If the Maryland football team isn't going to be very good, then they can at least schedule some games against good teams so that we the fans can see what quality football looks like, right? Well luckily for us, that appears to be the strategy. The University has agreed to face the Texas Longhorns in a home and home series that will start in 2014.
The first game will be held at FedEx Field, the second at Texas' home stadium in Austin the following year. According to DCist, money was a factor.
This is a win-win for both programs, as it gives each team national television exposure, plenty of available tickets given at FedEx Field's 91,665-seat capacity, and a generous payout. As reported on ESPN1300 AM, each team would immediately receive $3.5 million from the deal, not to mention the money each school would earn via their respective conference television contracts.
The Maryland Terrapins have made a habit of scheduling out of conference games against teams that are kind of out of their league, and this is no excpetion. Remember last year's 52-13 blowout in Berkley? This is going to be a lot like that, except the blurs running past our defenders will be burnt orange instead of navy blue, and the differential might be even higher.
2014 is still a long way off, and I am hoping that the Terps will be able to improve themselves substantially over the next couple seasons before they have to take on the powerful Longhorns. Otherwise, it might get ugly.
But no matter what the score is, this is a good thing for the program. Any time you can face a marquee program on national television, you have to take that opportunity. You know the saying "There's no such thing as bad publicity?" Even if the nation is watching us get steamrolled by Texas, at least they're watching.