One of the most intriguing Week 1 games in college football this year is clearly when Maryland visits Texas. It’s not because either team is likely to be all that great – Texas might be decent – but due to the fact it’s the Longhorns coaching debut of Tom Herman. The fans will get unruly quickly if Herman’s team lays an egg against a below-average Big Ten club. But Texas is solidly favored at in the College Football Week 1 odds at MyBookie.
Maryland at Texas College Football Week 1 Odds & Betting Pick
When: Saturday, Sept. 2, Noon ET Where: Royal Texas Memorial Stadium Austin TV: Fox Sports 1 Stream: Fox Sports Go Radio: WJZ-FM 105.7 (Maryland) / KTXX 104.9 FM (Texas) College Football Week 1 Odds: Texas -17.5Be the culture, Spread the culture. #ThisIsTexas #HookEm pic.twitter.com/p8JQcHXwur
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) July 15, 2017
Welcome To Austin!
Texas fired Charlie Strong after another disappointing 2016 season. The last straw and the best evidence that Texas players didn’t know how to win under Strong was last year’s loss at Kansas. With their coach’s job on the line against a team that hadn’t won a Big 12 game since 2014, the Longhorns gagged away an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and lost in overtime to one of the country’s worst programs. Herman was the guy UT wanted all along; well, if it couldn’t get Nick Saban. Herman was reportedly a finalist for the LSU job before turning down a $6 million offer and telling the school he was leaning toward taking the Texas job. Herman, 41, went 22-4 in his two years as head coach at Houston, winning the Peach Bowl last season. He returns to Texas, where he was a graduate assistant from 1999–2000. Herman says his biggest early challenge will be teaching the members of this group to lead: “I feel good that these guys are willing to do whatever we ask them to coming off the three-year stretch that this program has had. They don’t want that to be their legacy,” he said. “They want to be remembered as the team and the group that turned this thing around.”Buechele Likely UT’s Starting QB
Most assume that sophomore Shane Buechele will be Herman’s starting QB. Freshman Sam Ehlinger pushed Buechele this spring, but Buechele’s experience showed at the Orange-White game in April. Herman is adamant the competition will continue in training camp, but it’s unlikely that Ehlinger unseats Buechele after his 2,958-yard, 21-touchdown freshman season. Despite Buechele shining for most of his first season, the freshman’s play tapered off toward the end of the year. He really struggled in that loss to Kansas in Week 11, throwing for three interceptions. The hope is Buechele can give the Longhorns the most stability they have had at quarterback since the Colt McCoy era.
Maryland 2016 Recap
The Terps were just 3-9 in 2015, which led to the firing of Randy Edsall during that season. Maryland took a step forward in head coach DJ Durkin’s first season in College Park last year. While Maryland did finish fourth in the Big Ten East division with a 6-7 (3-6) record, the Terrapins were invited to the Quick Lane Bowl, where they lost 36-30 to Boston College. Last season’s starting QB, Perry Hills, has exhausted his eligibility, so the Terrapins will be looking to identify a new starter this spring. In Maryland’s seven losses a year ago, its passers averaged 193.7 yards, one touchdown and one interception while completing 54.1 percent of their throws. Three different Terrapins started, and four quarterbacks had at least 33 passing attempts. For the year, Maryland finished 106th nationally in passing offense. The battle to replace Hills will continue in fall camp. Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison give the Terps a terrifying duo of running backs. The passing game mystery won’t matter if you can’t stop the run.How is the Defense Looking Like for Maryland?
Defensively, the Terps are led by senior linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr., who was selected to the Butkus Award Watch List for the second straight year. Carter, who was also tabbed for the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, has garnered Honorable Mention All-Big Ten accolades in each of the last seasons. Carter has started a team-high 25 consecutive games and his 213 tackles over the last two seasons leads the Terps. He started all 13 games and led Maryland with 110 tackles during his junior season in 2016. His 8.5 tackles per game ranked seventh in the Big Ten and he was second on team with 6.0 sacks and third with 9.0 tackles for loss.Latest College Football Betting Trends
- Texas leads 3-0 but the clubs haven’t met since 1978.
- Terrapins are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
- Terrapins are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games.
- Longhorns are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.
College Football Series History
- Total Meetings: 3
- First Meeting: September 26th, 1949. Austin, TX.
- Last Meeting: December 23rd, 1978. El Paso, TX.
- All-Time Series: Texas 3-0-0
- Largest Margin of Victory: Texas 42-0 (1978)
- Longest Win Streak: Texas 3 (1959-1978)
- Current Win Streak: Texas 3 (1959-1978)
