Photo used under a Creative Commons license with rob.wiss.

You have to tip your hat to Ralph Friedgen. The University of Maryland’s head football coach has already qualified his team for the school’s seventh bowl in ten seasons. But what is more remarkable is that they achieved this feat before November, while rebounding from a horrendous, school record-worst 2-10 season last year.

Oh, and Friedgen was on the brink of being fired to boot.

Flash forward to today and there has already been early discussion about Friedgen being awarded ACC Coach of the Year. If the season ended today, there would be no doubt that the Fridge would ultimately be the recipient. If the season ended today, that is.

Don’t let the Terrapins record (6-2, 3-1 ACC) deceive you. All of their victories have come against inferior competition, while the team’s marquee win to date was their dramatic Labor Day goal-line stand over what now appears to be just an average Navy squad. When the Terps have faced formidable opponents such as Clemson and West Virginia, they have come out on the losing end. And while Maryland has already defeated three of its conference foes, those teams — Wake Forest, Duke and Boston College — have a combined 7-17 overall record.

It’s no wonder Maryland has yet to crack the polls.

But the last four weeks in Maryland’s season will ultimately define who this team really is. Road trips to Miami and Virginia, followed by home games against Atlantic division rivals Florida State and N.C. State will go a long way in determining if the pundits can take this Terps squad seriously.