Maryland Football: A Milestone Big 10 Test awaits Friday

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Michael Locksley of the Maryland Terrapins talks with Taulia Tagovailoa #3 during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 7, 2020 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Michael Locksley of the Maryland Terrapins talks with Taulia Tagovailoa #3 during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 7, 2020 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Michael Locksley of the Maryland Terrapins talks with Taulia Tagovailoa #3 during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 7, 2020, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Michael Locksley of the Maryland Terrapins talks with Taulia Tagovailoa #3 during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 7, 2020, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /

Maryland football has a milestone game on Friday night. Mike Locksley, Taulia Tagliovia, and Co. have a chance to leap the program forward this season with a victory against the 5th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.

Maryland football fans have been at these crossroads before; a huge conference home game against a RANKED opponent, with the apparent momentum of a growing program in the balance? Yep…If you’re a loyal ward of Maryland football, you’ve seen this recent scenario play out in technicolor more times than you can count. The results? Less than optimal. The Terrapins have another one of those potential, program-advancing moments again on Friday night when the Iowa Hawkeyes visit College Park.

This game pits one of the most potent offenses in the Big Ten against arguably the leagues’ stoutest defensive unit. Iowa comes into the game riding that defensive toughness and just enough offensive movement to remain undefeated, and in the mix for a Big Ten championship game appearance. Head Coach Mike Locksley has the Terps 4-0 for the first time since 2016 and this year’s Terrapin offense is arguably the most explosive of his current tenure as coach. Taulia Tagliovia has efficiently put together an early-season run at QB that has started to generate national buzz as one of the best signal-callers in the country not really being talked about. Indeed, the terrapins have the chance to flip the script and throw a monkey wrench into the order that normally is the Big Ten East, but they’re going to have to build upon the fast start to the season to pull off the win.