Auburn vs. Maryland: how to watch, listen, three storylines to watch

Auburn (6-6, 3-5) vs. Maryland (7-5, 4-5)
When & Where: Saturday, Dec. 30 | 2 PM EST | Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
TV: ABC-Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang
Radio: 105.7 FM (Baltimore), 980 AM (DC), SiriusXM channel 136 — Johnny Holiday, Steve Suter
Betting odds: Maryland +6.5 | O/U 47.5

Maryland will look for its third straight bowl win when they take on Auburn, marking the first SEC opponent in over 20 years. As Maryland looks for its second straight win season, marking the first time in over 20 years that’s been done, we take a look at three storylines to watch in Nissan Stadium.

New Starter at QB

For only the second time since 2020, someone other than Taulia Tagovailoa will start at quarterback for Maryland. Tulia brought stability to the quarterback position that Maryland hadn’t seen in over a decade. Now it’s time for someone else to take over the starting job. Billy Edwards and Cam Edge have been splitting practice reps for the bowl game. Edwards transferred to Maryland from Wake Forest in 2022. He started against Northwestern last year when Taulia was out with an injury. In a 31-24 win that got the Terps to bowl eligibility, Edwards completed 18 of 26 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, while adding another 66 yards on 16 carries. He’s played sparely this year, only attempting 10 passes, but did play a big role in the Michigan game. Against the Wolverines, Edwards scored three touchdowns on quarterback sneaks that kept the game close. Edge also joined the Terps in 2022, graduating from high school a year early to sign. In two years, he’s attempted three passes but has gotten some positive feedback from practice. Whoever is on the field for the Terps will have weapons for them to throw to. While tight end Corey Dyches entered the transfer portal, top receiver Jeshaun Jones will be suiting up in his final college game. Tai Felton, Kaden Prather, and Octavian Smith will get a chance to show off the damage they can do as the top three targets in 2024. Preston Howard, meanwhile, moves into the starting tight-end role. While what Taulia has done for the program over the last four years can’t be understated, Saturday will mark the first look at two of the options to become the starter in 2024.

Who has the breakout game?

Head coach Mike Locksley and the coaching staff have made no secret that the bowl games serve as a “movie trailer” to next season, as Locksley said on Friday. While fans should expect to see several key contributors like Roman Hemby, Jeshaun Jones, Tai Felton and Ja’Quan Sheppard step up once again, it begs the question—who are the new faces who are prime to burst onto the scene?

Wide receiver Shaleak Knotts is a prime target on the offensive side while Dylan Wade has a chance to make the most of his opportunities in a now wide-open tight end room. Maryland will also have to turn to new faces at cornerback where Lionell Whitaker and Perry Fisher will be thrusted into bigger roles on the boundary and nickel, but how will the trio of freshmen fare in their first extended reps?

Stop Auburn’s rushing attack

Auburn attempted over 200 more rushes than passes in 2023, averaging over 5 yards a carry with 21 touchdowns. Leading the way was Jarquez Hunter. The junior averaged almost six yards a carry and scored seven times on the ground. Stopping him will be a priority for the Terp defense. The Tigers second-leading rusher is a familiar face for the Terps. Michigan State transfer Peyton Thorne rushed the ball 125 times for 520 yards and three touchdowns. He cannot be allowed to run free at all. The defense will be without do-it-all linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who entered the transfer portal. However, Beau Brade will be playing in one more game before going off the NFL. Though Barham is gone, the defense still has some playmakers in the linebacking core. Caleb Wheatland and Kellen Wyatt have been consistent all season, Ruben Hyppolite was second on the team in tackles, and Fa’Najae Gotay has been a hard hitter ever since he stepped on campus. The defensive line shouldn’t be forgotten about, as Jordan Phillips, Taizse Johnson, Tommy Akingbesote, and Quashon Fuller have all been problems in 2023. Throughout the season, the Terps have had some great performances stopping the run. This includes holding Ohio State to under two yards a carry and keeping Northwestern under 100 yards despite rushing the ball 40 times. They will need one more performance like that to secure their second consecutive eight-win season.

Auburn vs. Maryland: how to watch, listen, three storylines to watch

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