Maryland Goes To The Emerald Bowl

2007 Emerald Bowl
Maryland vs Oregon State
Friday, December 28th 8:30 PM EST

The Emerald Bowl announced that Maryland (6-6) will face Oregon State (8-4) of the Pac-10 Conference on Friday, Dec. 28 in San Francisco at AT&T Park. The game will be telecast nationally on ESPN.

It was a natural fit for the Terps, who have 5,000 alumni between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Maryland will be making its 22nd bowl game appearance and first in the state of California.

"Our kids are excited to be going to the Emerald Bowl and appreciative of this opportunity," said Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen. "We're looking forward to playing a Pac-10 team, something we haven't done in a long time.

"Oregon State is a fine team and Mike Riley is an excellent football coach. He has his team playing very well right now."

Maryland will be seeking to extend its school record of three straight bowl victories. The Terps defeated Purdue, 24-7, in last year's Champs Sports Bowl. They also downed West Virginia, 41-7, in the 2004 Gator Bowl and Tennessee, 30-3, in the 2002 Peach Bowl.

"In Maryland, we will have one of the ACC's most prominent names," said Gary Cavalli, executive director of the Emerald Bowl. "The Terps come into the game with great momentum from a dominating win over North Carolina State. Earlier this season, they beat two top 10 teams - Rutgers and Boston College."

The Beavers finished third in the Pac-10 by winning six of their final seven games with the only loss in that stretch a 24-3 defeat at the hands of then-No. 13 USC on November 3rd.

Oregon State possesses one of the top defenses in the nation. OSU is ranked 12th nationally in total defense (313.0 ypg), including the second-ranked rushing defense (74.9 ypg). Oregon State will be making its 13th bowl game appearance, including fifth in the last seven years.

The Terrapins and Beavers have never faced each other and it will be just the second time Maryland has played a Pac-10 team in a bowl game. The Terps lost to Washington, 21-20, in the 1982 Aloha Bowl.