By Jerry Ratcliffe

It has been a long time since Scott Stadium saw a sellout crowd, but that’s what Tony Elliott is hoping for tonight when his 2-0 Cavaliers host 1-1 Maryland (8 o’clock, ACC Network).

“Why not?” Elliott asked when the discussion turned toward anticipated attendance earlier this week. “This is the University of Virginia. We take pride in everything that we do. So man, let’s pack the stadium. We get to showcase who we are, what we’re about on a national stage for the entire country to see.”

Virginia is hoping to improve its record to 3-0 for only the fourth time this century. The last Cavaliers team to post that kind of start was Bronco Mendenhall’s 2019 team, which won the ACC’s Coastal Division and played in the Orange Bowl.

Certainly a large turnout could help UVA’s cause. Maryland was a slight favorite by the oddsmakers as of late Friday night.

“This is bigtime,” Elliott said. “This is where we all wanted to be. Now, we have to all do our part. We have to prepare well to come out and play well, but we’re going to need the fans. They’re supporting us doing their part creating an unbelievable environment, and man, I’m excited about the opportunity that we all have, fans, players, administration, university.”

Virginia is calling for a “Blue Out,” requesting fans show up in navy blue gear to match the Cavaliers all-blue uniforms. Maryland is expected to dress in all-white.

UVA’s 10-largest crowds, all sellouts of 61,000 or more, all came during Coach Al Groh’s era, the sellouts coming between 2003 and 2008.

“I’m trying to get our guys to understand (how this rivalry between UVA and Maryland was for decades until the Terps left the ACC for the Big 10), because it’s been a while since the rivalry was full-blown,” Elliott said. “I was reminded this week by a former player coming off the practice field of just how fierce this rivalry is to all of the Virginia faithful.

“We have a great opportunity to help this football team with the energy and passion because that’s what it’s all about. No better way than to be playing in front of your home crowd with a packed stadium.”

UVA-Maryland links:

Kam Robinson returns to practice, moving gingerly

Where is Chris Tyree? Virginia fans are asking

The Jerry & Jerry Show with Alvin Pearman

UVA’s Fields high in national rankings, big problem for defenses

UVA-Wake Forest recap, a first look at the Terps, plus more

A closer look at Saturday’s Virginia-Maryland matchup

Can Colandrea, UVA bounce back against Terps?

UVA Season Stats

Maryland Offense Season Stats

ACC Week 3 Scoreboard

Step back in time to the year 1537 at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, where the reign of King Henry VIII and his wives unfolds with each passing season. With over 200 performers, 10 stages and a 3,000-seat jousting arena, the festival offers continuous period-themed entertainment every weekend through Oct. 20. Among the 42 food emporiums, you’ll find a feast fit for royalty. From savory delights to sweet treats, here are the must-try snacks that will have your taste buds jousting for joy.

Fried macaroni and cheese on a stick

Five golden nuggets of fried macaroni and cheese, skewered for easy munching, are a gooey delight and festival favorite. Whether you opt for the mild cheddar version or the spicy pepper jack, this snack will leave you satisfied enough to continue your Renaissance quests. It’s perfect for sharing with your fellow peasants.

Stuffed spuds

Lords and ladies, prepare for a meal hearty enough to fuel your knightly endeavors. These baked potatoes come royally stuffed with ham, cheddar, broccoli, bacon and sour cream. A perfect meal for those who need to fortify themselves for a day of merriment and mischief in the village, these spuds will keep you going strong from dawn till dusk.

Smoked turkey leg

Aye, nothing says “Renaissance Festival” quite like a massive smoked turkey leg. Sink your teeth into it and you’ll feel like a true warrior of the past. The smoky scent wafts through the air as soon as you enter the festival, and holding one in your hand will make you feel as though you’re ready for battle — or at least a hearty feast in Revel Grove.

Warm cookies and milk

For those with a sweet tooth, this treat is truly a treasure. A cone of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies paired with a cup of cold milk is the perfect snack for both young squires and seasoned festival-goers. Dipping a warm cookie into the milk is pure wizardry, just like a journey back to childhood when cookies and milk reigned supreme for my annual visit.

Croissant sundae

Savor this decadent dessert fit for a queen. A flaky croissant stuffed with ice cream and crowned with hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry, this indulgence is best enjoyed while watching one of the many festival performances. It’s piled so high with so many layers of deliciousness that you’ll want to sit, savor and bask in the glory of this sweet creation. (Just be sure to grab a few napkins first.)

