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Maryland-Friedgen
Rested Terps, anxious Friedgen ready for Hokies
By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - The momentum from a three-game winning streak was dampened by a break in the schedule, but Maryland expects to ultimately benefit from getting some extra time to prepare for its biggest challenge of the season.

The Terrapins (4-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) can gain a share of first place in the league's Atlantic Division with a victory at home Thursday night against the ACC's lone unbeaten team: third-ranked Virginia Tech (6-0, 3-0).

It will be Maryland's first game since a 38-7 rout of Temple on Oct. 8. While the Terrapins are well rested, coach Ralph Friedgen has probably spent many a sleepless night thinking about the prospect of facing a team that handed him a 55-6 beating last year.

``It wasn't one of the better days in my life,'' Friedgen said Tuesday.

The Terrapins have taken on a bit of rust since playing Temple, but the break probably couldn't have come at a better point in the season.

``I'm a little worried about our timing. It's not where it was before we went into it,'' Friedgen said. ``But I think it gave us a little more time to prepare; they do some things that are pretty difficult. Hopefully that time will be beneficial to us.''

Besides going over the game plan for the Hokies, Friedgen stressed fundamentals with a youthful squad that must grow up in a hurry if Maryland is to pull off a colossal upset.

``I have a young team that I'm trying to bring along, not only for this game, but for the rest of the season,'' Friedgen said. ``We tried to spend a couple of those days on areas we thought we could improve on.''

Virginia Tech has also been inactive since Oct. 8, but Friedgen suspected coach Frank Beamer employed a different approach with his talent-laden, experienced squad.

``Frank probably gave the team off,'' Friedgen said. ``If I had the third-ranked team in the country, I might do the same thing.''

Last year's game at Virginia Tech was also held on a Thursday night and telecast around the nation. The Terrapins trailed 21-3 after the first quarter, 41-3 at halftime and 55-3 entering the fourth quarter.

It was humiliating performance that tarnished the reputation of the Maryland football program. Now, the Terrapins have a chance for redemption.

``Any time you play on national TV, you don't want what happened last year,'' Friedgen said. ``It's a tremendous chance for us to show our program off. Any time you play against a Top 10 team, it's an opportunity.''