2-Minute Drill: The Maryland Terrapins

(Maryland linebacker L.A. Goree/Mark Konezny-USA Today Sports)

Maryland has faced Indiana and Ohio State. As far as Big Ten rush offenses go, that's Nos. 1 and 5. So, the Terrapins started their Big Ten journey with a pair of rushing heavyweights. As you can imagine, their numbers are bruised. Maryland sits No. 13 in the league with 212.0 yards per game against. In four games against Power 5 schools, the Terps are allowing 257 yards a game and 4.90 a carry.

Maryland defensive coordinator Brian Stewart runs an aggressive 3-4 defense. In 2012, Maryland's went from the worst defense in the ACC to second in the conference. Last season, the Terrapins produced 37 sacks, tying them for third in the ACC. Stewart is a disciple of Wade Phillips, serving as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator in 2007-08.

Nose tackle Darius Kilgo and defensive ends Andre Monroe and Keith Bowers allow Stewart to call an aggressive game. All four of Maryland's starting linebackers have missed time because of injury, inside linebackers Cole Farrand and L.A. Goree (pictured above) have given this unit some teeth. Plus, Maryland could get a boost out of sophomore inside linebacker Abner Logan, who has been cleared to play by the university after being suspended for the first six games of the season. He started four games last season and is advertised as the Terps' strongest LB.

The Hawkeyes put up their first 200-yard rushing effort in nine games last week. That number was hugely massaged by freshman RB Jonathan Parker's 60-yard jet sweep. So, Iowa's run game was better, but is it well or as fixed as it's going to get in 2014? Pretty big distinction between 'better' and 'good as it's going to get.'

Guard Jordan Walsh's health was up in the air midweek. He suffered an ankle injury against Indiana. Fifth-year senior Tommy Gaul moved in at center and junior Austin Blythe switched to guard. You could again see that combo, which did a nice job against a few different fronts last week.

Is Iowa getting enough from running back? Mark Weisman's carries don't show the skew for the number of short-yardage situations he's used in. Junior Jordan Canzeri, Iowa's most instinctive runner, has been hampered by injuries all season. If he's healthy this week ('I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot,' he said this week), he could breathe some life into this. At 3.8 yards a carry, it needs some life, no denying it.

Advantage: Iowa

(Maryland safety Anthony Nixon/Mitch Stringer-USA Today Sports)

The Terps are vulnerable here. Cornerback William Likely is solid in coverage, but Alvin Hill, the other corner, was lost Sept. 27 with an ACL injury. Strong safety Sean Davis has had issues in coverage, but is the B1G's fifth-leading tackler (9.3 a game). Free safety Anthony Nixon (pictured above) is a junior veteran with starts stretching from 2012 to this weekend (also blocked a punt against Syracuse).

The Terps are all over the map as far as coverage goes. Iowa has shown some stacked and trip wide receiver sets this season. Expect to see those to combat Maryland's man coverage. This also could be a key in opening up Iowa's running game. A trips look can constrain a secondary and make it vulnerable in run support.

Maryland showed cover 0 blitz a few times against Ohio State. Stewart is aggressive and that could go a couple of different ways. He could roll coverages and get tricky with blitzes, but he also could play straight up defense. Does Iowa's offense call for the risk of cover 0 blitzes?

This puts the onus on Iowa's passing game to make the risks backfire and to keep safeties off the line of scrimmage.

Jake Rudock again will start and will likely hold down the position even more than he did last week, coming off last week's 19 of 27 for 210 yards and two TDs.

Iowa put out a lot of film for defenses to examine last week. You saw pitches and little-used options. You also saw Rudock 'throw open' WR Damond Powell for a 72-yard TD. All of those factors could take some of the aggression out of the Terps.

Quarterback has take up a lot of space here the past couple of weeks, but let's note some of the growth at wide receiver. Powell's production continues to rise. He now averages 26.89 yards on nine catches. Junior Tevaun Smith is becoming good for one 20-plus play a game. Tight end Jake Duzey has been productive in the No. 1 TE target role (18 catches, two TDs).

Through six games, Iowa's pass protection, from the O-line to the running backs, has been superb.

Advantage: Iowa

(Maryland's Jacquille Veii/Tommy Gilligan-USA Today Sports)

Maryland will have to run around the heart of Iowa's defense. The combination of Brandon Ross, Wes Brown, Albert Reid, Jacquille Veii (pictured above) and fullback Kenny Goins has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry the past four games. The Terps are 97th in the nation in rush offense (140.33 yards a game).

Maryland has had trouble gaining traction up front. In four of their six games, the Terps have averaged 3.42 yards a carry or less. Against Indiana and Ohio State, that number was 3.42 and 2.75. There has been a 'musical chairs' factor. Center Sal Conaboy (6-3, 295) is the only returnee who's at the position he played in 2013. Beyond Conaboy, the four starting O-linemen came into the season with a combined 12 career starts at their current positions.

It's a new setup overall. After finishing 83rd nationally in rushing yards per game (148.4) and 66th in sacks allowed per game (2.08), UM coach Randy Edsall fired Tom Brattan and hired Greg Studrawa, who came in from LSU.

Quarterback C.J. Brown, a versatile dual-threat QB, leads UM with 263 yards on 64 carries (4.11 yards per carry, five TDs).

Any hubris Iowa carried in this department was crushed by Indiana and running back Tevin Coleman last week. Iowa allowed Coleman to go for 219 yards and three TDs of 83, 69 and 45.

Iowa's team concepts broke down. Several defenders were guilty of taking one bad step and that was enough for Coleman, who was free and clear of the Hawkeyes 10 yards into his 83-yarder. You hear the term 'leverage' a lot with Iowa's defense. That's simply keeping the ball carrier on your inside shoulder, funneling him to the inside where your help should be. Iowa either lost interest with a 21-0 lead or did a poor job of simulating Coleman's burst in practice (tall order for a lot of running backs in the B1G, much less scout team).

