The University of Maryland revealed its 2011 football schedule Monday afternoon and will begin the Randy Edsall era in a nationally-televised primetime game on Labor Day.
The Terps kick off the 2011 season against Miami at Byrd Stadium, marking the second straight year Maryland will begin its season on Labor Day after beating Navy at M&T Bank Stadium last season. The opener against the Hurricanes will mark the first time the Terps have opened the season against an ACC opponent since playing North Carolina in 2001.
Even more intrigue would exist in the opener against Miami should former Hurricanes head coach Randy Shannon accept Maryland’s offer to become its new defensive coordinator, replacing the recently-departed Don Brown who accepted the same position at the University of Connecticut.
“We were approached by the ACC about playing Miami in a primetime national broadcast on ESPN,” Maryland director of athletics Kevin Anderson said in a released statement. “Based on the positive experience that our student-athletes and many of our fans enjoyed last season playing on Labor Day, we agreed to the request.”
Other highlights include a Sept. 17 home game against rival West Virginia as well as a meeting with Notre Dame at FedEx Field on Nov. 12. Amazingly, the Terps have never played at FedEx and won’t even serve as the home team despite playing just a few miles down the road in Landover, Md.
A local wrinkle will also be present in the schedule as the Terps play Towson for the first time. Maryland was originally slated to open the season against the Tigers before the ACC approached the school about hosting Miami on Labor Day night.
2011 Schedule
Sept. 5 – Miami (Monday), 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Sept. 10 – OPEN
Sept. 17 – West Virginia
Sept. 24 – Temple
Oct. 1 – Towson
Oct. 8 – @ Georgia Tech
Oct. 15 – Clemson
Oct. 22 – @ Florida State
Oct. 29 – Boston College
Nov. 5 – Virginia
Nov. 12 – vs. Notre Dame (@ FedEx Field, Landover, Md.)
Nov. 19 – @ Wake Forest
Nov. 26 – @ NC State
