Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Maryland Terrapins Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 23rd 2024
Preview and Prediction
Iowa will have to move forward without their injured quarterback Brendan Sullivan as they take on Maryland in a Big Ten Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.
When asked about who will take over for Sullivan, Coach Kirk Ferentz refused to name either former starter Cade McNamara or former fourth-stringer Jackson Stratton as the replacement for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3) in their game in College Park, MD.
"Everything is currently unclear," Ferentz stated on Tuesday. "That is our current forecast."
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McNamara, who has been out since suffering a concussion in a win against Northwestern on October 26th, has been cleared by doctors and is listed first on the depth chart.
"We will have to see if he can play effectively or not. We will just have to see how the week goes," Ferentz commented on McNamara's status.
Iowa had been on a positive trajectory with Sullivan, who had led the team to convincing victories over Northwestern and Wisconsin before sustaining an ankle injury in a 20-17 loss to UCLA on November 8th. Ferentz mentioned that there is a possibility Sullivan could return for a bowl game.
Another point of interest for Saturday's game is that Ferentz will be facing off against his son, Brian Ferentz, who is an assistant coach at Maryland. Brian Ferentz previously served as Iowa's offensive coordinator from 2017-23.
"We all have our own tasks to focus on for Saturday," Kirk Ferentz stated. "From what I know, his experience has been positive. As a parent, I am glad he is surrounded by good people."
Maryland (4-6, 1-6) is in need of a win to keep their hopes alive for a fourth consecutive bowl appearance under head coach Mike Locksley.
The Terrapins have lost five of their last six games, all by at least 14 points, including a 31-17 defeat at home to Rutgers last weekend.
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"It has been a challenging few weeks to say the least," Locksley acknowledged.
Their challenge this week will be to contain Iowa's running back Kaleb Johnson, who leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,328) and touchdowns (20), averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
"With running backs, it is not always about speed. It is about strength, vision, and the ability to make something out of nothing," Locksley explained. "This guy is a force and runs with power."
Maryland will rely on quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (285.5) and completions (268). His primary target is Tai Felton, who leads the conference in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,040).