Another factor, in all three of the big runs, junior DE Drew Ott was not on the field. The lack of depth at defensive end showed up. Ott has become a force in run defense and pass rush.

Advantage: Iowa

(Maryland receiver Stefon Diggs/Tommy Gilligan-USA Today Sports)

Maryland's receiving corps is the most explosive and most talented offensive element going into this game. Junior Stefon Diggs (6-0, 190, pictured above) has 36 catches (tied for third in the B1G) for 450 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Deon Long (6-0, 185) has 27 catches for 307 yards and a touchdown. Junior Marcus Leak (6-0, 210) averages 15.8 yards a catch and has three TDs.

With a terrific group of receivers, the Terps are a heavy screen team. After being burned for big gains a week ago, expect Iowa's defense to be there for these, diagnosing, maintaining leverage, taking proper pursuit angles and getting bodies to the football.

Brown (6-3, 218) is a sixth-year senior. He conducts the Terps spread offense with aplomb, passing for 1,067 yards and rushing for a team-high 263 so far this season. He was knocked out of the Indiana game with a sprained wrist, but not before hitting 10 of 15 passes and laying the foundation for a 37-15 road victory.

The Terps ran an effective read-option game against the Hoosiers, with Brown and Ross doing most of the damage. Last week, the Hawkeyes got caught looking against the read option.

Iowa has played a ton of man coverage this season. It's scheme, but defensive coordinator Phil Parker has high trust in corners Desmond King and Greg Mabin. Iowa will continue to ask linebackers to cover wide receivers for short ranges. The Terps could find some rhythm with this. That said, you noticed the linebackers-on-wide receivers thing when it didn't work against Iowa State. Since then, Iowa has picked off six passes and held two opponents to 72 and 116 yards passing.

Now, will Brown be able to pull off what ISU QB Sam Richardson (25 of 37 for 255 yards, two TDs) did against Iowa?

Advantage: Maryland

(Maryland kick returner Stefon Diggs/Pat Lovell-USA Today Sports)

Maryland has it all when it comes to special teams. Kicker Brad Craddock is 11 of 11 on field goals and these aren't chip shots. He's 7 of 7 on kicks ranging from 40 to 57 yards (his long). He's also third in the league with 18 touchbacks. Likely is leading the Big Ten in punt return average at 22.0 yards on eight attempts (with one TD). Diggs (above) is tied for second in the B1G in kick return average at 24.4 yards.

'I think our special teams understands the potential that we have to be really good in those areas when you have a place-kicker like Brad who is a weapon, when you have a young man like Will Likely as a punt returner who is a weapon, and then you have Stefon Diggs as a kick returner and the pressure he can put on people,' UM coach Randy Edsall said.

Iowa has allowed 10.7 yards a punt return. That number hasn't hurt them yet, but it's a new deal this week. Thanks to Marshall Koehn's 24 touchbacks, the kick return until likely doesn't have to sweat Diggs. The Hawkeyes have averaged just 1.2 kick returns a game, that number is No. 2 in the nation.

During his radio show last week, Kirk Ferentz said when he arrived the first element of Iowa's game he wanted to shape up was special teams. That parade started with a scholarship offer to a kicker from Iowa City West named Nate Kaeding. That story is just a point on the priority Iowa's staff puts on special teams.

Advantage: Maryland

(Maryland coach Randy Edsall/Mitch Stringer-USA Today Sports)

1. Physical football — Ohio State sapped the Terps will to live with a smothering defensive performance. Iowa is capable of that. The defensive line of tackles Carl Davis and Louis Trinca-Pasat and end Drew Ott are what Iowa football does. It sends big bodies at you all day. They generally do all the right stuff, play great technique and don't beat themselves. Check this off for the Hawkeyes, but what about the offensive line? Has Iowa's OL won a line of scrimmage this year? Yes, Purdue and Indiana. The is where Iowa's default to physical, grinding, clock chewing football needs to pay off.

2. Good behavior — Little known fact, the Hawkeyes were penalized 52 times last season, making the 2013 Hawkeyes the least-penalized in Ferentz's era. Iowa is out to shatter that this season, with just 22 penalties against through six games. That's tied for second in the nation for fewest penalties. Ferentz said this week he believes his team has played it smart, toeing the line between aggressive play and avoiding reckless penalties. This is THE intangible that comes through during things like road games.

3. Strangers in a strangeland — This is the first game in the Iowa-Maryland series, so, yes, this is Iowa's first trip to Byrd Stadium (54,000). Here's how the first Big Ten game at Byrd Stadium went: Ohio State fans flocked to it like seagulls and owned it. The announced sellout crowd of 51,802 formed a sea of red, with the red jerseys worn by Buckeyes fans blending in with Maryland fans. Don't expect Iowa to make the same dent, even though Iowa has a stronghold of alumni in the D.C. area.

Edsall said this week the school had already sold between 45,000 and 46,000 tickets, which is the Terps' homecoming.

Advantage: Iowa

Iowa will win if . . .

The Hawkeyes at least match big plays with the Terps. On paper, Iowa should have a physical edge. Maryland's best shot will be to get its athletes on offense loose. One compelling number: The Hawkeyes have won six of their last seven on the road.

Maryland will win if . . .

It checks Iowa running game. Forget that it would pull Iowa out of its comfort zone. If the Terps fence in Iowa's rush, that also would mean they are trading punches with the Hawkeyes. If that happens, how Iowa reacts will be telling.

Prediction: Iowa 37, Maryland 31