Time to look back on the pregame predictions from earlier today …
1. Torrey Smith will be Maryland’s career kickoff return yardage leader by day’s end.
SEE RELATED:
WRONG. The sophomore needed 117 yards to match Keeta Covington‘s school record. He got 109. So it’ll happen next week —- possibly on the first play of the game. But it should have happened this week —- especially with Ralph Friedgen grumbling about the blocking done on the six kickoff returns.
2. Chris Turner will become Maryland’s fifth career 5,000-yard passer.
CORRECT. Turner threw for 288 yards, more than twice the amount he needed to get to 5,000. He’s now fourth on Maryland’s career passing list after vaulting over Sam Hollenbach and Neil O’Donnell today.
3. Middle Tennessee will lead at some juncture of the second half.
CORRECT. This one needs no explanation.
4. The Terps won’t win if their turnover margin is -2 or worse.
CORRECT, basically. Well, the margin was -1 and the Terps still lost. No doubt the inability to hold onto the ball was one of the biggest factors in this loss.
5. Dwight Dasher will become the latest Maryland opponent to both throw and run for 100 yards.
INCORRECT. Dasher had 73 yards in gains offset by 47 yards in losses. He did throw for 324 yards and engineered the game-winning field goal drive in the final 90 seconds. So it’s not like the Terps escaped getting shredded by the guy. But in general, Maryland did a good job of holding up against the run —- even when Dasher was the one taking off.
—- Patrick Stevens
