Not often in recent times has a football game against Maryland meant very much to Duke.
That's all going to change tomorrow at noon, when the Blue Devils (4-5, 2-4 in the ACC) battle the Terrapins (2-7, 0-6) in Wallace Wade Stadium.
Maryland is in the midst of a sub-par season and has lost 11 straight ACC contests. So why is this game so important to Duke? After all, the Blue Devils lost most of their hope for a bowl berth after a 36-33 double-overtime loss against Vanderbilt two weeks ago.
First, the Blue Devils have a chance to match their win total for the past three seasons combined with a victory. A feat like that could do much to demonstrate just how far the team has come in a very short time.
Furthermore, the Blue Devils still can finish out the year with a winning record. Any member of any team will tell you that there is a huge difference between being 6-5 and 5-6. For a Duke team that hasn't had a winning season since 1994, this should provide plenty of motivation.
"You work hard to be a winner," coach Fred Goldsmith said. "Now we have a chance to be a winner."
Things are certainly looking up for the Blue Devils on the offensive side of the ball. Their one-two receiver punch will be in full force as Richmond Flowers returns, fully recovered from an appendectomy. He will be joined by Scottie Montgomery who, though shaken up against Vanderbilt, looks to be 100 percent come game time.
Goldsmith sees the duo as a sign of things to come for the team.
"[Scottie's] a wonderful player," he said. "Richmond has had a great year, too. But they're younger players. I'm sure that with the credentials they're establishing now, their time will come."
Montgomery's time arguably came against Vandy, when he caught a career-high 12 balls for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But that was against a Vanderbilt defense that had lost six defensive players to the NFL from the previous season. Goldsmith thinks the Maryland defense might be a different story.
"They've got five seniors on defense," he said. "They're a very solid defensive football team.... [Their linebackers] are good football players. They're a part of the reason [Maryland's] games are staying so close."
Goldsmith thinks that this will lead to a closer game than might be expected. The Terps won last year's contest by just six points, and Duke has shown a bit of a propensity for losing closely contested matches.
"I try not to think backwards," Goldsmith said. "I guess playing a lot of close football games against good teams is a familiar circumstance."
While Maryland's defense will be tough, Duke will have to contend with the loss of its leading tackler, Todd DeLamielleure. DeLamielleure suffered a severely sprained ankle in the loss to Vandy.
In the absence of DeLamielleure, it will be crucial for Ryan Stallmeyer and the rest of the defense to step up and contain Maryland's rushing attack, particularly Lamont Jordan.
"Our [defensive line] has to do a good job," Goldsmith said. "[Jordan's] a strong, big kid, so people tend to overlook his speed.... We better keep him in front of us or we'll be in trouble."
Jordan has been the star for Maryland's offense this year, amassing 725 yards on just 135 attempts. He has also added four touchdowns on the ground, not to mention a touchdown pass.
But Goldsmith knows better than to focus exclusively on stopping the run tomorrow.
"They opened the ballgame on us last year with an 80-yard play-action pass," he said. "As well as they run the ball, you always have the chance that they could really hurt you with a play-action pass."
Recent history shows that controlling the Maryland offense will be critical for the Blue Devils. In all seven of its losses this year, Maryland has been held to 20 points or fewer.
Of course, containing the Maryland attack will no doubt open up more opportunities for Duke's own offense. The Blue Devils have scored a combined total of 85 points in their last three games and hope to continue that pace against the Terps.
If all goes according to plan for Duke, it will pick up its first big late-season win in a while.
"We have something to play for late in the season," Goldsmith said. "That's why I think this game is so important."
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