Maryland Offense vs. Florida St. Defense
Maryland Defense vs. Florida St. Offense
Intangibles | Overall Edge | Gameday Weather

Bruce Perry (154 carries, 949 yards, 8 TDs) seemingly came out of nowhere to become one of the nation's leading rushers, but in reality, the 1998 Philadelphia player of the year has just been biding his time. The redshirt sophomore ranks third in the country in rushing yards and is giving predecessor LaMont Jordan's single-season rushing mark (1,632) a run. FSU's defensive strength is its run defense, led by linebackers Kendyll Pope, Bradley Jennings and rover Abdual Howard.

Shaun Hill started slowly, but has brought his level of play up considerably. Hill had his problems adjusting to Ralph Friedgen's option attack, but has settled into the role and thrived last week, generating 428 yards of total offense and leading the Terps to touchdowns on their first six possessions. Florida State will look to control Hill with defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and a pair of players coming off injuries -- nose guard Jeff Womble (elbow) and Alonzo Jackson(knee).

In Guilian Gary and Jafar Williams, the Terps have a pair of wideouts who can extend the field and keep defenses from concentrating on the run. Williams, a prep teammate of Perry at Philadelphia's George Washington High, is the possession-type receiver, while Gary serves as the big-play burner.

The Edge: Maryland