions. There stands a great likelihood that redshirt sophomore Corey Dyches will get alternatives at tight finish, and the trio of sophomore Colby McDonald, redshirt freshman Antwain Littleton II and true freshman Ramon Brown will see enjoying trip of the backfield.

“The objective for us is to get our greatest gamers on the sector and to get our greatest gamers contact alternatives,” Locksley stated. “If we do these issues on offense, we’ll normally have the large performs essential to present ourselves an opportunity to achieve success on Saturday.”

3. How will the Terps’ offense reply to newfound expectations? The aforementioned returnees on the offensive facet of the ball have generated numerous buzz all through the preseason. If Maryland goes to take the subsequent step as a program and end with greater than six common season wins this yr, the offense goes to must play a key function. Tagovailoa will doubtless be busy Saturday — Maryland initiatives to have a really pass-heavy offense — and a robust week one efficiency might give him and the remainder of the workforce some added confidence as they stay up for a number of the harder video games on their schedule.

“Guys that performed final yr — receivers and the O-linemen — they’re beginning to acknowledge coverages and I feel that’s one thing that helps us determine, you recognize, the place the protection goes and stuff like that,” Tagovailoa stated. “It type of slows the sport down for everybody. We’re, like, a excessive tempo offense.”

Odds/traces topic to alter. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for particulars.