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Purdue, Maryland face off in Champs Sports Bowl

Dec 29, 2006 - 4:28 PM Purdue (8-5) vs. Maryland (8-4) Champs Sports Bowl 8:00 pm EST

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- Maryland hopes to avoid ending its season on a three-game losing streak when it faces Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl on Friday.

The Terrapins (8-4) were in prime position to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division crown before dropping games to Boston College and Wake Forest at the end of the regular season.

That Maryland finished with eight wins is impressive considering the Terps rank 96th out of 119 Division I-A teams in total offense (303.67), 89th in total defense (366.92) and tied for 101st in turnover margin (minus-0.67).

Led by sophomore quarterback Curtis Painter, Purdue (8-5) went 5-3 in the Big Ten Conference - the same record Maryland had in the ACC. Painter ranks sixth nationally in total offense (295.15).

The Boilermakers possess the country's No. 9 offense (425.77) but rank just 114th in total defense (432.69).

The teams will be meeting for the first time.

"I think any time you play a team in another conference, you want to represent your conference well," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. "At the end of the bowl season, everybody looks how everyone matched up with the other teams. I'm sure Purdue is feeling the same way.

"What I think is so unique about this game is that we've never played before, and it's been a long time since a lot of our teams have played Big Ten teams, or since they've played ACC teams. That makes this game pretty unique."