COLLEGE PARK — There were plenty of disparities from Maryland's 45-6 loss at West Virginia, starting with the score and working on down through total yards, plays and other various aspects of the game.
And in his postgame news conference, coach Randy Edsall brought up one particular aspect unprompted: the Terps' inability to convert third and fourth downs against the Mountaineers defense. Maryland was 4 of 14 on third down conversions and failed twice on fourth down. West Virginia, meanwhile, was 9 of 16 on third down and converted its lone fourth-down try.
"That makes it tough," Edsall said Saturday.
Maryland has converted 41.5 percent of its third downs, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten Conference, while allowing opponents to convert third downs 40.6 percent of the time, which ranks 11th in the conference. On top of that, the Terps have converted on fourth down only once in four tries — that came on their first scoring drive against South Florida — while opponents are 5 of 9.
The numbers are even more glaring when separated between wins and losses. In wins over Richmond and South Florida, the Terps were 15 of 27 on third downs while their opponents were 9 of 30. It's basically reversed against Bowling Green and West Virginia. The Terps are 7 of 26 on third down in their two losses.
Maryland isn't creating manageable third down situations for itself either. Against West Virginia, 11 of 14 third down tries were of at least five yards. Against Bowling Green, the Terps faced at least five yards to go for a first down on 12 plays they ran on third down.
Things won't get any easier against Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines have converted 46.6 percent of their third down attempts this season to rank fifth in the Big Ten while allowing opponents to convert only 24.1 percent of third downs.
Another blowout for Terps
Maryland's loss to the Mountainners was Edsall's third-worst and 15th of at least 20 points during his four-plus year tenure in College Park.
The only Terps defeats under Edsall that were worse than the shellacking the Mountaineers handed them are the 63-0 loss at eventual national champion Florida State in 2013 and the 52-7 blowout at Wisconsin last October.
Edsall is 22-32 in his career at Maryland, and 17 of those losses have come by at least three scores (17 points). Nine of Edsall's victories have come by at least that margin, and nine more of his wins have been by seven points or fewer.
In his weekly conference call Sunday, Edsall was asked about the factors that lead to a blowout.
"I always think it's just a combination of things that happen in the game of football," Edsall said. "It can be turnovers. It can be not making first downs. It can be playing on a short field. It can be a lot of factors that go into it. And then when it does, you're trying to do everything that you can to get it back. I think there's always a lot of factors that go into those things."
On Saturday, Maryland plays a Michigan team that has had its three wins all come by at least 21 points.
Prince to make second straight start
Redshirt freshman Damian Prince, a former five-star recruit, will make his second straight start at right tackle against Michigan on Saturday, according to the Maryland depth chart, which was released Monday.
Prince made his first career start against West Virginia after left guard Mike Minter, who had started the first three games of the season, was lost for the season with a labrum injury. Senior Ryan Doyle, who had started at right tackle, moved to left guard.
Redshirt freshman Derwin Gray will back up Prince.
The combination of left tackle Michael Dunn, Doyle, center Evan Mulrooney, right guard Andrew Zeller and Prince was Maryland's projected lineup when preseason camp opened in August. Prince was "nicked up," Edsall said, near the end of camp, so the line was shuffled and Minter, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship days before the season opened, was inserted into the starting lineup.
The Terps offensive line allowed its first three sacks of the season in the loss at West Virginia.
Television set for Maryland-Ohio State
Maryland's matchup at Ohio State on Oct. 10 will be televised on the Big Ten Network, Ohio State announced Monday. The game will kick off at noon.
It will be Maryland's third contest televised on the network. The Terps' 48-27 loss to Bowling Green was also on the Big Ten Network as will Saturday's Big Ten Conference opener against Michigan.
Maryland's loss to West Virginia was televised on Fox Sports 1, and the Terps' wins over Richmond and South Florida were on ESPNU.
Maryland and Michigan kick off at 8 p.m. at Byrd Stadium on Saturday.
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