Oysters, clams and steamed shrimp

For those with a taste for the sea, the festival’s centrally located seafood stand offers a bounty of raw oysters, clams and shrimp. Whether you’re downing raw oysters like a pirate or enjoying steamed shellfish that might’ve confused even the best Renaissance chefs, this feast pairs perfectly with a flagon of mead. Don’t let the anachronistic cherry lime slush distract you from the salty splendor.

Pickles and pretzels

Hark! The barrel-bearing vendors approach with a timeless duo: pickles and pretzels. A crunchy, sour pickle or a soft, salty pretzel is just the snack to enjoy while wandering through the village. The simplicity of this affordable treat — $2 for pickles and $3 for pretzels — ensures that you can keep one hand free to browse the wares at more than 140 artisan shops or cheer on the jousters.

Chris Franzoni is a Baltimore native, food fanatic, blogger and “Eater-in-Chief” of @EatMoreBeMore, which he started nine years ago with two goals — eating his way through the city and shining a positive light on the Baltimore-area restaurant and hospitality scene.

On multiple occasions, Maryland men’s soccer head coach Sasho Cirovski has said that his program views its 2024 campaign as a “revenge season” for its historically bad 2023 season.

Friday night, the Terps delivered a dominating win over a top-10 conference opponent, and Cirovski’s claims rang true.

Maryland opened conference play with a 3-0 victory against previously unbeaten No. 8 Wisconsin, getting goals from Chris Steinleitner, Bjarne Thiesen and Colin Griffith.

“Absolutely delighted with the effort, that was our best performance of the year,” Cirovski said. “It was a complete effort from beginning to end and it’s something we’ve been building to.”

If you didn’t have any background information, you certainly wouldn’t have known Maryland was the underdog after watching the first 20 minutes of the match. Almost instantaneously after kickoff, Bjarne Thiesen got free for a header that was cleared off the line.

That chance set the tone for the game’s first half, as Maryland threatened in Wisconsin’s final third much more than it was being threatened in its own.

All these chances seemed to come to a head when Max Rogers pressured Wisconsin’s goalkeeper into a botched clearance straight to Griffith. Griffith played it straight back into Rogers, who turned and fired a low-driven shot that looked like it might find the bottom corner until it stung the post.

For a moment, it seemed Maryland had squandered its chance and were destined for another half of strong play without anything to show for it.

Then, on the ensuing corner, he ball fell in front of Steinleitner right around the penalty spot. He put his laces through it before it could hit the ground and drove it right into the bottom-right corner.

“Finally we had that [offensive effectiveness that we wanted,” Steinleitner said. “We had like a lot of shots before in every game, but we didn’t translate that into goals.”

The goal remained the difference at the end of the first 45 minutes and the Terps went to the locker room protecting a one-goal lead over the nation’s No. 8 team.

While it may have seemed natural for the Terps to exit their halftime recess by playing conservatively and defending their lead, they came out of the locker room like they were the team trailing.

Early in the half, the Terps won a free kick from near the right touch line. Rogers stood over the ball and delivered a fantastic ball into the penalty area that Steinleitner flicked into the path of a streaking Thiesen, who headed it into the back of Wisconsin’s net, doubling Maryland’s lead.

Maryland wasn’t done there, either. Just over five minutes later and for the second game in a row, Griffith displayed some amazing skill as he curled the ball into the top right corner.

“He had a very difficult injury prone year last year and we challenged him to put in the work this summer…” Cirovski said, “…. goal scorers build a lot of confidence when they score so he looks like a confident player at the moment.”

There the game remained as Maryland’s defense stood tall and held its first clean sheet of the season against an offense averaging over three goals per game.

Three things to know

1. Different formation produced offensive results. With forward Luke Van Heukelum out with a shoulder injury, Cirovski was forced to make a change to his normal lineup and formation. He shifted to a 4-3-3 and brought Steinleitner into the midfield, who rewarded him with a goal.

2. Ranking on the way? Far from usual expectations, the first month of the season passed without Maryland sniffing the weekly top 20 rankings. After a win of this magnitude, one might assume it will be close to if not in the next edition.

3. Maryland has become a set piece threat. Steinletner’s goal from the corner and Thiesen’s off the free kick marked Maryland’s fifth and sixth goals from some form of set piece this season. The ability to manufacture goals from these situations will be invaluable in conference play.

“Max [Rogers] is serving a great ball,” Thiesen said, “So it’s more about us just getting in there and getting our head on something.”